What Does the Spirit of Notre Dame Mean to You?

R. Lee Brand (’59)

San Rafael, California

“My association with Notre Dame goes back 65 years to when I would lie on the living room rug listening to the radio broadcasts of Fighting Irish football. I remember the day my acceptance letter came as one of the high points of my young life. And the day I arrived on campus, seeing the Dome framed through the trees lining Notre Dame Avenue, is as clear in my mind as if I were seeing it today. It is the uniqueness of the place and of the family that experiences it and loves it that represents the spirit of Notre Dame to me.”

Thomas G. Burish (’72)

Provost, University of Notre Dame

“Great universities take risks. They follow unfamiliar paths. The watchword is possibility, not certainty. When Father Sorin built this university, there was no certainty, only the possibility that it might become a great institution. When it burned down and he said, ‘We will build it bigger and crown it with a statue of Mary,’ there was only possibility. That’s the foundation of a great university. That’s the spirit of Notre Dame.”

Amy T. Campbell (’93)

Rochester, New York

“The spirit of Notre Dame means to me that we are part of something larger than ourselves, but interconnected by our common respect for human dignity. Notre Dame represents for me a commitment to social justice, a grounding in peaceful hearts that we bring to the world in our peaceful deeds, and a celebration of our diversity that is also bound by a shared humanity. And, of course, a winning football season never hurts!”

Meagan Fitzpatrick (’06)

Baltimore, Maryland

“It can be embodied in one memory: January 2006. Father Jenkins opened the discussion on academic freedom and Catholic character, and students responded to his invitation with respect, intelligence and, most important, passion. That afternoon, Washington Hall teemed with young men and women grappling with the issues. It was Notre Dame at its best: people willing to ask hard questions, take a stand, speak their minds, and listen. You could almost hear Father Hesburgh’s words whispering from the walls…‘Here is where the Catholic Church does its thinking.’”

Christine Janicik Harmon (’86)

Brackenridge, Pennsylvania

“The spirit of Notre Dame means the people I met and the friends I have kept. It means meeting at our 20th class reunion last June, and being able to talk the days and nights away. It means meeting the husbands and children of my friends, and realizing how we have all changed but are all still the same people who believed in the spirit of Notre Dame in 1986.”

Geraldine Kennedy, Notre Dame Parent

East Longmeadow, Massachusetts

“I never understood it until my son was here. When I left him on campus, I was told over and over that Danny was ‘home.’ It bothered me tremendously then, but it does not bother me now. It’s hard to describe except to say that home truly is where the heart is, and this ‘home’ you take with you wherever you go.”

Sarah Martin (’02)

Chicago, Illinois

“The spirit of Notre Dame inspires each of us to act with kindness and humility, learn and grow with open minds and hearts, follow our dreams and be willing to work hard, struggle, and fail along the way; pray for and give back to those less fortunate; work for peace, justice, and equality rather than just a bigger paycheck or recognition; and, in the end, join together as community and family to make a greater difference and impact on this world.”

Kathleen McGrory (’62 MA)

Farmington, Connecticut

“It means never giving up, no matter how tough the opposition; seeing things through to the end, now matter how heavy the workload; working with others as though they were your brothers and sisters; and most of all, never forgetting how much we owe to God, parents, Church, teachers, country, and Notre Dame. To that list, I would also add Father Hesburgh.”

Sonia Miller-Van Oort (’93)

Hopkins, Minnesota

“The spirit of Notre Dame is what speaks to me on a daily basis—as I practice law, as I parent, as I mentor others and am mentored myself, and as I serve my community and church. The spirit of Notre Dame reminds me of my obligation to serve others, to lead when it is needed, and to follow my faith, my values, and my passions without compromise.”

Louise Mudd (’83)

Layton, Utah

“The spirit of Notre Dame means that anywhere I have moved in the United States, I have found people to welcome me and make me feel like I belong. It means instantly having a network of people available that can be relied upon. I means you have others around you to share stories and common experiences with. It means that home can be anywhere.”

Richard C. Notebaert

Chair-elect, Notre Dame Board of Trustees

“The spirit of Notre Dame means so many things: our Catholicity, the learning experience, dorm life, pep rallies, sports teams. Ask anyone who’s been here, even if you came from a different school: what does the spirit of Notre Dame mean to you? Can you feel it? And you say yes. Whether you go to the Grotto or the Basilica or stand at the base of the Library and look up. Or you meet Father Ted. It’s hard to talk about it because you get emotional and passionate.”

Patricia A. O’Hara (’74 JD)

Dean, Notre Dame Law School

“Notre Dame is not unlike that mosaic on the Hesburgh Library, which is made up of tiny pieces of tile and tells the story of the Catholic intellectual tradition. When you look at it up close, all you see are tiny pieces of tile. It’s only if you stand back that the entire picture emerges, so I’m not surprised that people articulate the spirit of Notre Dame differently because we are that mosaic; we are the little individual pieces who articulate that spirit in our own way. When you step back and listen to the whole, the true spirit of Notre Dame emerges.”

Jeffrey Ogden (’82)

Bethpage, New York

“It means a way of life: God, family, ethics, honesty. It means pride and trust. It is filled with good, honest, loving people. It is about academics, hard work, and learning. It is about the men and women who came before us, and the men and women—including, hopefully, my sons—who will come after us.”

William Roche (’60)

Escondido, California

“God, Country, Notre Dame: where you learn to live, not just make a living.”

Andy Zengel (’03)

Knoxville, Tennessee

“The spirit of Notre Dame burns in the hearts of all who know her, like so many Grotto candles. For me, that spirit continues to fuel my vocation to teach the Catholic faith to middle school students at St. Joseph School in Knoxville. Formed by my experiences as a theology major and strengthened through the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE), I hope to ignite my students with the love of Christ and His Church that was kindled in me at Notre Dame.”

Lorie Darche, Notre Dame Parent

Ft. Myers, Florida

“Every time I am on campus, I feel an amazing serenity come over me. I feel immediately in a culture of caring, respect, wisdom, and maturity. And I am always struck by the thought that this is how the entire world should be—how, then, what a truly wonderful life we would all have! I will be eternally grateful that my son has had the opportunity to experience the ‘Spirit of Notre Dame’!”

Juan Rodriguez ’04

Lima, Peru

“I came to Notre Dame for an education. I certainly did get an outstanding one, but in the process, I actually found much more. I found myself. I found that our life has meaning and purpose, and that it is our duty to fulfill our calling in life. I found that if I care, I need to get involved, because I can make a difference. And I took with me a special sense of belonging, shaped under the light of the Grotto, enhanced under the mantle of Our Lady, and perpetuated with the affection of lasting friendships.”

Kathy Behrens, Notre Dame Parent

Massena, New York

“What does the spirit of Notre Dame mean to me? Where to begin? It means faith, friendship, a son fulfilling a childhood dream, football, South Quad, the Dome, the Grotto … the list goes on. But the real spirit is that feeling of the Holy Spirit when you step foot on campus.”

William Carnegie ’01 MNA

Tucson, Arizona

“I carry the spirit of Notre Dame with me every day in my work feeding the hungry. The energy, enthusiasm, and education I received at Notre Dame have helped me to become a stronger resource to both my Notre Dame and my local communities.”

Sally Derengoski ’83

South Bend, Indiana

“The spirit of Notre Dame is about the passion that encompasses an unending search for truth. Beneath and beyond the layers of quality that make Notre Dame a joyful, enriching, fun place to be, there is an understanding that people associated with the University are most fundamentally truth-seekers. This is in no way a somber endeavor, but rather a stimulating, exciting journey that creates an environment robust with thought and reflection.”

Rachel Eikenberry ’91

Neola, Iowa

“The spirit of Notre Dame burns inside of me. Choosing to attend Notre Dame is not a four-year decision, it’s a lifelong connection. It’s been 20 years since I first stepped onto the campus as a freshman, and I still count among my closest friends those that I encountered during those four quick years. As alumni, we share a passion for all the University represents: faith, service, knowledge, family, and ... football. One of my best friends to this day is the roommate I was randomly assigned as a freshman at Pasquerilla East Hall 20 years ago. We always joke that the woman on the Dome really knew what she was doing when she put us together. The Notre Dame spirit lives on.”

Lauren Ellis ’04

Lafayette, Louisiana

“For me, the spirit of Notre Dame is more than a feeling or even the most precious memory. It’s the shared experiences that connect me to alumni of every age, the balance of ‘work hard, play hard, pray hard’ that I learned to embrace in my life, and the natural consequence of a campus full of people living dreams come true. It is embodied in the people whose souls are touched and whose lives are changed on campus and in the people whose lives they in turn change.”

Natalie Hupf ’00

Los Alamitos, California

“The spirit of Notre Dame can be summed up as ‘family.’ Whether friend, parent, student, or alumni, you are welcomed and embraced by the Notre Dame family, which is a group of people who will support you and help you grow intellectually, spiritually, and socially. The spirit is about realizing that there is a greater good and that it is every person’s decision to try and do their part in order to achieve their own personal greatness and the greater good. Realizing the spirit of Notre Dame in my daily life is knowing that there is a standard of excellence and expectation attached to my association with Notre Dame and that, in order to sustain the prestige of the University, I must be a model of all the good that Notre Dame stands for.”

J. Daniel Irwin Jr. ’58

Buffalo, New York

“The spirit of Notre Dame begins and ends with love and devotion to the Blessed Mother. The Grotto is by far the most sacred, important, and popular place on the campus. Our Lady’s inspiration, help, and guidance drives our ability to take on life’s tasks with confidence and to succeed. She is the shining light in the world … she is always Notre Dame, forever.”

Nanette Rees Mullaney ’81

South Bend, Indiana

“I live a mile from campus, and Notre Dame has gone from being a place from where I have a lot of great memories, a place where I met my husband (we were both in the band), to a place where I spend time with my kids biking to campus for picnics, plays, and other fun activities. And now, in a full circle, it is the place my two oldest children call home: Daniel has just completed his freshman year and Kate will be a freshman in the fall. Notre Dame has been more of an influence on my life than I ever imagined, and I am grateful to the competent people who work there and who donate to make it all possible.”

Sean O’Brien ’86

Macungie, Pennsylvania

“For some the ‘spirit’ manifests itself in the roaring cheers that resonate throughout the campus on a fall Saturday afternoon. For others it’s the quiet whisper and spiritual calling that brings comfort and a sense of ‘home’ to those who kneel at the Grotto. Whatever the source, the spirit of Notre Dame is a sense of welcome and familiarity that bonds students, alumni, and friends throughout the world into one unified family.”

Adela Penagos ’92

Notre Dame, Indiana

“As an international student, the Notre Dame spirit allowed me to experience a sense of family while being away from home. Now that I work at Notre Dame, I continue to experience that through my students. It is a blessing to be touched by their intellectual and spiritual gifts. Notre Dame is a place where many students are driven to change the world. During their time here, they also manage to change the lives of those who work closely with them. They have changed mine.”

Richard Roggeveen ’64

Chicago, Illinois

“Having a son, without any encouragement, decide that the greatest university and the one he wanted to attend was the one his dad attended 40 years ago … and the uncontrolled tears of joy on his acceptance.”

Kaileen Sanner ’01

Boston, Massachusetts

“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t feel the spirit of Notre Dame in some way. I am a Spanish teacher at Boston College High School, and I have a bright blue and gold sign right inside my classroom door that reads Learn Like a Champion Today. As I greet my students at the door before class, they each hit the sign before they sit down. The spirit of Notre Dame is contagious (even in BC territory!).”

Sally Stevenson ’92

Louisville, Kentucky

“In a word, the spirit of Notre Dame means LOVE! In our alma mater, we describe the Notre Dame spirit as tender, strong, and true. This spirit is exemplified by my parents, Jim (’49) and Lois Stevenson, who are celebrating 60 years of marriage this year. They were honored to have Father Hesburgh preside at their marriage, and I believe that has had a profound impact on our family. We are loving, loyal, and always there for each other. I have found this to be true of my extended Notre Dame family as well. Thank you Notre Dame, and Go Irish!”