Print Edition for Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Hundreds of ND students attend March for Life in Washington

As record snowfall blanketed most of the northern United States, a group of 350 Notre Dame students traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the annual March for Life. The trip was organized by the Notre Dame Right to Life club, which has led an annual trip to the nation’s capital since the event’s inception in 1974.

Faith and Politics

If you are religious, you do not have the luxury to be apolitical. So many people say that they do not align with a party and instead align themselves with Christ. There is nothing inherently wrong with this statement. Jesus is bigger than party politics, and to be a true follower of Christ is to separate oneself from the world. But that does not mean separating yourself from injustice.

McCart-Parikh, Jones-Evers qualify for 2026 presidential ballot

The Judicial Council released its list of qualified candidates for the student body presidency on Monday in an email to the Notre Dame student body. The announcement comes after a nine-day petitioning process, after which two presidential candidates qualified for the ballot. 

Notre Dame tennis rolls in busy weekend

Men’s Tennis

Former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg returns to Notre Dame

Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg returned to the city on Friday for a fireside chat at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center titled “Leadership, Innovation, and the Next Generation.” Buttigieg was joined by Mary Gallagher, the Marilyn Keough dean of the Keough School of Global Affairs. The former U.S. Secretary of Transportation gave insight into his career in public service and how his experiences, from mayor of South Bend to member of a presidential cabinet, offer a unique perspective on how to navigate a rapidly changing world. 

College Football Playoff highlights

On Monday, Jan. 19, the college football season came to an end with the Indiana University Hoosiers taking the throne after defeating Miami 27-21.

The Observer elects Editor-in-Chief for 2026-2027 term

The Observer Editorial Board elected Managing Editor Gray Nocjar as Editor-in-Chief for the 2026-2027 term on Sunday.

Braeden Shrewsberry leads the way for the Notre Dame men’s basketball team

The Fighting Irish men’s basketball team put together a solid performance in their most recent game, a 68-64 victory over the Boston College Eagles. The leader in scoring in that contest was junior guard Braeden Shrewsberry, with 22 points, his third game with 20-plus points on the year.  For a Notre Dame team that has certainly had its fair share of struggles this season, Shrewsberry has been a bright spot for them. 

Our Own Sundance: The 37th Annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival

Who needs to descend on Park City, Utah for Sundance when we have a film festival right here on our campus? This past weekend, the Notre Dame Department of Film, Television, and Theatre presented the 37th Annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival. The festival offers FTT students an opportunity to showcase their filmmaking chops while revealing what preoccupies our next generation of filmmakers. And the preoccupations ran deep: phone addiction, fraught relationships with parents and Gen Z’s fear of romantic commitment. All of the films contained real talent and demonstrated that FTT is effectively incubating artists with creativity and insight. Some personal highlights for me included the following:

'The Pitt' Season 2 gets off to a strong start

After becoming a critical darling and winning five Emmys, HBO Max’s “The Pitt” returns for a second season, which delivers more incredible television. Instead of just another day in the emergency room, we now follow Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch (Noah Wyle) on his last day before a three-month sabbatical, which also happens to be the fourth of July. The first three episodes take us from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., roughly ten months after the first season ended. Like every second season, we return to the old characters while also meeting some new ones.

1,656 miles, two editors, zero regrets: my trip to UConn

1,656 miles driven in 24 hours. That was the drive that Gray Nocjar, The Observer’s managing editor, and I, photo editor, made to Storrs, Conneticut to cover the Notre Dame women’s basketball match-up against the Huskies on Jan. 19.

Hockey splits series against Ohio State

It was a weekend of highs and lows for Notre Dame hockey, which split its first series of the season with the Ohio State Buckeyes 4-2 and 6-1. With another heartbreaking loss on Friday, the Irish returned Saturday with a vengeance to earn their first conference win of the season and end their 10-game losing streak.

Notre Dame men’s basketball takes a win over Boston College

The latest chapter of the storied Holy War rivalry went Notre Dame’s way on Saturday night at Purcell Pavilion after a chaotic second-half comeback propelled the Irish to victory over the Boston College Eagles. The game was a crucial matchup for both teams, as the Irish looked to snap their five-game losing streak, post their second ACC win and overcome recent offensive struggles.

Walk the Walk Week inspires campus-wide service project

Walk the Walk Week (WTWW) has returned to the University of Notre Dame for its 11th year, running from Jan. 24 to Jan. 31. According to a University press release, the event was designed with “more than 20 University, department, and student-sponsored events that invite members of the Notre Dame community to reflect on how to foster a deeper sense of belonging and inclusion, and build the Beloved Community — referencing the words of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. — on campus and beyond.”

Alumnae speakers share career advice for SMC STEM development workshop

Saint Mary’s College hosted a STEM Professional Development Workshop keynote event on Friday that brought together students, alumnae and faculty for an evening focused on career development and leadership in Carroll Auditorium.

Too much to know, too little to think

I, like many during this winter break, fell into the deceptively destructive routine of waking up, working out (shoutout CorePower Yoga!), getting ready and then spending the rest of my day in bed doomscrolling. My comatose state lasted hours and consisted of nothing but scrolling through TikTok and — in classic political science fashion — The New York Times.

Are all these Indiana fans bandwagons?

One week into its reign as the king of college football, Indiana University has yet to descend from the mountaintop of glory. The same is true of its millions and millions of fans. And why should they? As many have rightly pointed out, Indiana’s victory is a triumph for the sport’s parity and the die-hard Hoosiers who have witnessed decades of their team’s irrelevancy. My colleague Thea Bendaly wrote an excellent column last week discussing her personal journey as an ancestral Indiana fan as well as the implications of IU’s historic victory. Hailing from Carmel, Ind. from a family of Hoosiers, obviously Thea can claim IU’s victory. 

Saint Mary’s unveils new PACE Center in ribbon-cutting ceremony

After months of construction, preparation and anticipation, Saint Mary’s College launched the newly established Prikkel Advising, Career and Experience Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday afternoon. The center, located in the newly renovated wing on the first floor of Le Mans Hall, will serve as the home for Career Services (previously known as the Career Crossings Office), academic advising and a newly minted position, the dean of career integration. 

Sculpture falls outside Raclin Murphy Museum of Art

The 36-foot-tall statue, “Endless,” which stood outside the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art for nearly three years on the University’s campus, was found broken on the ground in two pieces late in the afternoon on Dec. 10.