News

SMC alumna discusses fashion boutique launch

Saint Mary's alumna Vanessa Cooreman Smith combined her love of fashion with her drive to succeed when she launched Flourish Boutique in Granger in 2008, and she returned to the College on Monday to share the story of her business.

Holy Cross Harvest collects donations for food bank

The Saint Mary's Office for Social and Civic Engagement (OSCE) has joined with Holy Cross College and Notre Dame to host the Holy Cross Harvest this week. This is the third year the institutions have hosted the festival, Jessica Bulosan, assistant director of OSCE, said.

Professor and team earn grant to analyze democracy

The rapidly-shifting nature of today's political landscapes and conflicts calls for thorough understanding of democracy.   

College to debut Steinway grand piano at concert

Saint Mary's College will introduce a new Steinway & Sons Model D Concert Grand Piano to the College's Department of Music in its debut performance at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14 in Little Theatre of Moreau Center for the Arts, the College stated in a press release on Oct. 25.

ND senior travels to Vatican, meets Pope Francis

The head of the Roman Catholic Church now owns a copy of the book "The Chapels of Notre Dame," thanks to senior Juan Manuel Segura, who traveled to Rome with his family in October to briefly meet Pope Francis.

Academic Affairs presents new series

Students now have an opportunity to hear from professors outside of the classroom through the First and Last Lecture Series. The Department of Academic Affairs invites professors every semester to speak as if it were their first or last lecture at the University. Sydney Zepf, the coordinator for Last Lectures, said this is a great way for students to learn from professors in a new way. "We ask professors to imagine what they would say if they could only give one more lecture in their life, and then give them the opportunity to present it to students," she said. "This lecture series is unique because it allows students to hear from professors about something other than the professor's traditional area of study." Often, professors lecture on important lessons that they have learned throughout their careers, Zepf said. "Professors tend to lecture about the ways that they have gained their success and important lessons that they have learned. However, the time of the lecture is completely theirs - we give professors no restrictions." While anyone can attend these lectures, the series serves as a connection between students and professors, Zepf said. "This lecture series is beneficial for the ND community because it gives students an opportunity to take advantage of the knowledge of their teachers in a new way.  It also serves to bridge the gap between professors and students and to help students get to know their professors in a new way. Many professors have amazing stories that students just don't get to hear in a classroom setting. " These lectures are held twice a year, and anyone is allowed to attend, Zepf said. The First Lecture series is a new addition to the Academic Affairs Department. Timothy Kirchoff, the coordinator for First Lectures, said this series gives students the opportunity to listen to new professors talk about their fields of specialty, and why they came to the University. "It seems to me that, when a professor comes to Notre Dame specifically in order to participate in Notre Dame's mission as a Catholic University, we should take note of that in some way, and that is what the First Lecture is designed to do," he said. "It is an opportunity for a professor to discuss their field of expertise and why they wanted to come to Notre Dame - to place their own work in the context of Notre Dame's mission as an institution that seeks to bring faith and reason into conversation." The Notre Dame identity is an integral part of this series, Kirchoff said. "Maybe this is a cliched line, but Notre Dame is a unique institution, and professors - like many students - come here believing that they can be part of something truly special. They are not just joining the faculty of one of America's top universities, but the faculty of a uniquely Catholic university," he said. These lectures may also have many benefits for the future, Kirchoff said. Specifically, he said he hopes to see the First and Last Lectures set a precedent for student-professor engagement outside the classroom. "If each individual First Lecture sends the message to the speaker that students are interested in this kind of engagement and encourages both the speaker and students to pursue it more deliberately, I would consider it a success. As a series, though, I would like the First Lecture to help both students and professors develop a deeper appreciation for and willingness to participate in Notre Dame's unique identity and mission," Kirchoff said. The First Lecture series begins with a talk from Professor Deneen of the Department of Political Science on Nov. 11.

We treated them the way we would treat ourselves'

As the Blue Angels flew over Notre Dame Stadium and the final notes of the alma mater rang out, many students' beliefs were confirmed: the atmosphere of the Notre Dame vs. Navy game would be unlike any other this season. Sophomore Kim Mai said hearing the stadium fall silent for the Navy alma mater and witnessing the friendly camaraderie between the teams was the first time she had seen Notre Dame fans go out of their way to honor their opponents. "We treated them the same way we would treat ourselves," Mai said. Senior Billy Raseman said the teams' unity during both alma maters after the Irish victory summed up the history and significance of the Notre Dame-Navy relationship. "I think it was pretty much embodied in the fact that we stopped and the whole stadium got quiet for their alma mater," Raseman said. "There's just a good deal of respect both ways in the fact that, yeah, Navy's a football team but first they're over there for their country." Meadow Jackson, midshipman fourth class in the Notre Dame Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) said she thought the ROTC midshipmen and Notre Dame student body respected the visitors because they understood that the game's significance extended beyond the stadium. "We won't boo the team," Jackson said. "Whether we win or lose, they're still our comrades in arms from a ROTC perspective. We know that footbal is not the main goal of these students, and we respect them even more because of that. "Football is just an extension of what [the Naval Academy midshipmen are] trying to do, which is develop themselves professionally to serve our country. We know that football is not the main goal of these students. The main goal is to protect and defend the people of the United States ... we all have the common goal, just different ways of getting there." Midshipman third class Liz Hart, a Saint Mary's student, said she and her friends replaced the less-than-respectful phrase of one Notre Dame cheer and instead shouted "Nice try, Navy! Go Irish, go!" Hart said Notre Dame students invited midshipmen from the Naval Academy to stay in the dorms and experience a different collegiate environment. "All weekend I've seen [the Naval Academy midshipmen] walking around campus," Hart said. "I saw them staying in the dorms, and I know that a lot of the Notre Dame community was really open to them."We're all in the Navy but our college experiences are so different."The Blue Angels' flyover during the "Star Spangled Banner" drew thunderous cheers from the student body and praise from game-watchers later. "That was the lowest flyover I think I've ever seen," Raseman said. "It was sick." Hart said the flyover stood out as an exciting start to the game and as another way of bringing Notre Dame and Navy together. "It was even more special because that was the first flyover since the sequester of the military and the government," Hart said. "The fact that this was the first event that the Blue Angels came to was pretty awesome." Jackson said the event highlighted the historic relationship between the two schools. "We know that the Blue Angels could be anywhere but I think they wanted to show the solidarity between Notre Dame and Navy and the tradition of this football game," Jackson said. "During World War II, Navy pretty much kept Notre Dame alive ... by a ROTC program that allowed us to keep the university open yet also allow men to serve," she said. "I think the game between Navy and Notre Dame is kind of a thank you to the Navy and a show of respect to that." Raseman, who is a member of the Notre Dame Glee Club, said he experienced the friendliness between Notre Dame and Navy three years ago when the group performed with the Naval Glee Club at a joint concert in New York. "When we sang with them, we actually exchanged cufflinks," Raseman said. "A bunch of guys still have the Navy ones, and they still wear them."

Traditional dance reinstated at Saint Mary's

On Saturday, Saint Mary's Student Government Association (SGA) hosted the third Navy Dance in College history to honor long-standing traditions between Saint Mary's and the Naval Academy, senior class vice president Susie Larson said. The dance, which was held from 9 p.m. to 12 p.m. in the Angela Athletic Center, was planned by sophomore, junior and senior class boards and 150 Saint Mary's women and 127 Midshipmen attended the event, Larson said. "Saint Mary's has a special history with the Naval Academy," Larson said. "The history is particularly special with Saint Mary's student nurses serving in various wars. ... The Navy Dance is a gracious extension of our history. It is a simple way to express appreciation with what these guys and young women who have decided to make such a big commitment at such a young age. "[Serving] is such a big commitment. If [the Midshipmen] are on leave, they don't have schedule on the yard. So, if they are on leave weekend and we can provide a little fun for them, we definitely should seize the opportunity." Nicole O'Toole, junior class president, said she received positive feedback from both Saint Mary's women and Midshipmen. "At least five or six Midshipmen came up to us at the end of the dance and said how much they appreciated us putting it on," O'Toole said. "One came up to me and said, 'This was really awesome. We don't have anything like this at school.' Overall, I think the Midshipmen really loved the experience." O'Toole said hearing this positive feedback was especially reassuring because of the many obstacles her and other members of the council of class boards had to clear to organize the event. Preliminary talks of the dance began in August, but O'Toole said no plans could be confirmed until the council of class boards received approval from the Senate. "We started talking about the dance over the summer, but when we got back to school we needed to get the approval of Senate before we went ahead with any plans," O'Toole said. "This was especially difficult because we had to wait for the new Senate to be elected. In the end, though, we were happy to see the Senate unanimously voted in favor of the dance." Junior Class Vice President Emmi Scanlon said when the council proposed their plans the only major concern regarding the dance had to do with funding. In the end, she said the dance actually made $1,100 in profit, which was split between the senior, junior and sophomore classes. Originally, O'Toole said board members envisioned the dance to host about 800 Saint Mary's women and midshipmen. In these plans the dance was set to be off-campus, she said. "That original plan was not able to pass because we weren't able to figure out how to get the Midshipmen off-campus and we were also working under a time constraint," O'Toole said. "It would have cost more and SAB [Student Activities Board] was initially going to help out with the cost, but due to SGA regulations SAB was not allowed to co-host an off-campus event with us. This then led us to having to host the dance on campus." These changes, accompanied with RSVPs from only a little over 100 Midshipmen, led the class board council to limit the amount of Saint Mary's tickets to 150, O'Toole said. This decision resulted in many negative responses from the student body, she said. "Almost 500 Saint Mary's girls RSVP'd to the dance on Orgsync," O'Toole said. "This RSVP was only to gauge interest for the event and when it came to buying tickets those who RSVP'd were given priority over those who didn't. Still, only 150 girls got tickets and I received a lot of emails and texts the next day from girls who were mad they did not receive tickets." Larson said she would have loved to give every Saint Mary's woman the chance to buy a ticket, but unfortunately the class board councils' hands were tied and they had to limit the number of tickets available. "Knowing there would be exponentially less Midshipmen there [if we let all 500 Saint Mary's women attend] we wanted to make the ratio was relatively 50/50," Larson said. "We thought 150 Saint Mary's tickets would be a good selling point." First-year student Alaina Anderson said she RSVP'd to express interest in the event and was disappointed when she waited in line and was told the tickets were sold out. "I know someone from the Naval Academy that I haven't seen in a long time and I would have enjoyed the opportunity to be with him at the dance," Anderson said. "I guess I was just a little disappointed about the way things were organized. Especially because I RSVP'd and still wasn't able to get a ticket." O'Toole said the limited number of tickets available prompted some students to offer their ticket for resale to other Saint Mary's students for a higher cost than the original $10 price. "We received word from our advisors that some girls were looking to resell their tickets for [more than] the original cost," O'Toole said. "This is illegal and against College policy." Overall, Larson said the event was successful and she hopes future class boards will continue the tradition. "Even though I am a senior it was really cool to see a lot of freshmen and sophomores attend the event and really get this ball rolling again," Larson said. "I hope these students keep these connections with the Midshipmen and host the dance in the future." Fourth Class Midshipmen NathonMarkon agreed with Larson's wish to continue the tradition in years to come. "I had a lot of fun at the dance and met some really cool Saint Mary's women," Markon said. "We play at Notre Dame every other year, we just swap home and away, so I guess if Saint Mary's wanted to have a dance every time we come by to Notre Dame, every two years, it would be nice."  

Saint Mary's welcomes Alumnae Association Board

The Saint Mary's College Alumnae Association Board of Directors met last Wednesday through Saturday for their annual fall conference.   Senior Student Alumnae Associate Board Representative Mollie Valencia said the group, comprised of 19 alumnae and two current students, joins together twice a year to discuss new changes and ways in which the Board can better connect with their worldwide alumnae network.   The group met on Wednesday afternoon for the first of two general sessions, Valencia said.  Saint Mary's President Carol Mooney addressed the group, discussing the College's initiative to cultivate a community of diversity and acceptance. Each of the Board's committees and task forces agreed to encompass these changes in their goals for involvement within the community, Valencia said. "The task forces are designed to work to accomplish a specific event or movement, and the committee meetings have a larger goal of working with the College to develop certain areas like alumnae engagement, student-alumnae relations and alumnae clubs throughout the U.S.," Valencia said.  "The meetings revolve around figuring out ways to accomplish these goals, and all were very successful." On Thursday evening, the members participated in the annual Success After Saint Mary's event, which was open to all students, Valencia said. The event began with keynote speaker CharmaineTorma '99, who spoke to students about the importance of networking. "Let me assure you, your Saint Mary's degree is well worth the time and investment," Torma said. "Professional networking will give you the edge you need. Remember that networking happens every day and anywhere. It's much more than meeting new people. It's about being purposeful. Make sure you take the time to remember a person's name, because networking is all about relationship-building." The speech was followed by a presentation by Carla Leal '13 and Peggy Rodgers Taylor '78 that taught students the top 10 ways to impress when networking. Junior Sarah Hossfeld said she learned a great amount from the various alumnae, including the members of the Board whom she was able to mingle with after the speeches concluded. "I thought Success After Saint Mary's was such a good opportunity for students to practice how to properly introduce themselves and network with the alumnae. All of those women are so accomplished, and I felt honored to be able to talk to them about my own goals for the future," Hossfeld said. "It always amazes me to meet alumnae and connect immediately over our love for Saint Mary's; they want to talk to us students just as much as we want to learn from them." Valencia said the weekend also included orientation for new group members, a Chemistry Show put on by the SMC Chemistry Department, Mass for All Saint's Day and a luncheon for the members and the Alumnae Relations Committee in Stapleton Lounge.   Junior Julia Dunford said the luncheon was a great success. "The alumnae were very willing to connect us with their networks and help us in any way they could," Dunford said. "After all, alumnae are some of the biggest supporters of Saint Mary's students and it was awesome to speak with them on a personal level. Most of them were still wearing their class rings, and it connected us immediately." Valencia said the weekend concluded with the "Welcome Home" tailgate event at Dalloway's Clubhouse, where alumnae and their families could mingle with students and faculty before the home football game on Saturday.  

Speaker emphasizes developing 'personal brand'

Companies devote great efforts to developing their brand, and Stephanie Hightower feels that a person should heed the same efforts with their personal identity. Hightower, president of USA Track and Field and member of the 1980 Olympic track and field team discussed developing and protecting one's personal identity in a lecture titled "Developing your Lifelong Brand" on Friday in the Vander VennetTheatre. Cross Currents Program Collegiate Speakers Series, Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative at Saint Mary's College and Key4Women cosponsored the event. Hightower said the idea of brand in business is just as valuable when developing one's own personal image and individuality. "Meaningful brands go far beyond any product," she said. "They express what a company is, what they stand for and how they want to be perceived. Most of all, a brand is based on the experience they have with it. Apple would not be seen as cutting edge if buyers could not see, touch, hear, and know that were true and I am here to tell you that this idea of brand is just as valuable when it comes to your own self image and identity." Hightower said there are four questions that one must ask when creating their personal brand. "What and who you are, what you stand for, how you want to be perceived, and what kind of experience people have when they work or interact with you these are all parts of defining your own personal brand," she said. She said creating an authentic and reliable personal brand requires sticking to the truth and starting from the ground up. "You want to define your authentic self, your brand should be built on the truth of who you are, not someone else," she said. "Next you have to build your brand from ground up. If you say you are a champion, you got to work to be a champion. If you say you are committed to excellence, then everything you do should be aimed at that goal. Hightower said building a personal brand requires a person to act in accordance with their words, because authenticity is key. "Building your personal brand means owning and polishing what is most essentially you. ... Remember, it is not what we say, but what we do that counts. People want to know if you will backup your words with action. If your brand is the authentic you even when the spotlight is not shining," Hightower said.   Hightower said she began developing her own personal brand when she was running the 100- and 60-meter hurdles at Ohio State."I was working toward a singular feat: to compete in the Olympics. Everything in my mind, in my body, and in my soul in my activities was towards making the 1980 Olympic team," she said. She said developing one's personal brand was difficult, and destroying it is much easier. "Off the track is where they forget about building and protecting their image and uniqueness. There was the first offer of money from an endorsement deal, taken without thinking through who wrote the check. Then there was the first glow of the spotlight and the parties that followed, enjoyed without thinking about the national or international attention that comes with it," she said.Hightower said it is never too late to start developing one's personal brand, whether it is as a young adult in college or as someone with a steady career. "For those of you who are in college and for those of us who are in the market place and out here with jobs. This is still the primetime to start defining what your personal brand is," she said. "None of us are too old to define what our personal brand is. ... You need to take this opportunity in your life to define your brand, to build your brand, and most important to protect your brand."    

Library opens modern technology research center

The Center for Digital Scholarship (CDS) welcomed visitors at its opening reception Nov. 1 at Hesburgh Library to introduce the latest technology for scholarship of all disciplines. At the reception, students, faculty and the community gathered in different stations of the CDS, where support technicians presented a variety of the services, workshops and expertise available. Located in the northeast corner of the Hesburgh Library first floor, the CDS was conceived as part of Hesburgh Library's strategic planning process to improve library resources, Edward H. Arnold University librarian Diane Parr Walker said. "One of our strategic goals is to expand digital programs and services in support of both research and teaching," Walker said. "We realized that there currently didn't seem to be one easy-to-find place on campus where both students and faculty could go to get started with leveraging digital tools and technologies. We thought that the Library could be a natural 'research hub' for campus, offering digital library expertise and referral services." As part of the 50-year commemoration of Hesburgh Library. the CDS both maintains and furthers University President Emeritus Fr. Theodore Hesburgh's original vision of creating an accessible space for the university community to advance scholarship, Walker said. "Fr. Hesburgh's original vision for the Hesburgh Library building (then called Memorial Library) was that it would be the academic heart of the University and be clearly seen as a symbol of academic excellence," Walker said. "In this digital age, advanced intellectual work will increasingly require the ability to use digital tools to thrive and contribute to the creation of new knowledge. The CDS will ensure that the Hesburgh Libraries will continue to be the academic heart of the University for the next 50 years and beyond as a place where students and faculty can find expertise and digital tools that will help them achieve academic excellence." While the new digital resources will transform traditional methods of research, Walker said the CDS would succeed in meeting the technological needs of the 21st century. "The work of the Center is changing how we use our library spaces and what expertise and services we offer our faculty," Walker said. "Already, it is revolutionizing how we work together to advance teaching, research and scholarship. Knowledge creation in the 21st century demands access to state-of-the-art technology, advanced research expertise and digital library services." Innovative research technologies will also improve upon scholarship techniques of the past, Walker said. "Traditional methods of scholarship would require physically looking through many books and publications," Walker said. "Depending on how thorough you wanted to be, you could spend weeks or months exploring an answer to just one of many questions. With digital tools for text mining and analysis, and the millions of books that have been digitized from libraries around the world by projects like Google Books and the Internet Archive Project, you can search hundreds or thousands of publications very quickly to get that same answer." Elliot Visconsi, Chief Academic Digital Officer and Associate Professor of English, said that the CDS will ultimately offer new opportunities to better aid the university's academic success. "The Center is a great gift to the faculty and students," Visconsi said. "A question I hear a lot is one that goes like this: 'I know there are amazing tools for research and teaching, but where do I begin?' The Center is an answer to that question. The talented expert staff and the technical resources gathered here get students and faculty further into their work, unlocking our creativity, and giving our research new force and speed."  

ND, SMC groups celebrate Día de los Muertos

SMC selling team competes at Indiana University

For the third straight year, Saint Mary's participated in the National Team Selling Competition (NTSC) at Indiana University on Oct. 10. In a press release, RosannSpiro, executive director for the Center for Global Sales Leadership, said the competition simulates real-world business scenarios. 

Rep. Kelly credits ND for sparking passion for service

Stadium grounds crew 'take care of God's field'

Eight years ago, the Notre Dame grounds crew saved Pac Washington's life. 

Keoughs donate $30 million for new building

CEO of nonprofit wins award for advocacy

CEO shares international business experience

Professor evaluates influenza vaccine

Vaccines are arguably one of the most important lines of defense against the spread of influenza, a common seasonal virus that can have uncommonly nasty effects in elderly individuals with compromised immune systems.

SMC club features alumnae photography

The Saint Mary's Camera Club refocused their newly revamped lenses and collaborated with the Saint Mary's Art Department to sponsor an alumnae artwork exhibit titled "The Camera and the Eye" in the Cushwa-Leighton Library through Nov. 2.