From the Nominator

At Notre Dame, service to each other and to the world around us is baked into our DNA. Shortly after founder Rev. Edward F. Sorin arrived on the land that would be home to the university, he wrote about his “deep conviction” for what Notre Dame would become: “This college cannot fail to succeed. Before long, it will develop on a large scale. It will be one of the most powerful means for good in this country.” Ever since, that sentiment has driven the mission of the university. In this spirit, the Alumni Association is proud to host the Notre Dame Global Day of Service—a day designated for Notre Dame students, alumni, parents, and friends around the world to serve in the name of Notre Dame. The inaugural event, held on April 29, 2023, saw more than 3,500 volunteers participate in 167 projects across 45 states, 26 countries, and five continents. Though all were invited to organize service projects in their communities, the success of this effort was  largely driven by the Notre Dame clubs network, with 119 clubs offering opportunities to their members. Organizers held projects that ran the spectrum, from writing notes to those needing encouragement and assembling food and toiletry kits for those in need to cleaning up community outdoor spaces and building beds, or even housing.

From the Judges

This was an inspiring campaign that demonstrated Notre Dame’s mission in a truly authentic way. They engaged alumni, parents, students, and friends in a grassroots, organic manner that gave people agency to contribute how they could. The Sharepoint site offered great resources, and the team leveraged their networks effectively to spread the word. It was great to see the active participation by so many clubs and the great variety of events that were held.