Stories by Allie Griffith '17, '19 M.Ed.

Christopher Ban ’06 and Taylor Clagett ’08 are recent Jeopardy champions. Coincidentally, Ban and Clagett each decided to donate their Jeopardy earnings towards honoring loved ones who had passed away from brain cancer.

 Now serving as the associate director of performance quality improvement and compliance at St. Vincent de Paul in Louisville, Kentucky, Greer Hannan '09 reflects on moments of “aliveness” that inspired her to serve those on the margins.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Notre Dame Alumni Association looks back at some of our outstanding Native American alumni who have dedicated their professional and personal lives towards being a force for good in the world.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Notre Dame Alumni Association looks back at some of our outstanding Hispanic alumni who have dedicated their professional and personal lives towards being a force for good in the world.

This page highlights just a few Black Alumni of Notre Dame who have made a positive impact on the world since graduation. 

Tom Jensen ’82, co-founder and CEO of The Connacht Whiskey Company, got his start in the spirits industry by managing Senior Bar while a student at Notre Dame.

Jeaic Mag Fhinn '17 lives, works, and plays entirely in Irish, feeling welcomed by the community and making the Emerald Isle his home.

Mariana Silva ’21 has studied environmental issues all over the globe, from Ecuador to Uganda. Now, her research focus is understanding water movements in Irish bogs in hopes of restoring areas that bore the brunt of industrialized peat harvesting.

Award-winning photographer Mary McGraw '17 serves as the digital marketing and media manager at Galway International Arts Festival, one of the leading cultural events in Ireland and Europe.

Conal Fagan ’21, the first Irish native to serve as the official Notre Dame leprechaun, returned home to Ireland to continue his mission of using sports as a means for social change.

New and Gold, an unofficial Notre Dame alumni group for mothers, started as an intimate Facebook group of 12 friends and acquaintances. It has since become a “full-blown community” of over 1,500 members.

Lally Shields has applied the same level of competitiveness and drive to her career in medicine. Most recently, the NCAA awarded Lally Shields with the 2023 Theodore Roosevelt Award — the highest honor the NCAA may confer upon an individual — presented annually to a distinguished person of national reputation and exceptional accomplishment. 

From the grassroots to the global, Barron’s drive for environmental action remains both urgent and hopeful.