2000s

For Chris Word ’08 M.S., drive does not end at the eighteenth hole. Guided by entrepreneurial ambition and a passion to create community for all aspiring golfers, he sees the game as more than a sport.

Stephanie Gharakhanian ’07 is comfortable in liminal spaces. She’s always balanced two distinct cultural identities. A first-generation American, Gharakhanian is the daughter of an Iranian father and an Italian mother, which gave her empathy for others living between cultures. And that led her to El Paso, Texas, where she’s dedicated to supporting workers, immigrants, and refugees as they navigate those types of intermediate spaces.

Jorge Schippers ’07 has always wanted to create something that could make a positive impact. After years of learning from some of the best in the industry, he brought that vision to life with Pacifiko—an e-commerce marketplace expanding access to affordable products across Central America.

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.

This We Are ND Native American Heritage Month collection highlights several native alumni who have dedicated their personal and professional lives to making a difference in their communities and the world.

Williams has spent her career at nonprofits that work to bring positive change to the lives of children in St. Louis and the surrounding region in Missouri.

As the founder and CEO of Victory Farms, Joe Rehmann '06 has ambitious goals: He wants to restore the endangered tilapia population in Africa’s Lake Victoria using sustainable aquaculture, otherwise known as fish farming.

Janet McNally '05 MFA has published two novels and a collection of poems since graduating. 

Dr. Darren Dochuk, Ph.D '05 teaches modern U.S. religious and political history to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Notre Dame. 

John Barnes '03, producer at NBC sports, got his start covering sports when he worked football and basketball games for WVFI radio station as a Notre Dame student. 

Editor’s Note: Domer Diaries is the newest storytelling series from the Alumni Association where members of the Notre Dame family tell their stories in their own words. This week’s Domer Diaries entry comes from Dr. Christina E. Fitch '00, a hospice physician…

Recently, we at the Alumni Association asked you to share the stories of your own Notre Dame friendships. Read on for more examples of enduring bonds forged under the Dome.

In 2017, former teacher and principal Krystal Hardy Allen ’07 founded K. Allen Consulting, an educational and management consulting firm that supports a variety of organizations in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

After graduating from Notre Dame’s ROTC program, Kelechi Ndukwe '02 was one of two African American officers on the ship in his first Navy posting. Now a commander, in 2021 he became the second Nigerian American to command a U.S. Navy destroyer and now serves as a mentor to younger sailors.

Editor’s Note: Domer Diaries is the newest storytelling series from the Alumni Association where members of the Notre Dame family tell their stories in their own words. This week’s Domer Diaries entry comes from Annie Johnson '01, a South Bend-based entrepreneur whose company, Take Care South…

Claire Sloss '09 has made a career serving the people experiencing homelessness in Chicago.

Editor’s Note: Domer Diaries is the newest storytelling series from the Alumni Association where members of the Notre Dame family tell their stories in their own words. This week’s Domer Diaries…

Name: Laura Hoffman
Class Year: 2004…

Name: Mike Brown…

Name: Fr. Pete McCormick, C.S.C. 
…

Alumna reaches children through art as a Catholic children's book illustrator.

Alum Kellen Lewis ’09 uses art to communicate his identity and create representation.

Alumna uses platform to make healthy eating accessible, affordable, and delicious.

Law School alum and adjunct professor practices immigration law and provides pro bono assistance to asylum seekers in Texas.

"I want people to continue to discover the beauty and the richness of mathematics. And in this way, we can improve math education in Panama and in the world.”