Education // Stories // We Are ND // University of Notre Dame

Celebrating Our Hispanic Alumni

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.

Celebrating Our Black Alumni

This weekend, we welcome Tennessee State to campus for Notre Dame’s first football game against an Historically Black College or University. Here are just a few Black Alumni of Notre Dame who have made a positive impact on the world since graduation.

We Are ND Black Alumni Collection

Creating More Equitable Communities…

Faces of Ireland

When Rosie Giglia ’17 decided to study Irish language and literature while a student at Notre Dame, she opened a world of possibilities that ultimately led her to pursue her advanced degree in neurology and clinical medicine on the Emerald Isle.

Robert Latiff '71, '73 M.S., '74 Ph.D.

Researching Ethical Warfare Technology

Since retiring from the U.S. Air Force as a major general in 2006, where he worked on research and development of nuclear weapons, Latiff has not slowed down.

Andrew Wiand '11, '12 M.S.

Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders

Many more talented people will make their way to South Bend and Notre Dame over the years to come. Not all will stay, of course. But the work being done by Wiand and enFocus aims to ensure that talent will continue to make both places thrive.

2023 Mother's Day

Sharing Our Mothers' Stories

This Mother’s Day, the Notre Dame Alumni Association has compiled past We Are ND stories from mothers and mother figures in the Notre Dame community.

Dr. Darren Dochuk

Educating Future Scholars

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.

Jeff Morales

Documenting Nature's Wonders

Jeff Morales ’86, an Emmy Award-winning nature cinematographer, producer, and director, serves as President of Tamarin Productions and has produced documentaries for National Geographic and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

Elsa Barron '21

Striving Towards Environmental Peacebuilding

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

Ophelia Camiña

Paying it Forward

Editor's Note: Domer Diaries is a storytelling series from the Notre Dame Alumni Association where members of the Notre Dame family share their story in their own words. This week's Domer Diaries features Ophelia Camiña '82 J.D., a longtime organizer, mentor, and advocate for inclusiveness in the legal field. The first in her family to attend law school, she credits her scholarship and the mentorship of her professors at Notre Dame.…

Meehan Lenzen '11

Creating Opportunities For Young Women In STEM

Lenzen’s hard work and dedication arise from a deep passion for gender equity in STEM.

Geraldine Mukumbi '16

Striving to Make Literature More Accessible to Young People

Geraldine Mukumbi ’16 left her native Zimbabwe to come to Notre Dame in search of a kind of academic freedom. Still entertaining aspirations of a “practical” future, the Hesburgh-Yusko scholar entered as a finance major. But her heart was always with the arts.

DeJorie Monroe '16

Alumna Pursues Passions from Fellowship to Foreign Service

In a commitment to public service, DeJorie Monroe ’16 is pursuing a career in diplomacy and international affairs as Notre Dame's first Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellow.

Joan Mileski '79

Setting the Next Generation Up For Success

As the first in her family to graduate college, Joan Mileski '79 now works to support today's first-generation students as a professor and head of the Department of Maritime Business Administration at Texas A&M-Galveston.

Krystal Hardy Allen ’07

Educating Beyond the Classroom

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.

Jessica Pedroza ’17

Working for Equity in Education

Jessica Pedroza ’17, a 2021 Domer Dozen honoree, is working to increase equity in the U.S. education system through legislative action.

Zoe (Rote) Kourajian ’16

Teaching to Reflect the Experiences of All Students

Domer Dozen honoree Zoe (Rote) Kourajian ’16 teaches her middle school history students history through a lens that reflects their own experiences.

Lisa Herb '88

A Champion of a Generation of Afghan Women

Lisa Herb '88 founded the Alliance for International Women's Rights to support women in developing countries. Until August 2021 when the country fell back under Taliban rule, AIWR focused its efforts in Afghanistan and is now working with other groups to help Afghan women leaders flee the country for their safety.

Will Maloney ’95 & Chad Sutcliffe ’95

Mentoring Young Leaders Through the Power of Hoops

Engineering alums create lasting impact teaching children in Jamaica and Haiti self-esteem, leadership, and character at summer basketball camp.

Milton H. Jones Jr. '74

Striving to Make a ‘Better World’

Alum strives to make the world a better place as the first African American chair of the United Negro College Fund.

Jasmin (Simmons) Tow '11

Bridging Cultural Divides, Improving Educational Outcomes

Alumna creates culturally responsive classrooms to meet the needs of students from every background.

Alex Sejdinaj '15

Using Code to Expand Educational and Career Opportunities

Alumna makes technology education more accessible at South Bend Code School.

Jeanette Shakalli ’07

Making Math Education Fun and Accessible in Latin America

"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.”