Interested in having a Notre Dame representative deliver a “State of the University” address at your next club event? Every year, the Alumni Association sends speakers from all areas of the University—including the Office of the President, the Athletic Department, and faculty, among others—across the country to brief clubs on the University’s achievements and plans for the future.
These events, known as Universal Notre Dame (UND) Celebrations, date back to 1924, when then-President of the Alumni Association John Neeson ’1903 wanted to share with alumni around the country news of Notre Dame’s non-athletic achievements. Neeson delivered a nationwide radio address that not only updated alumni on the state of their alma mater; it also helped build Notre Dame’s reputation as a premier academic institution among the broader American public.
Today, the Alumni Association keeps that tradition alive by sending representatives from all branches of the University to touch base with clubs around the world. Each year, about 150 clubs request a speaker from the NDAA’s approved list, which includes University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., University President Emeritus Rev. Edward “Monk” Malloy, C.S.C., Provost Thomas Burish, Executive Vice President John Affleck-Graves, Vice President of Student Affairs Rev. Mark Poorman, C.S.C., Dean of the Mendoza College of Business Carolyn Woo, Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Debbie Brown, and Women’s Soccer Head Coach Randy Waldrum, among many others.
During 2007 Father Jenkins traveled to three different cities to deliver UND Celebration speeches. Father Malloy usually visits about five or six different clubs every year for the same purpose.
To learn more about UND Celebrations and how you can request a speaker for your club, click here.
