Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, April 26, 2024

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VOLUME 58, ISSUE 75 | FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

Sit-in held for Palestine Tents confiscated, but protest continues amid Jenkins event

By LIAM KELLY

Jenkins hosts South Quad festival

Notre Dame News Editor

As fireworks were set off above campus Thursday evening, a group of around 75 students and faculty participated in a proPalestinian march around South Quad. Demonstrators held signs and chanted slogans calling upon the University to do more to push for a ceasefire in Gaza and to disclose and divest from investments in military contractors.

The protests began around 5 p.m. when a small group gathered on God Quad, outside of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The beginning of the protests coincided with the 5:15 p.m. mass presided over by Fr. Jenkins as a part of the celebration marking the end of his presidency.

A statement of intent for the protest acquired by The Observer outlined the main goals of the protesters.

“We urge our institution to do

By ANNELISE DEMERS Associate News Editor

RICHARD TAYLOR | The Observer

Fireworks lit up the sky Thursday night as students marched for Palestine. Recent protests have occurred at colleges across the U.S.

more to bring about a ‘permanent ceasefire’ and an ‘accelerated and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to provide food, water, medicine and other assistance to civilians,’” the statement read. “We call [upon] the investment office

to disclose the investment portfolios of Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman and to divest from these companies that see PROTESTS PAGE 4

After 19 years of service, University President Fr. John Jenkins will be stepping do wn this May to resume teaching and ministry roles within the University after a one-year sabbatical. To celebrate his retirement and thank students, the Office of the President hosted a celebration on South Quad Thursday evening.

Students expressed their appreciation for the event and Jenkins’ presidency.

“I think the event went really well and I think Fr. Jenkins is a really good guy and we’re sad to see him go but we appreciate everything that he’s done,” Makeda Grimaud, a freshman neuroscience student said.

The event began with a mass at 5:15 p.m., led by Jenkins himself.

Following the mass, current and

former student body presidents Dawson Kiser and Daniel Jung presented Jenkins with a gift — a mosaic of the University’s dome crafted from photographs capturing his tenure as president.

“I think Fr. Jenkins has been a solid leader for 19 years and brought the University to the very great place that we have here today,” Caleb Vaughan, a freshman chemical engineering student said.

Assistant vice president of campus ministry Fr. Pete McCormick attended the event and shared his thoughts on the evening’s celebration, praising Jenkins.

“When I think about this event, I think about it as classic Fr. John Jenkins. John does not want to make it about himself at all. He wants to make it entirely about the students. And to me, this speaks about the leader that he is always see JENKINS PAGE 4

SMC ‘concerned supporters’ HCC unveils $350 convened in February million plan

Following the release of Saint Mary’s nondiscrimination policy, which would have approved the admittance of students who “identify as women,” hundreds of alumnae, students, parents and other supporters of Saint Mary’s College grew concerned about what the policy meant for the Catholic identity on campus.

Immediately following the release, a Facebook group titled the “Concerned supporters of Saint Mary’s College [sic]” was created and became the main hub of those in opposition to the policy.

Within this private group, alum Priscilla Pilon ‘86 began to organize a conference for those to

discuss the policy and rising concerns about the intended direction of the College.

Pilon stated the conference was an opportunity for alumnae, students, parents and faculty to meet together “to gather facts, to speak to one another and to students to find out what they’re experiencing on campus and how we can support them.”

Held on Feb. 17 in the Gillespie Conference & Special Event Center in the Hilton Garden Inn right next to campus, roughly 30 alumnae as well as four SMC students and other student-parents arrived to connect with one another over the issue. A survey was also sent out prior to the conference asking invitees what the five most important topics should be discussed at the conference with regards to Saint Mary’s College.

Larry Bettag, the father of sophomore Claire Bettag, was one in attendance. When broken into small groups, his table consisted of freshman Elycia Morales,

SENATOR YOUNG

LABELLIING

By AYNSLEE DELLACCA Saint Mary’s News Editor

Editor’s Note: This is the second part in an ongoing series of controversy over social values on Saint Mary’s campus. The first story, on the emergence of the Loretto Trust, was published on April 17.

NEWS PAGE 2

VIEWPOINT PAGE 5

sophomore Macy Gunnell, Susan Powers ‘81 and other parents and alumnae wishing not to go on record. During the conference, Bettag offered the idea of writing and publishing a letter consisting of the main topics discussed at the conference.

Bettag individually sent his letter on March 19 to each member of the College’s administration office, the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee, as well as to President Katie Conboy, The Observer, The Irish Rover and various Catholic press agencies. Bettag was given written permission by each attendee of the conference to draft and publish the letter.

Gunnell and Claire Bettag, also created a podcast titled “Cancel 38” just after the conference in February to publicly broadcast several overarching issues they perceive at Saint Mary’s in addition to the concerns brought up at the conference. see CONFERENCE PAGE 3

By THOMAS ZWILLER News Writer

On April 9, Holy Cross College President Dr. Marco Clark revealed details of the College’s “Campus Master Plan,” which has been developed over the past two years.

The plan, which spans 20 years, will cost the school over $350 million and completely transform the campus.

Included in the plan, which is expected to be voted on and approved by the Holy Cross College Board of Trustees, are new classrooms, academic spaces and dormitories to help the school continue to grow enrollment.

When asked how it felt to have the plan completed, Clark expressed gratitude.

“It’s been a really gratifying process,” Clark said. “I would say that it was providential that the board allowed me to lead that initiative instead of having it done before I got here because it really gave me the opportunity to listen.”

The plan is undoubtedly one of

the most ambitious undertaking in the young college’s 58-year history.

According to Clark, the college has only raised $60 million, ever.

But instead of viewing it as one large $350 million project, Clark views it as a collection of projects.

“The old saying is, the question is, ‘How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.’ And I think we just tackle it one bite at a time,” he said.

Helping that mindset is the plan’s current format. The 20-year plan comprises four subsections: immediate (one to two Years), nearterm (three to five years), mid-term (six to eight years) and long-term (nine to twenty years).

Earlier drafts of the Master Plan were too front-loaded, Clark said, requiring the school to raise $150 million to $200 million within the first five years. Clark felt that version of the plan was asking too much initially.

“We need to have some small victories in order to get the big see HCC PAGE 2

MOVIE FOR ND COLLEGES SCENE PAGE 7

BASEBALL PAGE 10

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

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By ISA SHEIKH Editor-in-Chief

As part of a symposium on “Envisioning Federal AI Legislation” organized by the Law School’s Journal of Legislation, U.S. Sen. Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana, participated in a fireside chat moderated by the American Enterprise Institute’s (AEI) Adam White. Young spoke to the audience in the McCartan Courtroom about the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), and its implications for regulation and national security.

The senator has been the subject of recent controversy on campus, following Notre Dame College Republicans’ withdrawal of their endorsement after Young said he would not vote for Trump in 2024.

Young said to regulate AI, we first need to understand it, relying on expert knowledge.

“We can’t get command of every issue. That would be unrealistic. Not every member of Congress knows exactly how airplanes work but we still regulate them,” he said.

“Airplanes might be the wrong example,” White quipped in response, referring to recent headlines surrounding Boeing planes.

Young, a member of the bipartisan Senate AI Caucus, discussed how efforts with Senators Chuck Schumer (DNY), Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) have constituted a “mutual exploration of the truth.”

He explained without

HCC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ones. I wanted to identify those impactful projects that would cost less that could be done quick and really make a difference in the community,” he said.

The updated plan takes a much slower, steadier approach. The immediate phase will cost $31,985,000, while the near-term phase should cost $9,310,000.

The later phases see a significant jump in cost, with the mid-term costing $30,350,000.

The long-term phase is expected to cost the most at just over $200 million.

The plan sets a priority order of events, though the order is not set in stone.

“It may be that somebody, some donor may come forward and say, ‘Hey listen, you know what, this fourteenth thing on the list is more important to me; I’ll help you with that.’ So it may be that that thing gets elevated,” Clark explained.

The immediate phase was designed to address the college’s most pressing needs as quickly as possible and

committee room cameras present, there was less pandering.

“Less showboating too.

Something I tend to enjoy, the less, not the showboating,” Young said to laughs.

Young struck an optimistic note about the possibilities that AI can bring.

“You think of how we can make very rapid advancements in almost every realm,” he said, mentioning the potential to eradicate diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. He also discussed the deployment of autonomous technologies in the land, sea and air and ending traffic through autonomous vehicles.

Young said that in creating an appropriate regulatory framework, the government should be careful to not overregulate despite “very valid” concerns.

“Imagine a world in which those things don’t happen because we don’t appreciate the opportunity cost of over regulating,” he said.

Young also spoke to the marvels of generative AI, discussing a recent dinner with a colleague.

“Someone was referencing the speech they wanted to deliver in a few days, and I, in less than a second, drafted a speech that was far better. And the person was like ‘Can you send that to me?’ I would not counsel using this. Folks always find out, right?” Young said.

Young mentioned that the CEO of the Indiana-based medicine company Eli Lilly and Company told him that “almost every innovation that [they] have right now every drug in [their] pipeline would

not be possible but for existing AI technology.”

He stated his interest in AI was a national security priority, extending from his work on the CHIPS and Science Act, which funded domestic research and production of semiconductors.

In response to a question from White on why the private sector couldn’t handle these concerns, Young said some of White’s AEI colleagues did not understand market failure and the need for the government to step in.

“It’s a global pandemic. What do you want us to wait for until the market fail? The market has failed! The market has failed, there’s no substitute for a semiconductor,” he said.

His critique extended to the Wall Street Journal editorial page for the same blind spot.

“Today, you will be hardpressed to go back and find a Wall Street Journal editorial that they place on their opinions page from an independent observer … who admits that we had to reassure capacity, or comes up with a viable alternative solution,” Young said.

“Our economic history demonstrates the benefit-to-cost ratio of investing, and university-led research and DOE research is off the charts. And that too, has been a reality that not everyone will admit. It seems a quirky, libertarian impulse to deny that,” he added.

Young criticized both the Trump and Biden administrations for their trade policies.

“That’s a lot of tariff pancaking on top of computer chips.

It will starve us as we become

increasingly used to embedding these technologies,” he said.

Young also discussed the ‘black swan’ risks of AI, or unforeseen threats.

“There, there’s some threats out there that are being discussed. I mean, if AI technologies enable one to more effectively, more easily develop superbugs,” he said, mentioning a bill he has proposed with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to establish an AI Safety Institute to develop standards for AI. Young answered a law student’s question asking about whether he’d be comfortable with AI writing law.

“How do you know I haven’t?” he joked. “Yeah, of course I would. But a human being would have to study whatever output the algorithm produced before, you know, introducing the legislation before it’s voted on, and before it certainly becomes law.”

Young said that he allows staff to use ChatGPT as a tool for producing internal memos while reminding them that they are responsible for their content.

In a question posed by professor John Behrens about the many different concepts that AI refers to, Young said the terms are malleable.

“If you’re … asking if among colleagues, we’ve established working definitions to have precise debates, no. It’s the United States and, you know, at some level, nobody’s in charge,” he said.

includes additional parking, an overhaul of the Driscoll Auditorium, a new “Student Success Center,” and more classrooms and labs.

But the most expensive piece of the phase is the construction of a new dormitory that will house 200 students. The dormitory is expected to cost over $25 million.

Once the plan is approved, the administration will turn its attention to figuring out how they can finance the dorm. Dr. Clark discussed the three main options.

The first would be contracting with a financial advisory deal to broker an agreement with a third party. The second would be reaching out directly to financers. The third pathway, which could happen in conjunction with the other two, would be a design-buildleaseback setup.

Part of the school’s decisionmaking process included not wanting to finance the new buildings by raising the cost of room and board dramatically.

“If you finance large projects like this, somebody pays for it.

Usually, it gets added to tuition.

We didn’t want to do that; we

want to keep tuition mitigated as much as we possibly can,” Clark said.

The school’s goal is to raise 50% of the cost through fundraising and the other half through a loan. Thanks to the school’s growing endowment and lack of debt, Clark expressed optimism about the prospect of external financing.

“The financial viability and sustainability of the college has been so strengthened to where now banks and lenders and other financial industries have become more confident, and they have seen the growth, and they see the plan,” Clark noted.

In 2017, the school went through a period of financial struggles as the school accumulated debt to expand its facilities.

Clark highlighted the differences he sees between the state of the college now and the state of the college back in 2017.

“In 2017 ... there had already been a financial crisis for many years. There was a carry-over from many, many years of debt and shortfalls in enrollment and decision-making that led to where we were in 2017.” Clark stressed. “The work that’s been

done, even prior to my arrival here to prepare for the future of Holy Cross, is just much stronger than it was in 2017.”

Clark admitted there are some risks in pursuing this plan.

“This is a generational decision,” he said. ”What we’re about to decide on in taking some financing in assuming some risk, some debt that the college hasn’t had, it is generational in the sense that it could impact future generations; it could limit future decisions.”

Ultimately, however, Clark said he trusts the staff of the college.

“I do think that we’ve got the team to be able to help take Holy Cross to the next level.

God has just been so good to us, frankly. When I look around at my colleagues ... it’s a really good strong team of people to help bring the College to the next level,” Clark explained.

The full Campus Master Plan will be released later this year once it has been approved by the Holy Cross College Board of Trustees.”

Contact Isa Sheikh at isheikh@nd.edu

Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu

NEWS

NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024 | THE OBSERVER

Conference CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Since the podcast’s inception, they have published eight episodes which discuss the now-rescinded nondiscrimination policy, Catholic identity at Saint Mary’s and other right-leaning content, averaging around 200 views each on YouTube.

Pilon said the letter “was not a result of the conference” and rather an initiative personally taken by Bettag.

Actions for administration to uphold discussed at the conference The first issue listed was a concern relating to the College’s “commitment to the Catholic faith.”

“SMC has abandoned the faith,” Bettag wrote. “The administration, led by President Conboy, has lined itself in direct opposition to the tenets of the Church. Priests ... celebrate mass at the Church of Loretto and give a homily on the non-discrimination policy, contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church. It’s a form of pulpit intimidation.”

The letter called for the revamping of Saint Mary’s Center for Spirituality and stated its director, Fr. Dan Horan, “has no place” at the College. It also stated the course curriculum should mandate a basic course on Catholicism be taken by each student attending

Saint Mary’s.

“I’m not going to say that the school should be 100 percent religious classes, obviously, but … there should be way more opportunities for religious enrichment than very secular, anti-Catholic courses and departments like gender and women’s studies,” Gunnell said. “There’s not enough emphasis on theology and religious values here. There’s a lot more focus on very secular things that the Church definitely stands against.”

Further, the letter called for the abolition of classes that teach “contrary to the Catholic faith” and stated the general education Sophia Program “is a mess.”

“Gender reassignment surgery should not be talked about in an entry-level course … Gender ideology should not be talked about in an entry level course … If you want to take a course like that, go for it. No big deal. I got no problems with it,” Morales said. “But some of them are Sophia, general education, and if it’s going to fill a ‘women’s voices’ requirement in the class, it should be women’s voices.”

In an additional effort to foster social Catholicism on campus, the letter urged all future lecturers, commencement speakers and honorary award recipients to be fully vetted and approved by a “Catholic council.”

“The current echo chamber at SMC promotes controversial

Catholic-in-name-only speakers, whose words and deeds [do] not match the faith, but does not allow counterbalance with Catholic speakers who uphold the faith.

Speakers who align with the Catholic faith need to be the norm, rather than the exception,” Bettag wrote.

The letter also called for a greater amount of accountability from President Conboy, the administration and “some members” of the Board of Trustees, while specifically pointing out issues with President Conboy. It asked for any and all policy changes to be “communicated publicly and in a timely manner” and the release of summaries of all future meetings “regarding points that are important to students, parents, faculty, administration and for all contemplating enrolling in SMC.” “Important decisions need to be reported. We don’t need to know the inner workings of employee decisions, but we need to most certainly know about any decisions that affect the college going forward. And that is something that we would like the Board of Trustees to make a pledge for, more transparency,” Pilon said.

In addition to transparency, the letter asks for the College to set a goal of 75% or more appointed faculty members to be Catholic, and to annually report and publish the progression towards this percentage.

Concerns about administration

current

The concern for greater transparency and the loss of trust originally stemmed from the lack of communication about the change in the nondiscrimination policy, critics say. But since its promulgation, and after its reversal, the ‘concerned’ community now places much of their worries towards the current foundation of the school’s administration.

“When the news came out, I felt very lied to because I had trusted this administration. It’s not cheap to go here … it did feel very two-faced,” Morales said. “It was almost like I didn’t have the choice; the choice to choose was taken away from me. I just felt like I couldn’t trust the administration anymore,” Morales said.

Gunnell believes the source of the reduction of the College’s Catholic identity comes from the head of administration and now is the cause for Saint Mary’s current financial status.

Gunnell believes the College is losing money because donors are losing faith in Conboy’s ability to uphold the school’s Catholic identity. ​​“I hope that President Conboy is removed immediately. I hope that we get someone who is much stronger in the Catholic faith in her place. I think that there is a spiritual revival that Saint Mary’s needs in order to continue. There’s a lot

of trust that’s been lost, and that’s why Saint Mary’s is financially facing a huge downfall, because they’re losing donations, they’re losing all the money … There’s so many things going against Saint Mary’s because of the lack of trust that we have now,” Gunnell said.

Gunnell says she worries that the downfall of the institution itself may occur within her lifetime.

“It’s just very frightening to see the future that is currently in line for Saint Mary’s. I know for a fact that the school will reach its demise very soon if changes aren’t made, and I don’t want to see that.

I don’t think anyone wants to see that. So I guess that’s why I’m very adamant about fighting against the very corrupt administration that we have right now,” Gunnell said.

Bettag believes that despite her growing concerns about the College, an alternative path for Saint Mary’s future can emerge following the establishment of new administration. “​​Saint Mary’s not only can be rescued, but can thrive. It could shine. It’s so tarnished right now.

It’s got such horrible, I believe, horrible leadership. But I’m not going to place it all on Katie. I think that Katie was put there by people who control the shots more than even she does,” Bettag said.

Contact Aynslee Dellacca at adellacca01@saintmarys.edu

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NEWS

THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

Protests CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

manufacture weapons and military warfare that directly facilitate the Gaza genocide and war crimes.”

Many protesters were wearing keffiyehs, a traditional Palestinian head garb, and were waving Palestinian flags. Protesters included undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty members.

The protests at Notre Dame follow similar protests at universities around the country.

Students at Emory University, The University of Texas at Austin, Columbia University and New York University, among others, were arrested in the past week while protesting. Protesters have been accused of expressing anti-semitic sentiments, leading to a shift to hybrid classes for the rest of the semester at Columbia University.

During the early portion of the protest, participants sitting in the grass engaged in prayer for the Palestinians who have died in the conflict. At the same time, loudspeakers outside the Basilica broadcasted the mass onto God Quad.

At this time, police — from both the Notre Dame Police Department and the South Bend Police Department — drove by at a number of points in golf carts and were stationed on benches on God Quad, but did not directly approach the protestors. Police sniffer dogs were also in use.

See our gallery of the protests here.

At around 6 p.m., the protestors picked up their belongings and moved to the intersection of God Quad and South Quad. From there, they then moved west along South Quad, past Coleman-Morse Hall and Badin Hall, as well as the tents and tables set up for Fr. Jenkins’ celebration, before stopping in front of Morrissey and Howard Halls.

Along the way, the protestors chanted slogans such as “Free Palestine,” “From the river to the sea, justice and equality” and “Notre Dame, you can’t hide, you’re condoning genocide.” One protester held up a sign that read “This Passover, let’s hasten the Exodus from Zionism.”

Police followed the protestors as they marched.

Upon arriving in front of Morrissey, the protestors began assembling tents, some of which were draped with Palestinian flags. They then formed a circle around the tents, sitting down, linking arms and continuing their chants.

At this point, a large group of police had coalesced around Morrissey. Golf carts were parked on the quad, police on bikes circumambulated the area and police cars could be seen driving on nearby Lake Road and Corby Drive. Police could be heard speaking with some of the protesters, explaining that the tents were not permitted. These protesters then returned to the circle around the tents.

A few minutes later, the police entered the circle and confiscated the tents. A few protesters were sitting on one of the tents, causing the police to pull the tent from under them and move their legs off of the tents.

The rest of the protesters continued chanting slogans, including “Free Palestine.” A loudspeaker used by the protesters was also confiscated.

No arrests were made and protesters offered no active resistance to the confiscation of the tents.

Some protesters, including Spencer French, a graduate PhD student in English, said they felt afraid of the police at this moment.

“When the huge group of police came, we were all very worried for our safety. People have been tased at different universities, students have been beaten, run to the ground, so of course it involves

risk,” French said. “But we feel, or at least I feel, that this kind of risk is worthwhile to stand in solidarity with Gaza.”

After marching around South Quad during the evening’s fireworks display, protesters again attempted to set up a tent around 9:15 p.m. and surrounded it in a circle; however, police again entered the circle and confiscated the tent.

Apart from these incidents, the police, although present for the duration of the protest, kept their distance and did not intervene.

Multiple University administrators stood nearby and watched the protests for the majority of the evening, including Campus Ministry director Fr. Pete McCormick and various staff from the Student Activities Office.

Foremost upon protesters’ minds was the University’s connections to weapons manufacturing companies.

“As a Catholic university, if we’ve asked for a ceasefire, we’re asking for a divest as well,” Jeanett Ochoa, a junior at Saint Mary’s said. “So an end to all of our funds from going into companies that are providing weapons of mass destruction.”

French, too, expressed this sentiment.

“We believe that because they are not being open about where they’re investing and they’re not being open about where their money is going, we’re really concerned that it’s actually involving the genocide of other people,” he said.

The location of the protest next to Jenkins’ celebration proved somewhat troublesome for the protestors, as loud music was being played from a DJ booth in front of the Rockne Memorial Gym, which drowned out many of the protestor’s chants. Although some protesters complained the music had been turned up since they had arrived, policemen stationed next to the DJ booth denied these

claims.

Multiple protesters stressed the protest was not planned by any one student group, but rather came about organically.

“This was completely word of mouth, this is not through any one organization. This is entirely student-led and student-organized. It’s grassroots at the core,” French explained. “There’s faculty here too.”

Notably, however, the alumnirun pro-Palestine organization Occupation Free ND advertised the protest in a post on their Instagram account Thursday morning.

“We are mobilizing in solidarity with universities and colleges across the nation for a #Free Palestine,” the post read.

When asked about Occupation Free ND’s involvement, French stated the organization was only promoting the event, not organizing it.

“Some groups are amplifying information, but the heart and core of this is not through any organization,” he said.

The University requires all demonstrations to be registered and approved in advance by the vice president for campus safety and University operations and to be organized by “members of the University community.”

Following the second attempt at setting up tents, at around 10 p.m., demonstrators sat down in a circle on the quad, while taking turns giving speeches and reading poetry.

One protester called on Jenkins to support their cause.

“We, the students, faculty and staff of Notre Dame call for your support as our mentor. We call on you to enact the very Catholic principles of honesty, justice and compassion when it comes to supporting Palestinian people,” he said. “We insist on our right to protest, to be respected.”

The Observer spoke to Notre Dame police who said the

demonstrators would be asked to leave the area at around 11 p.m.

Earlier in the evening, protesters had stated they planned to spend the night on the quad.

At 11 p.m., however, the protest began to die down as protestors thanked one another for coming and discussed future plans to plant 14,000 white flags on North Quad Sunday night at 9 p.m. to commemorate the Palestinian children who have died since the beginning of the war. The protestors said they had permission from the University to keep the flags up for 24 hours.

Around 11:10 p.m., demonstrators began to disperse as police looked on. A number of protesters participated in the Isha prayer, one of the five daily prayers for Muslims, around 11:20 p.m.. By 11:33 p.m., all the protesters, as well as the police, had left the area.

In a statement to The Observer, the University stated although it “welcomes students’ voices on issues and causes they care about,” it has “rules in place that govern when, where, and how gatherings and demonstrations can happen.”

“This evening a small group of students attempted to pitch tents on the South Quad,” the statement went on to explain. “After being reminded by University officials that tents are not permitted, Notre Dame Police confiscated the tents.

The students continued their gathering peacefully and eventually dispersed.”

The protest group did not acquire University approval to hold the protest. It was unclear why the University allowed the protest to continue despite its requirement that demonstrations be approved beforehand.

Jenkins

and were drowned out by the noise of the speakers.

Students and guests expressed their gratitude for Jenkins and their thoughts on the events.

“Fr. John Jenkins should retire every day because this is the best day of my life,” freshman Dominick Russo said.

Following a picnic-style feast, the festivities continued with the arrival of hundreds of pizzas.

Accompanied by the music of DJs Christian Martinez and Bootzhedj, the crowd danced into the night, celebrating Father Jenkins’ legacy with joyous abandon.

“I really liked the music, my

friends and I were just saying that it might be better than some of the parties and dances that we have been to so far,” freshman Lucia Reynoso said.

The evening culminated in a ten-minute display of fireworks above campus, with the DJ booth providing the soundtrack. The fireworks were launched from the nearby golf course. The final notes of the alma mater played, and the fireworks fizzled out, signaling the end of the celebration honoring Jenkins’ retirement.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer

Outgoing University President Fr. John Jenkins signs one of the many commemorative mugs distributed during Thursday night’s festivities.

putting other people forward,” McCormick said. “With all that John is, he beautifully led Notre Dame in a way that allowed for other people to take ownership and lead as well, he never made it entirely about himself. He always played an important role, which was his but at the same time, he empowered others, not only professional staff, but also students.”

Food trucks lined the quad, offering free food from a diverse array of cuisines ranging from tacos to macaroni and cheese and ice cream. Complimentary mugs with Jenkins’ name and years of tenure printed on them were also handed out to students.

“This was a great break from the dining hall and should happen more often,” freshman Campbell Smith said.

The tents and long wooden tables on South Quad provided a communal setting for attendees to gather. The events were interrupted at points by pro-Palestinian protesters marching on South Quad; however, these protesters largely confined themselves to the far end of the quad near Morrissey Manor

Annelise Demers and Liam Price contributed to this reporting.

Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu

Contact Annelise Demers at ademers@nd.edu

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THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

5

Why you should vote blue this fall When the blooms and blossoms meet reading days and a fast-approaching commencement, spring is in the air at Notre Dame. As the quads come to life again and the days get warmer, a new test looms over campus. However, this test will come with much higher consequences than any final exam.

As this school year reaches a close, many at Notre Dame and across our nation look ahead to the upcoming election this fall. This election represents so much more than a division between Democrats or Republicans. Although the candidates remain the same as in 2020, the voters of the United States face an unprecedented decision with democracy hanging in the balance.

During the four years that every Notre Dame student spends on campus, each student will only have the opportunity to witness one presidential election. On a campus such as Notre Dame, which stresses a commitment to being a force for good, this represents an important opportunity to advocate for the good of all Americans. With political upheaval nearing an apex and our campus nearing the boiling point, this fall will be a crucial time to defend what this University and our country stand for: democracy and justice.

The choice can not be any clearer, a vote for President Joe Biden is a vote for the continuation of American democracy.

His opponent, however, has vowed that he will only be a dictator on his first day in office while advertising a platform that would focus on revenge and an expansion of executive power.

Those who oppose democracy can no longer masquerade behind the guise of politics — they have been caught

red-handed trying to steal this country from its people under their unsightly red hats. As members of the Notre Dame family, we owe it to ourselves and our nation to do everything in our power to make certain that Notre Dame flags never again participate in insurrection against the institutions of our country. As champions of democracy, we cannot allow a man with 91 felony counts to serve again in the Oval Office.

As students of the nation’s leading Catholic institution, we cannot support a candidate who has grifted the Bible for personal gain and held it upside down for a political stunt.

Over the last four years, President Biden has continually delivered for the American people. For instance, the Inflation Reduction Act is fighting climate change by boosting domestic green energy production and creating thousands of jobs in the process. Additionally, the CHIPS Act is helping America become a leader in semiconductor manufacturing.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is rebuilding our bridges, providing internet access to rural Americans and securing access to clean drinking water. Finally, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is increasing support for mental healthcare, school safety and the reduction of gun violence.

Democrats are building a brighter America.

The Democratic Party has delivered wins for ordinary Americans, from reducing drug prices and fighting climate change to protecting civil rights and standing up for democracy at home and abroad. If you stand for these values, it is important to know you are never alone at Notre Dame — 67.3% of students voted for President Biden in 2020. As a club, the College Democrats of Notre Dame support this agenda through our work: organizing voter registration drives on

campus, phone banking and talking about policy with students. We believe that democracy works when all are informed and voting to make our voices heard, especially as we face a heated election.

As the South Bend spring turns to summer, and then an undoubtedly contentious fall, where will you stand? Will you stand for democracy and a return to normalcy in American politics? College Democrats of Notre Dame will champion democracy at every turn, we hope that you will too. This election will not be one defined by party, but rather by those who will choose to defend democracy come Election Day. And we welcome all who share in these ideals.

If you are interested in joining our fight to defend democracy, please come to a meeting or join us in one of many events this fall. We would welcome you to follow the College Democrats of Notre Dame on Instagram @ndcollegedems or email cdems@nd.edu to be added to our mailing list and get involved. If you are interested in promoting these ideals on campus and across the country, please consider supporting the College Democrats on Notre Dame Day. Olivia Anderson Trista Brantley Alex Young Hannah Huston Helina Kassa William Connolly Natalie Bock Kendall Manning College Democrats Apr. 24

Who is labeling everything?

Allison Abplanalp Under Further Scrutiny

I can’t be the only one who has noticed the little white labels scattered around campus. I thought society was against labeling these days, but that hasn’t stopped whoever is behind this scheme. I remember the first time I saw one. It read “Door” and was placed, unsurprisingly, on a door. I didn’t think much of it, until the next day when I saw a desk labeled, you guessed it, “Desk.”

After that, I kept my eyes peeled, watching labels appear, disappear and then appear again. Yet despite the recent buzz, the mysterious tagger has chosen to remain in the shadows. While fame awaits the labeler should they choose to reveal themselves, it seems they have no intention of doing so.

Meanwhile, this labeler has awakened the inner Sherlock Holmes in me. There is a labeler at large, and as long as they are in action, no nameable object is safe. But thanks to my dedication, bordering on obsession, with finding the labeler, I have managed to piece together some clues about their identity.

The labeler shows a clear preference for NDH. As an NDH patron, it’s impossible to miss the labels on everything from the tables, white tiles and what the labeler called the “Gruber Huber.” And while I have seen a label here and there during my occasional SDH lunches, they are not nearly as numerous.

All signs point to an inhabitant of North Quad or Mod Quad. Or, perhaps, the labeler recognizes that North is the superior dining hall.

Hesburgh Library has also been heavily hit. The amount of labels and therefore time the labeler spends in the library makes me think they are a STEM major. However, my friend came across a label in Mendoza the other day which complicates things. Every clue that brings me closer to the labeler’s identity only begets more questions.

Exemplifying this is the question of the labeler’s gender. I can

say with some confidence that the labeler is a girl. I have seen way too many labels in women’s bathrooms to convince me otherwise. However, a guy also spotted a label in the men’s bathroom last week. Did the supposedly female labeler sneak into the men’s bathroom? Did she recruit a man to help? Or perhaps there are multiple labelers on the loose? These questions lack answers.

Labeling is intensive work. The custodial staff — the natural enemy of the labeler — frequently removes the labels.

Constantly putting up new labels takes time and likely cuts into the labeler’s sleep schedule. However, it is crucial that the labeler remains vigilant, always ready to label the next object but never there to be caught. I suspect the labeler relies on coffee to sustain the energy required to label. This is why Starbucks, Hagerty and ABP have been labeled. Every vampire needs their blood, and every labeler needs their coffee.

Although the labeling scheme is genius, the labeler themselves may not be the brightest. I’ve noticed a couple of misspellings. Considering they are putting up labels for a bunch of Notre Dame students to see, one would think they could check their spelling. One time they even labeled a door as a “Desk.” This could be due to the labeler’s lack of attention to detail, especially since most labels are crooked.

But my favorite part of the labeler is when they sprinkle in some personality. Initially, the labels were straightforward. But soon the labeler began to take some creative liberties. DeBart became “DeFart,” the salt and pepper shakers were named “Cocaine” and “Spicy” and the ice dispenser was labeled “Ice Ice Baby.” The labeler isn’t all work and no play either. To my delight, I also spotted a label at Pigtostal.

Eventually, I wondered what would motivate a person to label everything. Not only does the idea have to pop into their head, but they have to be crazy enough to run with it. How does one even get into labeling? I imagine it’s like getting addicted to drugs. Perhaps they got curious and just wanted to try it once.

Then they fell in love with the rush of seeing things labeled and, before they knew it, they couldn’t stop. Alternatively, they may

have gone down a dark path and turned to the labeler in a time of need. I have researched labeling addiction and there are no previously recorded cases. But there is always a patient zero, and I believe they may be at Notre Dame.

Locations of the labels also provide potential insights into their motivations. There haven’t been any labels in a chapel or Coleman Morse, making me think the labeler is not religious.

This may suggest that the labeler answers to a higher labeling power. If so, the labeling may be part of a divine mission.

However, I think it’s more likely the labeler is just very bored or confused.

Even still, I worry about the allegiance of the labeler.

Sure, labeling seems harmless, but in the wrong hands, it can be used for pure evil. I have seen several doors labeled “pull” when they are push! Can you imagine the confusion? One day the labeler went as far as to label a regular door “automatic door,” and I looked like quite the fool waiting for it to open. While this points to a diabolical motive, I think the labeler is good at heart.

Realistically, I will probably never meet the labeler. But if I did I would ask for an autograph in the form of a label. After that, I would propose a business partnership. I envision a scheme in which people become so dependent on the labels that eventually they are willing to pay to have things labeled. I will deal with the moral issues of profiting off people’s dependence on my product after I’m already rich. If big tobacco can navigate it, so can I. But I have to find the labeler first. I know they have left a clue, waiting for me to uncover it. And to the labeler, if you are reading this, bravo.

Allison Abplanalp is a sophomore finance and accounting major. If she could change one thing about the English language, she would make “a lot” one word. Her least favorite month is March because every year she is devastated when she fails to pick the perfect March Madness bracket.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

6

THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

God only knows

INSIDE COLUMN

Ça va? Ça va.

Ethan Chiang Graphics Designer

In the French language, the typical expression used when asking someone how they are is, “Ça va? ” Interestingly though, the corresponding response is the exact same expression: “Ça va.” There is no nominal difference between the two — whether it is used as a question or statement depends on punctuation, or the tone and inf lection used when speaking.

This is not particularly surprising because ever y language has distinctive features and rules that would appear strange to those who don’t speak the language. For example, in Mandarin, there are four different tones that drastically change the meaning of a word, even if the pinyin might appear identical.

Nonetheless, when I was first learning French in elementar y school, this dual usage of the same expression confused me: how is it possible that a question is interchangeable with the response? W hat is the point of asking the question if the answer can already be precisely anticipated, or is it just a social formality?

A similar phenomenon manifests in English, but just not as explicitly. W hen we are asked how are you, the default, instinctual answer we usually provide is just “good,” “pretty good” or some variation of that. Even if it does not fully capture our state of mind then, it is a natural, socially conditioned response for us to use. This expectation ref lects a collective desire or norm for expressing positivity in these casual exchanges.

Using these brief adjectives to express a sense of well-being is a heuristic — a mental shortcut we use to navigate social encounters without thinking too hard about the question. However, I can’t help but wonder if there is any substantive value to these questions and responses in and of themselves.

In the same way that French speakers can probably predict what others are going to reply when they ask “Ça va?,” we don’t really glean new information about others from this formulaic call and response.

But, I don’t think that’s the point of the shortcut. Oftentimes, we just see people in passing and do not have time to fully explain how each of our days is going. So, in that capacity, it helps us to greet others without launching into a full conversation.

Even if the responses are predictable, the act of asking shows a degree of care and acknowledgment.

In other cases, there are layers of reticence, and we might not want to describe how we are feeling to ever y single person we see, so it serves as a polite placeholder.

Particularly for those we may not be as familiar with, a simple “how are you” can function as an icebreaker, allowing us to effectively transition to larger and more meaningful conversations.

In essence, “Ça va? ” and its equivalents in other languages are more than just pleasantries or empty platitudes — they can actually be valuable, even if they seem like just an organic part of our ever yday interactions.

You can contact Ethan at echiang@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this Inside column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Moira Quinn Working Title

“God only knows what I’d be without you” - The Beach Boys The first time I stepped foot on Saint Mary’s Campus I was 10 years old, anxiously preparing to embark on my first sleep away camp. A lot of my friends were already well versed in the world of venturing off to some YMCA campground in the middle of nowhere and spending the week rope swinging into rivers, playing capture the flag and swapping friendship bracelets with strangers, but I was not ready for that just yet. Instead, I opted to go to Saint Mary’s Fine Arts camp where I slept in a college dorm as opposed to a cabin with bunk beds.

The week consisted of all things creative: painting, writing, dancing and singing, piquing my interest in all the right ways. I was mesmerized by the campus, an oasis with a fairylike feeling to it, from the trees guiding you down the Avenue to the colorful flowers glistening in the summer sunlight. Once my time had come to an end, I went home raving about everything and immediately decided to come for more the following year.

Time passed, and soon enough I was

right back where I started, this time an enrolled student. Based on other application process stories, a large majority of girls didn’t have Saint Mary’s as their number one choice or never even heard of it until it was brought up by an extended family member or mutual connection. For me, however, I always knew it would be where I would end up.

As a college freshman, I was in a moment of desperation, silently praying to feel seen, wanted and supported by female friendship as it was something I struggled with for a long time. I have always had a complicated relationship with God, half due to the fact that I am an inconsistent churchgoer and half because whenever something bad happens in my life, I usually wind up feeling frustrated, questioning his plan and not understanding why I cannot hear him as clearly as others say they do. It wasn’t until I got here and finally found my friends that I realized the meaning behind the waiting season.

God made me wait, so I can relish in the joy that comes with being a Belle.

Raising money for Dance Marathon.

Weekly cycle and yoga classes. Venting about boy drama with roommates.

Door-dashing all of my money away.

Making TikTok dances. Wasting time watching movies for hours on end.

Cutting each other’s hair instead of spending money at the salon. Finding the balance between applying to big girl jobs and fighting weekend hangovers.

There is so much that makes Saint Mary’s unique, but I will spare you the speech.

Wednesday was the first annual “I Am Saint Mary’s” day, a moment dedicated to expressing the love students and faculty share for the place that dedicates itself to the beauty of womanhood. I am always getting asked the question: what’s it like going to an all girls school?

I always respond with the same answer: like a sorority, but better.

I luckily still have a year left in South Bend, one that is going to be filled with intimidating and exciting endeavours.

I am grateful that for the rest of my life, only God will know what my life would have looked like if I hadn’t gone to school here.

Smick chicks forever.

Moira Quinn is a junior at Saint Mary’s College studying communication. When she isn’t writing for The Observer, she can be found with friends, watching a good romantic comedy or missing her basset hound.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Notre Dame from a transfer Matthew Baird Are You Paying Attention?

Notre Dame’s student body is 80% Catholic. From my experiences this year, I would hypothesize that, either that statistic was poorly obtained, or the 20% of students who are not Catholic are putting in a lot of work to cause mischief on campus.

Coming into Notre Dame as a transfer student, I anticipated that the people I would meet here would be very kind and good-spirited. Luckily, I found this to be true. Compared to my previous university, I have met more like-minded people who have my best interests in mind.

However, I have also found that the nasty people here are a lot nastier than anybody I interacted with last year.

At my last school, what you got from people was a lot more predictable. A lot of people were fake and partial, but it was easy to tell who you would jive with.

The friends that you got were mostly the friends that were advertised in your first interactions. The people who were shallow and judgmental made it clear that you should not talk to them. I appreciated this because they did not waste anybody’s time or trust. In my life, the world has mostly been like this — people are pretty readable, and I have had pretty good intuition so far.

Then, I came to Notre Dame.

I don’t know if it’s just bad luck, but I have met more two-faced people here than I have in my entire life. I am inclined to think that this is a result of Notre Dame’s culture. In my eyes, I see American popular culture and Notre Dame’s Catholic culture grinding

against each other.

This tension is encapsulated by the classic Notre Dame story: you see your classmate hammered at Newf’s screaming Drake’s “Rich Baby Daddy” on Saturday night and then see them at 9 a.m. Basilica mass with their family on Sunday morning.

Although I think that these kinds of people desperately need help, I couldn’t care less about their life choices. This is the attitude that I, as well as the majority of the people at my last school, maintained. For this reason, people were not as secretive about their life choices that might be judged heavily at a school like Notre Dame. If my last school were Catholic, onboarded priests would likely resign within weeks.

Although there were significantly fewer religious students at my last school, the biggest difference between the people there and the people here is how they carry themselves. If you were to think about people in terms of how closely their metaphorical menu photos correspond to how they turn out, my last school would be like Garbanzo, and Notre Dame would be Flip Kitchen.

I’ve been beating around the bush a little, so here is what I think. The bad people I’ve met at Notre Dame are much worse than the bad people I met at my last school because they can hide behind moral masks like involvement in the warm dorm communities or campus ministry.

I have heard sickening things about what people do behind closed doors and then gone to mass and seen them singing in the choir. I have seen cheaters and sexual assaulters be accepted

and praised in campus ministry for their mere involvement. I am not complaining from a Puritan position — I have done bad things before. I am complaining because people are concealed by their religious affiliation.

I was seriously disrespected by a close friend last week. I am very close with this friend, and I would say that they know me better than most of my other friends.

They are easy-going and funny, and I have always commended this friend for their good faith and spiritual practices.

Then, I got blindsided by them acting in my worst interest, and I could not help but think about how their actions went against how I understood their character as my friend and a practicing Catholic.

Of course, everyone messes up, but it is hard to forgive and forget in instances where the person is malicious.

This is all to say that, in times when trust was betrayed by two-faced people at Notre Dame, I have felt the disappointment in double. Perhaps I have been, for whatever reason, particularly naive this year. But, I would say that we could do a better job at holding people to the standards they set for themselves here at Notre Dame. Nothing irks me more than seeing an unapologetic deceiver walk freely around this campus.

Matt Baird, a proud native of Danville, California, is a sophomore majoring in English and finance. He enjoys walking, listening to music and humming. You can reach Matt at mbaird2@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

7

THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

By JACK HORTON Scene Writer

Call me crazy, but one fun activity to do is exploring random buildings around Notre Dame’s campus. To date, my favorite building on campus is the Eck Hall of Law, but there are plenty of study spots that I still have not yet found. Last Thursday, on my walk back from Eddy Street, I took a quick detour and walked through the Walsh Family Hall of Architecture. I had never been in this building before, but I was impressed with the Architecture Library in particular. As I walked out of the building, my mind started to wander and I ended up thinking about movies.

Typical. I started by thinking about architecture movies, but I eventually began listing off movies that people in each college at Notre Dame (Arts & Letters, Engineering, Mendoza, etc.) would enjoy.

When I got back to my dorm, I wrote down my list. So, with that said, here are the movies that I recommend students in each Notre Dame College should watch this weekend.

College of Arts and Letters: “Dead Poets Society” (1989) “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”

Set at the prestigious Welton Academy, this film revolves around an English teacher, John Keating (played by Robin Williams) who inspires a group of high school students to think for themselves through poetry. It explores themes of conformity, individuality and the power of literature to transform lives. It features several compelling scenes and performances that make it extremely rewatchable. For Arts & Letters students, this film closely aligns with the individuality of their education and the “Do Anything” phrase

By AYDEN KOWALSKI Scene Writer

The first two episodes of HBO’s “The Sympathizer” are enthralling — cinematic, bold espionage stories that illustrate the difficult questions of the Vietnam War and the fetishizing side of racism. While the show has not asserted itself as essential viewing quite yet, with the directorial and performance brilliance on display and the confidence to tackle such nuanced material without ever preaching at the audience, that breakthrough may be just on the horizon. And even if the show doesn’t realize all it can, it is already great, simultaneously pulsating and intellectually provocative.

The production design of “The Sympathizer” is immaculate. Light gleams off 1970s Saigon and Los Angeles, and one never doubts that these locations continue beyond the fully convincing frames. The most striking setting is a sieged runway where an American plane is trying to take off amidst North Vietnamese missiles; smoke trails from missiles drift down a dark sky hanging over burning foliage. It is the sort of set that deserves to be seen in a movie theater and a testament to HBO and A24’s artistic bravery, as this surely came at quite an expense. Park Chan-Wook, the director of the first two episodes, explores these settings from unexpected, stylized camera angles that demand attention.

displayed on booklets and posters for the college.

College of Engineering: “Hidden Figures” (2016) “Whoever gets there first will make the rules.”

This one is best suited for aerospace engineers, but I believe that all would find it delightful. The film follows three female African American mathematicians who played crucial roles in the early years of the U.S. space program. This film highlights the resilience, intelligence and perseverance of these three women who overcame racial barriers to play a pivotal role in the success of John Glenn’s historic orbit around the Earth in 1962.

College of Science: “The Fugitive” (1993) “Your fugitive’s name is Doctor Richard Kimble. Go get him.”

I get it. It’s more of an action movie than a science movie.

But, you know what? I’m putting it down anyway because a story following Harrison Ford as a husband convicted of his wife’s murder while maintaining his innocence is endlessly entertaining. This film does a great job using many unique elements of Chicago including the Chicago “L” and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Tommy Lee Jones also won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as Deputy Samuel Gerard because of his witty line readings. For doctors, the film also features conflicts over proper medicine practices and the drug approval process.

Keough School of Global Affairs: “Argo” (2012) “This is the best bad idea we have, sir. By far.”

When I found out that this was a true story, I couldn’t believe it. Disguising as a film crew to rescue trapped embassy workers during the Iranian Hostage Crisis? No way.

Ben Affleck gives a great performance as Tony Mendez, an officer for the CIA who rescued six Americans from the

Canadian embassy. It’s well deserving of its Oscar for Best Picture and is an exciting thriller around one of the most important events in the past 50 years.

Mendoza College of Business: “Glengarry Glen Ross” (1992) “Coffee is for closers.”

The easy answer would have been “Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), but I’m sure many students have already seen that newer film. However, likely far fewer have seen “Glengarry Glenn Ross.” First of all, what an incredible cast — Pacino, Lemon, Harris, Spacey, Arkin and Baldwin. I’ve seen each of these actors in at least five films, but Alec Baldwin’s A.B.C. monologue steals the show. For business students, this film highlights the pressure to succeed in a cuthroat sales environment. It tackles moral and ethical questions and shows how people become consumed by greed and desperation when their jobs are on the line.

School of Architecture: “The Money Pit” (1986) “Ahh, home crap home!”

There’s a reason why my mind initially wandered to architecture movies — it’s because I couldn’t think of any.

“The Money Pit” has a lighter tone than the other movies listed, but it is still a very enjoyable movie with a young Tom Hanks. A young couple finds a house out in the countryside at an extremely low price and immediately purchases it.

Their initial excitement turns to frustration as doors, staircases and bathtubs begin to break. If only they had a Notre Dame architecture student to fix their problems! If you want a more serious architecture film than this comedy, I would also suggest “Columbus” (2017).

He also literally rewinds the action at points, realizing one of the show’s theses, displayed on an opening title card: one fights a war twice, once in reality and once in memory. The second episode features particularly effective scene transitions at its beginning, as the spinning wheel of a car transforms into a circular plane window to bring the audience back in time. Chan-Wook’s commitment to visual poetry concludes that second episode, as the final shot is of a spinning, circular fast-food advertisement to match the wheel and window.

The show follows a Viet Cong spy dubbed the Captain, a character whose conviction, complicated loyalties and seeming conflicts of conscience make him dynamic and a subject of empathy. The questions the show raises about the Vietnam War are communicated smoothly and through showing the audience the contradictory realities of the characters; the exploration of history here is anything but didactic. The show also explores American racism, particularly the fetishizing aspect of it, which the characters Claude and Professor Hammer, both played by Robert Downey Jr., both exemplify in horrifying moments. A striking instance of this fetishizing racism is when Hammer asks the Captain to explain how his Asian and white ancestries conflict with each other, and the Captain presents his heritages in the way that will please Hammer: the Captain exoticizes his Asian identity and glorifies whiteness. As only one of the

two episodes so far is set in America, this theme of American racism will likely expand over the rest of the limited series.

There are no weak links in the cast, but lead Hoa Xuande and co-star Robert Downey Jr., in multiple roles, are the standouts. Downey abandons himself in Claude and Professor Hammer, each character distinctly and thoroughly imagined, and according to the show’s marketing, he has even more roles to take on as the series continues.

Xuande is simply magnetic, drawing the audience into the constant layers of thought that haunt the Captain. Xuande’s guarded vulnerability is particularly striking, though the Captain is often rather vulnerable in situations that a seasoned spy would probably navigate with more confidence.

Hopefully, the narrative justifies this peculiar character choice, which is likely made by the showrunners and not the actor.

With its magnificent visuals, transportive performances and brave subject matter, “The Sympathizer” is a show worth following now, as the first two episodes are both excellent on their own and full of promise. Given how much deeper the show’s questions can dig and the curiosity and boldness these episodes have demonstrated, the mustsee moment that is all the show lacks now might be right around the corner.

Contact Jack Horton at jhorton6@nd.edu

Contact Ayden Kowalski at akowals2@nd.edu ETHAN CHIANG | The Observer

8

SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

ND WOMEN’S LACROSSE WRAP

Irish defeat No. 7 seed Clemson by 14-12 score, advance to ACC Tournament semifinal round

By NOAH CAHILL Associate Sports Editor

One of Note Dame’s best women’s lacrosse teams in the history of the program came into the ACC Tournament with high expectations, finishing the season with a 7-2 conference record and earning the No. 2 seed.

After No. 7 seed Clemson took down No. 10 seed Pittsburgh 1815 in the first round on Sunday, the Tigers prepared to face the Irish in Wednesday’s quarterfinal. The game was be a rematch of the 14-13 regular season thriller that Notre Dame pulled out in double overtime on March 22. Similar to the first matchup, Wednesday’s rematch was just as high-scoring and competitive.

The Tigers came out the gates unafraid. After a free position goal from graduate student attacker Madison Ahern got the scoring started, Clemson responded with three consecutive goals, including two from Regan Byrne. Ahern responded with her second of the day to make it 3-2, but the Tigers quickly reopened a two-goal lead one minute later courtesy of Hanna Hilcoff’s goal. With a little over a minute remaining in the first quarter, graduate student midfielder Kasey Choma scored on an assist from attacker Jackie Wolak. The graduate students, alongside Ahern, have dominated all season and helped the Irish withstand Clemson’s strong start in the first.

In a high-scoring second quarter, both teams went back and forth, the offensive stars shining.

After the Tigers opened up a 7-5

lead with a little over five minutes remaining, the Irish ripped off five unanswered goals to take a commanding 10-7 lead into the half, the largest lead of the game for either team at that point. The exclamation mark came with a little over two seconds remaining when Wolak found Ahern, who went behind the back to score her fourth goal of the day.

Wolak kept the momentum going out of the halftime break, scoring her third goal of the day

and extending the Irish run to six unanswered goals. In a lower-scoring second half, the Irish defense protected the lead pretty comfortably for the remainder of the game. After Clemson got the deficit back down to two goals at 12-10, the Irish responded by opening up the fourth quarter with two goals in a row, including Wolak’s fourth. After Hilcoff got her hat trick to cut the lead to three before the nine-minute mark, both teams went on an

extended scoring drought. The Tigers grabbed a consolation goal with 39 seconds remaining, and the game finished 14-12, a similar scoreline to the regularseason matchup but with far less drama.

While the Irish were undoubtedly tested in this game, as they have been all season, they rode the performance of their star trio of graduate students in Wolak, Choma and Ahern. The three combined for 13 points

and accounted for nine of Notre Dame’s 14 goals. Wolak’s seven points on four goals and three assists were all game-highs.

Christine Halfpenny’s team will now look ahead to the ACC semifinal against No. 3 Boston College, which will take place on April 26 at 8 p.m. with ACC Network providing the broadcast.

Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu

GRAY NOCJAR | THE OBSERVER

Senior goalkeeper Lilly Callahan runs away from the net with the ball during Notre Dame’s game against Duke at Arlotta Stadium on April 6.

Callahan made nine saves and scooped up four ground balls during Notre Dame’s defeat of Clemson in the ACC quarterfinals on Wednesday.

ND WOMEN’S LACROSSE PREVIEW

Irish face No. 3 seed Boston College with trip to the ACC Championship game on the line

By NOAH CAHILL Associate Sports Editor

The Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team continued their dream season on Wednesday with a victory in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinal over No. 7 seed Clemson. The game marked a tenth straight win for the Irish, who have not lost a game since March 9th.

They will have a date with No. 3 seed Boston College in the semifinals on Friday. Their only meeting came in the regular season, where Notre Dame pulled out a 15-14 victory in a high-scoring thriller.

The Eagles came into the tournament with great momentum, winning eight of their last 10 games including an overtime victory over No.

1 seed Syracuse in the regular season finale. Playing after the Irish on Wednesday, they dominated No. 6 seed Duke in their Quarterfinal matchup.

The 19-5 win was the largest margin of victory from any tournament game thus far. After a 4-2 first quarter, Boston College put the game to bed early with a sevengoal second quarter that put them up 11-3 heading into halftime.

Their defense, which held the Blue Devils to only five goals, has been one of the nation’s best units for the entire season. Playing in a stacked ACC, the Eagles managed to allow only 7.88 goals per game, which ranked second in the nation. Their offense was arguably just as

brilliant, however, putting up 17 goals per game, which ranked third in the nation.

The prolific group has been spearheaded all year by a trio of junior attackers in Rachel Clark, McKenna Davis and Emma LoPinto. Clark has 76 points on 62 goals and 14 assists on the season, the point and goal numbers are both team-highs. Davis, who is at 71 points for the season, has a team-high 55 assists. LoPinto’s production is not far behind, tallying 67 points of her own for the year.

All three were outstanding against Duke, combining for

nine of the team’s 19 goals.

It is well-documented that the Irish have their own attacking trio in graduate students Jackie Wolak, Madison Ahern and Kasey Choma.

They stepped up as they have all season against Clemson, which was a closer contest for the Irish. In a 14-12 victory, the big three accounted for nine of the team’s 14 goals.

They have been responsible for leading an Irish offense that averages 16.35 goals per game, ranking seventh in the nation. On the other end of the field, an Irish defense that has allowed 8.18 goals

per game this season, ranking sixth in the nation, was not as strong as it has at times throughout the season. They will have their work cut out for them in a rematch against the Eagles, who managed 14 goals in the regular season game. The Irish offense was enough to overcome then.

Only time will tell if it will be enough this time around.

The game will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 26, with ACC Network providing the broadcast.

Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu

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CROSSWORD | WILL SHORTZ

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HOROSCOPE | EUGENIA LAST Happy Birthday: Don’t hesitate to make a move. Be aggressive, ask questions, and discover what’s available. Your curiosity will pay off, and the chance to embrace the life you want looks promising. Take the initiative, implement changes that display what you have to offer, and set up opportunities to lead you in the direction you want. A passionate approach will attract interest in every facet of life. Your numbers are 5, 13, 25, 27, 32, 38, 49.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t apply pressure to get your way. Focus on making a difference and gaining the most. Refrain from displaying your actions when you’ll accomplish more if you work quietly behind the scenes. Know your destination and plan your journey. Choose charm over criticism.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t dawdle or leave yourself open for criticism. Act on your behalf and make things happen. Share your concerns with a passionate display of your willingness to go the distance and get things done. Make the first move, and opportunity will lead to new beginnings.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Give yourself time to think, get the lowdown, and devise a plan that doesn’t compromise you or anyone else. Question anyone using force to push you in a questionable direction. When you don’t have clarity, take a pass. Be safe, not sorry.

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Try something new, do things differently, and change what you no longer like or enjoy. It’s up to you to make the moves that suit you. A lifestyle change can lift your spirits or point you in a better direction. Engage in insightful conversations that offer hope.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Finish what you start. Use your imagination, and you’ll find shortcuts to make life easier and keep your costs low. Put more thought into relationships, clear up misunderstandings, and share feelings. A financial discrepancy will cause a problem. Get the facts and figures.

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Dig in and get things done. Keep busy, and you’ll deter anyone who wants to interfere in your business to think twice. Put more thought into how you earn and spend your money. Don’t give in to pushy salespeople or anyone dumping unwanted responsibilities on you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Delegate your time wisely. Make changes to your daily routine that ease tension and make life convenient. Don’t waste time on the impossible when you can gain more doing what you do best. Personal improvement and opportunity are within reach and will encourage positive results.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Lessons learned will lead to valuable gains. Listen to your heart, intuition, and experience; you will get a clear picture of what to do next. Set high goals and discover what to do and say to get what you want. Personal growth is favored.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Luck and peace of mind are favored. Personal, financial, and emotional gains are within reach, and an opportunity will change your actions.

Let go of the past, move on with an open mind, and hope for a better future.

Embrace new beginnings.

Birthday Baby: You are innovative, secretive, and diverse. You are engaging and proactive.

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SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

ND BASEBALL WRAP

Central Michigan freezes Irish bats as Notre Dame suffers 2-0 loss on chilly night at home

By RYAN MURPHY Sports Writer

On a chilly late-April evening, the bats went cold for Notre Dame.

Riding high on a fivegame w in streak during which they outscored their opponents 58-18, the Irish (20-19, 5-16 ACC) were able to scratch out just a single hit in Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to the Central Michigan Chippewas (14-27, 5-13 M AC) at Frank Eck Stadium.

Graduate student third baseman Simon Baumgardt’s second-inning single was Notre Dame’s only hit against a rotating Central Michigan pitching staff that went seven deep for a combined one-hitter. One run in the fourth inning and another in the sixth inning was all

the Chippewas would need to pad the v ictor y. The w in was Central Michigan’s first over the Irish since April of 2019.

In a game where temperatures hovered consistently in the low-40s, sophomore Jack Bach set the tone for the Chippewas, striking out the side in the first inning of his first career start. Notre Dame would see action on the basepaths against Bach in the second, when senior first baseman Connor Hincks walked and eventually advanced to third after Baumgardt’s single and a groundout. In what would be the most high-leverage situation for the Central Michigan pitching staff all evening, Bach was able to work out of the jam by inducing a pair of groundouts.

Making his second career start, freshman right-hander DJ Helw ig also got off on the right foot, sitting dow n the first six batters he faced. The Irish would get themselves into trouble in the fourth, when freshman right-hander Keenan Mork came on in relief. Mork walked three batters and hit a fourth, plating the first run when senior first baseman Danny Wuestenfeld came around to score.

Later on in the sixth, w ith junior right-handed pitcher Rick y Reeth on the mound for the Irish, Central Michigan scored its insurance run. Senior third baseman Ely Stuart led off the frame w ith a line-drive single to right field and advanced to third on a double dow n the right field line by

senior outfielder Marquis Jackson. Stuart would score on a fielder’s choice to Notre Dame junior shortstop Jack Penney.

After Bach’s solid start, the Chippewas utilized six relievers to close out the v ictor y. Five of the six worked only an inning, and not one faced more than four batters. Senior Jared Milchuck entered the game in the eighth inning and earned the t wo-inning save for the Chippewas. Jack Penney, Notre Dame’s hottest hitter, led off the ninth inning w ith a walk, but the middle of the Irish order was set dow n by Milchuck.

Stuart, Jackson and senior Jacob Donahue recorded Central Michigan’s three hits in the game against Notre Dame’s five-man

pitching staff.

Graduate students Will Jacobsen and Nate Hardman pitched the last three innings for the Irish, combining to allow t wo walks and a hit. In total, the Irish allowed eight walks while striking out six.

Notre Dame faces a difficult road ahead, as the Irish w ill play host to No. 8 Wake Forest this weekend.

The Demon Deacons w ill come to South Bend w ith a sour taste in their mouths after falling 3-0 to Elon on Tuesday. Central Michigan, on the other hand, w ill look to build on its momentum when it hosts Northern Illinois for a Mid-American Conference series beginning Friday.

Contact Ryan Murphy at rmurph22@nd.edu

ND BASEBALL PREVIEW

Irish prepare to host No. 8 Wake Forest, a 2023 College World Series finalist, after rough loss

By ANDREW MCGUINNESS Sports Editor Emeritus

Just when the vibes were at their highest for Notre Dame baseball in 2024, another setback came around.

After launching 12 home runs and scoring 36 runs in a three-game sweep of Boston College, a Central Michigan team with an ER A of 7.78 (8th out of 11 teams in the MAC) held the Irish to one hit, leading to their first midweek loss of the Shawn Stiff ler era.

The one saving grace is that loss doesn’t hurt the team’s chances of a late-season ACC Tournament push.

However, the Irish will need to regain their confidence fast to extend their seasonhigh three-game winning streak in conference play.

For the third time in their last four series, Notre Dame will take on a ranked opponent, with No. 8 Wake Forest the second-highest ranked team on Notre Dame’s schedule all season.

The Demon Deacons have been one of the steadiest teams in the countr y. As a unit, they aren’t dominant offensively (8th in the ACC with 324 runs) or on the mound (6th in the ACC with a 4.88 ER A). However, they don’t have an obvious weakness and are coming off a series win over No. 10 Florida State (although like the Irish,

they followed a strong offensive weekend with a midweek shutout loss).

There are certainly some elite pieces to the roster, though. Irish fans may remember Friday’s probable starter, Chase Burns, who opposed Notre Dame in Game 3 of its 2022 Super Regional series when he was still at Tennessee. Though he started strong, seventh-inning home runs by David LaManna and Jack Brannigan made Burns the pitcher of record in the 7-3 Notre Dame win that sent the Irish to the College World Series. That’s largely been a blip on the radar of a stellar collegiate career, as he’s already hit the 100-strikeout plateau for the third straight year. Offensively, Nick Kurtz is tied for the ACC lead with 17 homers and ranks third in slugging percentage, with teammate Jack Winnay also cracking the top 10.

Notre Dame can’t match that level of star power, so they’ll need to make sure ever yone is firing on all cylinders to pull off the upset. It’s ver y helpful that senior outfielder TJ Williams returned Wednesday after missing Sunday’s game following a hit-by-pitch around his eye the day before. Williams’ growth offensively has been a huge boost to the lineup all season.

The team’s pitching is in as good of a spot as it’s

been all season. The Irish have allowed five runs or fewer in five straight games, something they hadn’t done in more than two consecutive contests all year before this stretch. Last weekend’s starting pitchers (senior Matt Bedford, freshman Jack Radel and sophomore Ror y Fox) allowed just four earned runs in 11 2/3 innings of work.

Those numbers likely would have looked better if Fox hadn’t been forced to exit after 1 2/3 innings when a line drive struck his forearm. Stiff ler expressed optimism after the fact that Fox wouldn’t miss much time but we’ll see if he makes his regular Sunday start. Pitching was an underrated part of Notre Dame’s last ACC series, and they’ll need it to

be sharp again to have more success.

The Irish and Demon Deacons are currently slated to play Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 12:00 p.m. at Frank Eck Stadium. However, with rain in the forecast, it’s possible things could change.

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

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11

ND SOFTBALL WRAP

Kastor in control: sophomore right-hander fires off complete game in Irish defeat of UIC

By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor

After the cancellation of Tuesday’s game against Central Michigan, at least one Notre Dame softball player couldn’t wait to get back on the field. Sophomore right-hander Micaela Kastor unleashed the best start of her career on Illinois-Chicago, pitching a complete game with a career-high 10 strikeouts. Kastor’s work, which extended Notre Dame’s shutout streak by starting pitchers to 13 innings, led the Irish to a 1-0 win in their final midweek contest of the regular season.

Head coach Deanna Gumpf shook up her Notre Dame lineup a bit, bringing sophomore center fielder Mickey Winchell up to the two hole. But the Irish still

struggled against UIC’s pitching combination of Carlee Jo Clark and Christina Toniolo. After Kastor worked a perfect top of the first inning, Clark shut down the Irish in her only frame of the day.

In the second, Kastor punched out three to navigate around a leadoff walk and a wild pitch. Notre Dame then put runners at the corners thanks to a fielding error and single, giving the bottom of the Irish order a chance to start the scoring. But neither junior shortstop Anna Holloway nor junior left fielder Emily Tran hit the ball out of the infield, killing the rally and keeping the game scoreless.

An inning later, Kastor stranded another runner in scoring position after yielding a two-out double to Emma Gumont. Notre Dame then went down in order for the only

time during Toniolo’s five innings, grounding out twice and lining out. Kastor would respond with a perfect top of the fourth, maintaining the 0-0 tie at the game’s midway point.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Irish gave the bottom of their lineup card another prime chance to break the seal. With two outs and a runner already on, junior right fielder Jane Kronenberger walked on four pitches ahead of a firstpitch single by Holloway, loading the bases for Tran. Batting for the second time with multiple runners in scoring position, Tran again put the ball on the ground, leading UIC to end the inning with a force out at home plate.

After that missed opportunity, Kastor encountered her most pressing threat of the game. She

surrendered a one-out double to Anna Walker, offering the Flames two chances to take the lead with a runner in scoring position. But both chances slipped away with a strikeout and groundout, moving the game along to the bottom of the fifth.

Notre Dame finally cracked into the scoreboard in that half-inning.

Senior catcher Carlli Kloss walked before Winchell singled, and both stole a base to put two runners in scoring position. The next hitter, freshman second baseman Addison Amaral, hit a flyout to right field that scored Kloss. However, UIC threw out Winchell in her attempt to advance on the swing, emptying the basepaths with a double play. Notre Dame still took back-to-back walks after that but couldn’t add any runs from that

development.

Kastor didn’t care one bit, though. Pitching with the lead for the first time all day, the sophomore punched out each of her first two hitters in a one-two-three sixth inning. Then, after walking a Flame with one down in the seventh, she finished with a flair. Kastor picked up her 10th strikeout to finish out the game, needing only 97 pitches to go the distance.

With the win, Kastor improved her own record to 9-8 on the season and Notre Dame’s to 25-20. The Irish offense, whose only two-hit player was Kronenberger, will look to come alive this weekend against Boston College for the final series of the regular season.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

ND SOFTBALL PREVIEW

Irish end regular season hosting the Eagles

By J.J. POST Senior Sports Writer

Notre Dame softball will play their final ACC series of the regular season this weekend, welcoming Boston College to

Melissa Cook Stadium.

The three-game series is of the utmost importance to the Irish, who are currently clinging precariously to ACC tournament qualification. The automatic bid that PAID ADVERTISEMENT

would come with winning the ACC tournament looks likely to be the only way for Notre Dame to extend their 24-year streak of reaching the NCAA tournament.

The Irish currently sit in

eighth place in the ACC table, with the top 10 teams qualifying for the conference tournament. Winning one of their three games against the Eagles would likely be enough to lock Notre Dame into a top 10 slot, but a sweep could allow the Irish to push their way as high as sixth in the standings.

Notre Dame seems all but destined to be playing a preliminary round game at present, but sneaking into the sixth seed would afford the squad a bye to the quarterfinals.

Having established a winning streak for the first time since late March, the Irish will also be looking to generate some much needed momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.

Notre Dame is 4-8 so far in the month of April, including a backbreaking stretch of six losses that ran from the start of the team’s Florida State series to Sunday.

Sunday’s walk off win against Clemson did give the Irish much-needed proof of concept in a season where it feels like Notre Dame has had their hearts broken multiple times. The Irish suffered walkoff defeats against Indiana, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Baylor. On both Friday and Saturday against Clemson, the visitors erased strong Notre Dame performances with late heroics. Sunday felt like more of the same — the Irish led for most of the day, but Clemson amassed five runs in the sixth and seventh innings to take the lead.

This time, though, Notre Dame clawed back, scratching across two runs in the bottom

half of the final frame to end the game. They would parlay that success into a 1-0 midweek win over UIC, setting the table for an all-in final series against Boston College.

Sophomore Micaela Kastor’s complete game on Wednesday affords Notre Dame’s usual weekend starters — graduate student Alexis Laudenslager and junior Shannon Becker — a full week of rest. And with these three games being the final of the regular season for the Irish, the team will have another full week of rest after this series closes. It’s likely too late in the regular season for Notre Dame to make a defining move towards becoming an at-large team for the NCAA tournament, currently sporting an RPI of 60. No other at-large team currently in D1Softball’s field projection has an RPI worse than 41.

A lower than normally accepted RPI rating (45) didn’t keep the Irish out of the tournament last year, but last year’s Notre Dame squad also boasted wins over the likes of Duke, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Indiana. As of right now, the Irish are 4-16 against teams currently in the top 50 of the RPI ranking and 0-8 against teams in the top 25. Wins against Boston College will nudge Notre Dame’s RPI closer to the usual at-large cutoff, but only the ACC tournament (and a deep run in said tournament) will afford the Irish the chance to seriously prove their mettle to the NCAA tournament selection committee.

Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu

12

THE OBSERVER | FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

ARI DENNING | THE OBSERVER

Junior left tackle Joe Alt walks on the field during Notre Dame’s game against North Carolina State on Sept. 9, 2023, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina. After putting together an All-American season with Notre Dame football last fall, Alt became the fifth overall selection by the Los Angeles Chargers in Thursday night’s 2024 NFL Draft.

IRISH TO THE NFL

Los Angeles Chargers select Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt with fifth overall pick in NFL Draft

By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor

On Thursday night, Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt heard his name called in round one of the NFL Draft.

The Los Angeles Chargers selected Alt with the fifth overall pick, making him the highest-drafted Irish player since quarterback Rick Mirer, whom Seattle drafted second overall in 1993.

This year, only quarterback Caleb Williams, quarterback Jayden Daniels, quarterback Drake Maye and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. went off the board sooner than Alt to start the first round.

With the selection, Alt also became the highest-drafted Charger since 2016, when the Bolts picked defensive end Joey Bosa third overall out of Ohio State. Alt joins an elite class of top-five Charger draft choices, including Hall of Famers LaDainian

Tomlinson and Junior Seau, as well as two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning.

During a three-year career at Notre Dame, Alt played in 38 games, starting 33. As a junior in the 2023 season, he served as a team captain and played his way to unanimous All-American status. Alt also finished as a finalist for both the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy, which respectively honor the top lineman and interior lineman in the country. The native of North Oaks, Minnesota, also received a mix of First Team and Second Team AllAmerican honors after his sophomore season in 2022.

Alt entered draft night with an NFL prospect grade of 6.49 out of eight, landing him on the “will become good starter within two years” area of the scale. At the combine, he checked in at 6-foot-9 and 321 pounds, completing the three-cone drill in 7.31

seconds for the fastest time by an offensive tackle this year. His results from the combine factored into his Next Gen Stats Draft Model score of 87, which positions him on the high end of the “good” tier and just below the “elite” level.

Many evaluators have compared Alt’s NFL makeup to Mike McGlinchey, Eric Fisher and Joe Thomas.

McGlinchey, a Notre Dame product and ninth overall pick of San Francisco in 2018, has started every professional game he’s played in across six seasons. Fisher was the first overall pick in 2013 and a two-time Pro Bowler with Kansas City, while Thomas is in the Hall of Fame with six First Team All-Pro selections.

Scouts have praised Alt’s discipline, composure and quickness in both his hands and feet as a blocker.

Alt also brings professional pedigree to the table as he

enters the NFL. His father, John Alt, went 21st overall to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1984 draft out of Iowa.

That selection turned John into a two-time Pro Bowler and a Chiefs Hall of Famer.

Joe’s brother, Mark, has also played 20 games in the National Hockey League.

For a Charger team badly needing a step forward in year five with quarterback Justin Herbert, Alt excellently fits Jim Harbaugh’s plan for greater physicality up front. The first-year Los Angeles head coach orchestrated smash mouth football while at the University of Michigan, leading the Wolverines to three College Football Playoff appearances and a national championship in the last three years.

Harbaugh has carried that mentality over to Southern California, where he and the Chargers have stocked up on interior offensive players

this offseason. They brought in recovering running back J.K. Dobbins from Baltimore, signed center Bradley Bozeman and picked up tight ends Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst. The Chargers still have Pro Bowler Rashawn Slater manning left tackle, so Alt may be more apt to start out at right tackle. Doing so could benefit the developing Alt in the long run, as he enters the league with some concerns about how his forward-leaning posture will play at the next level.

Remember that Alt has a history of learning and mastering new positions. He mostly played tight end in high school before converting to left tackle as he approached college, and his selection tonight says more than enough about how that transition played out.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu