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Volume 51, Issue 29 | Friday, September 30, 2016 | ndsmcobserver.com
Panel analyzes University–city relations O’Malley, Buttigieg discuss importance of collaboration between Notre Dame, South Bend community By RACHEL O’GRADY Associate News Editor
Fresh off the campaign trail, former Maryland governor and presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley joined South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Notre Dame’s vice president for research Robert Bernhard and junior Alicia Czarnecki on a panel discussing University–city partnerships. “I ran for President and I came home with a lot of lessons learned, some of them weren’t happy lessons,” O’Malley said. “But one lesson I did learn was that people care a lot about how their cities are governed and how their cities are led.” O’Malley said he emphasizes the importance of a positive relationship between the city and university. “There is huge value in a city and university partnership, which is something your mayor very clearly
gets,” he said. When O’Malley assumed the office of Mayor of Baltimore in 1999, he said he did not inherit the city at its best. “We had allowed ourselves to become the most violent, addicted city in America,” he said. “But people wanted to change that.” O’Malley said that, while the city faced a number of challenges, he thinks building trust between citizens and their local government is of the utmost importance. “I think the biggest challenge we can address is to restore the trust that seems so frayed in our national political conversation,” he said. “I would submit to you that the only way to do that is to make our cities more just and more fair places.” Improvements to that level of trust are being made, O’Malley said,
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
see PANEL PAGE 4
Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley speaks during a panel with South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, junior Alicia Czarnecki and vice president for research Robert Bernhard on Thursday.
O’Neill contestant Saint Mary’s prepares to wins Walsh’s celebrate parents’ weekend Mr. ND pageant By COLLEEN ZEWE News Writer
After almost two full months away from home, sophomores at Saint Mary’s will be welcoming special visitors this weekend: their parents. Class of 2019 representatives Sophia Johnson and Alexis Sahagun said this year’s Parents’ Weekend differs greatly from the Parents’ Weekends
of the past. The representatives said they wanted to take a new approach when planning the events for the weekend. “In the past, it has been very informational meeting based, and this year we are trying things a bit differently, and we think it will be a blast,” Johnson said. She said time with family is always a gift, but for sophomores, this time is especially
precious, as many of them are preparing to go abroad in the spring. “Sophomore Parents’ Weekend is important because it gives parents time to spend with their kids before they go abroad for a whole semester,” Johnson said. Students who do not plan on studying abroad also love see PARENTS PAGE 5
Dance marathon to host 5K RACHEL O’GRADY | The Observer
The 16 Mr. ND contestants chosen from each male dorm line the Washington Hall stage during the competition Thursday night. By NATALIE WEBER News Writer
Each year, representatives from the male dorms of Notre Dame gather to compete for the title of Mr. ND. This year’s recipient of the Walsh Hall-hosted award: senior Joe
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Cabrera, representing O’Neill Hall. Organized by junior Dani L’Heureux and sophomore Alicia Susi, the event raises money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. see MR. ND PAGE 4
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By JORDAN COCKRUM News Writer
Saint Mary’s College Dance Marathon (SMCDM) will host its sixth annual FT5K race to help fundraise for Riley’s Hospital for Children in Indianapolis on Saturday. “We are hoping to make the 5k this year even bigger than past races,” SMCDM Fundraising Executive Kelly Geelan said. “We
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are really hoping to reach outside of the Saint Mary’s community to get more participants.” The race will begin at 8 a.m. in the Welcome Center. Registration will begin at 7:15 a.m. and costs $10. “We love the 5k because it is a great opportunity for us to partner with companies in the community and bring everyone together for a great cause,” Geelan said. The race serves as one of Dance
Marathon’s main fundraisers each year. “It is an amazing opportunity for everyone to remember why we dance marathon and to run and walk for those who cannot,” Geelan said. Last year, SMCDM hosted the FT5K in honor of a Riley’s Hospital for Children patient, Charlotte Terry, who was 10 months old see RUN PAGE 3
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