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Volume 52, Issue 5 | friday, august 25, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Snite Museum reopens sculpture park The updated Charles B. Hayes Family Sculpture Park features a new “Reclaiming our Nature” theme By KELLI SMITH News Writer
After five years of construction, the Snite Museum of Art will be reopening a public sculpture park on the south side of campus Friday. Themed “Reclaiming our Nature,” the Charles B. Hayes Family Sculpture Park features a myriad of acclaimed sculptures situated in an outdoor exhibition stretching across Edison Road. Director of the Snite Museum and curator of the sculpture park Charles Loving said the sculptures were selected to reflect the park’s theme by favoring both the
natural environment and human spiritual nature. “Because the site was historically a landfill, I asked landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh to image what it might have looked like before Notre Dame was founded,” Loving said. The park includes sculptures created by artists across the globe and by Notre Dame alumni, faculty and individuals in the South Bend community. Snite Museum’s director of marketing and communications Gina Costa said the park is an effort to “return to our nature.” see SNITE PAGE 4
Photo courtesy of Gina Costa
A new sculpture is featured in the Charles B. Hayes Family Sculpture Park, which reopens Friday and is located on the south side of Notre Dame’s campus. The park features work from artists around the globe.
Mentors help ease college transition for new Belles By COLLEEN ZEWE News Writer
Saint Mary’s continued to use peer mentors as an integral part of their Belles Beginnings orientation this year, and according to seniors and current peer mentors Katie Frego and Kristie LeBeau, they will continue to play a large role in the first years’ transition throughout the next semester. Through the program, each first year works with an academic advisor based on her intended major, and each advisor picks a current
student within the department to act as a peer mentor for the first years, Frego said. “It’s a great way for incoming freshman to meet others within their major and form strong connections,” she said. “These are the girls [they] will be going through classes with for the next four years.” Peer mentors have played a large role in the Belles Beginnings program for several years, and LeBeau said she appreciated the effort her own peer mentor put into making her transition an easy one. LeBeau first felt nervous when
she arrived at the College, she said, but her peer mentor helped ease her nerves. “My peer mentor was really helpful in reassuring me that all of those feelings wouldn’t last long,” LeBeau said. “Seeing how much she loved Saint Mary’s made me hold onto the fact that I would get there one day, too. Now, I want to be that source of reassurance to this new class of Belles.” The peer mentors began their job by moving in early for training, see MENTORS PAGE 4
SMC alumna chosen to serve as new hall director When Emerald Blankenship graduated from Saint Mary’s in May, she did not anticipate moving back to Saint Mary’s the following fall. Blankenship returned to campus last month, however, as the new Regina Hall director. “All summer, I went and did sales, and it just didn’t feel right,” Blankenship said. “Then, I got their
call to ask me if I could consider applying for the hall director position, and it just kind of felt like I wasn’t done with Saint Mary’s yet.” Blankenship said this felt like the perfect opportunity to expand her skill set at a community in which she is comfortable. “I came and I interviewed, and everything just kind of felt right,” she said. “It was the kind of work environment I was looking for and a safe space to grow more
professionally.” During her time at Saint Mary’s, Blankenship spent two years as a Resident Assistant (RA) in Le Mans Hall. “My residence life background has prepared me a lot because I am kind of familiar with the processes that Saint Mary’s specifically has,” she said. In addition to working in
NEWS PAGE 3
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
SCENE PAGE 8
By JORDAN COCKRUM News Writer
see SMC PAGE 4
Alumni bring Philly pretzels to South Bend By MARIE FAZIO News Writer
The first time 1996 Notre Dame graduate Mark Naman tasted a real Philadelphia pretzel, he was living in New Jersey with his wife, Maryse, a member of the Saint Mary’s class of 1996. It was, in a word, “phantastic.” That’s the experience they’re aiming to bring to the South Bend community with the Philly Pretzel Factory, Mark Naman said. “You get the pretzel hot out of the oven, and it’s a different experience,” he said. “It’s the first time people have access to a pretzel right out of the oven. … It’s really phenomenal.” This June, the Namans opened the first Indiana location of the Philly Pretzel Factory on South Bend Avenue, across from The Linebacker. They view this exciting opportunity as a chance to share a product that they are passionate about with the South Bend community. To celebrate the recent opening, the Namans are holding a grand opening celebration, which includes a ribbon cutting ceremony and a raffle for
SWARBRICK PAGE 16
two Notre Dame football tickets Friday, as well as free pretzel giveaways for all customers Friday and Saturday, Mark Naman said. “It’s a great opportunity to come try the product,” he said. “We mix the dough fresh every morning, put it in this machine that strings it out for us and then we twist them ourselves.” Students who hail from the east coast might recognize the Philly Pretzel Factory, Tom Monaghan, chief development officer of Philly Pretzel Factory, said. He said he hopes the pretzels can bring a little taste of home to students while remaining well within their budgets. “It’s bringing a little bit of comfort food from home that many are familiar with — not only pretzels, but also Philly cheesesteaks,” Monaghan said. Maryse Naman agreed and said she wishes a store of this kind was open when she was attending Saint Mary’s. The low prices of the handmade and hand-twisted pretzels — which can be paid for using Domer Dollars — make them a see PRETZEL PAGE 4
FOOTBALL PAGE 16