THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S AND HOLY CROSS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2025 | VOL. LX, NO. 2
Dowd emphasizes ‘hope’ in opening Mass homily
By Zack Pohlman Associate News Editor
University of Notre Dame
President Fr. Robert Dowd welcomed students back to campus for the 2025-26 academic year at Tuesday’s opening Mass. Addressing the congregation in Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center, Dowd, wearing red vestments, emphasized the importance of Christian hope as the new school year begins.
The theme for this year’s Notre Dame Forum is “Cultivating Hope.”
“Today, as we celebrate this Mass, I invite you to reflect with me on two questions,” Dowd said. “What is hope? And more specifically, what is Christian hope? Second question, how can we be agents of hope on this campus and beyond?”
Dowd told a story about meeting a mother with three young children during his time visiting Brother Andre Hospital, a Holy Cross mission hospital in Nairobi,
Kenya. The woman had recently lost her husband to complications from AIDS and was herself HIV positive, and she had just lost her job. Despite all that she had gone through, the woman was smiling from ear to ear. Dowd said that he was shocked at her ability to keep smiling.
“It’s almost as if she could
Holy Cross Class of 2029 moves in
By Berhan Hagezom
Saint Mary’s News Editor
On Friday Holy Cross College conducted their annual matriculation ceremony for incoming freshman in the class of 2029. Freshmen, with the help of their families, moved into their dorms between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Parents were also invited to the ceremony, which began at 7 p.m. in front of the Pfeil Center.
The move-in crew, a group of upperclassmen students throughout the halls, assisted freshmen with their move-in process. Freshman Madeline Cloud said that the crew were helping, “asking what room you were in, grabbed your stuff, moved it.”
The matriculation ceremony was held near the Millenium Arch, signifying the students’ new journey. Parents and current Holy
Cross students welcoming looked on and celebrated the new students as they walked across.
College President Marco Clark said that the ceremony, started in 2003, is significant to students joining the Holy Cross community hoping to make an impact. Students participate in the ceremony twice: once at the beginning of their college experience and again at the end of their four years.
“We talk a lot here about something we call the Holy Cross way and it exists throughout the tri-campus community. A sense of welcome, a sense of joy, a sense of family and as we welcome them into this community they are also making a commitment to participate in that. To create a sense of community, to engage in
see “Move-in” on page 2
tell that I was wondering this, and she suddenly said, ‘I am not afraid. I know God is with me. The people here are good to me, and they’re good to my children. I am not alone,’” Dowd said.
Dowd used this brief anecdote to expand upon the virtue of Christian hope. He called on the students in the
congregation to be active, rather than passive observers. He asked them to be “agents of hope,” as the workers at Brother Andre were for the Kenyan woman.
“Just because Christian hope is in God’s promise, this does not mean that Christian hope is about waiting around for God, but for someone else
to do something about the pain, suffering and injustice that there is in the world,” Dowd said.
He connected his call to action with the Gospel reading, from Luke 4: 16-21, which itself recalled the first reading, from Isaiah 61.
“Jesus reads from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and that same prophet essentially sums up his mission to announce good news to the poor, to free the captives, to bring sight to the blind, to announce a year of favor from the Lord,” Dowd said.
Dowd, presiding over his second opening Mass, said that he was excited to begin his “sophomore year as president.” He said he hopes that this year’s Notre Dame Forum will result in productive discussions.
“You know, cultivating hope, it can get reduced to a mere slogan, pious mumbo jumbo, a platitude devoid of any real meaning,” Dowd
see
Students react to South Dining Hall construction
By Grace Tadajweski, Henry Jagodzinski and Sophia Tran Assistant Managing Editors and Associate News Editor
As students return to the familiar faces, routines and landmarks of campus, they are also stumbling into an unfamiliar South Dining Hall.
South Dining Hall’s twoyear renovation, which began in earnest over the summer, has significantly altered the day-to-day meal-time experience which students, especially those on South Quad, West Quad and God Quad, have become accustomed to.
The former serving area of the dining hall has been largely blocked off with stylized temporary walls featuring information on the history of the storied building. The entryway to the dining hall has likewise been narrowed with temporary walls.
As students enter the dining hall, they now form a line into the west dining room, which functions as the temporary, primary serving area, with homestyle, global, pasta, pizza and smokehouse options stationed on the outer walls of the sectioned space.
“The main area where you get your food is just too wide,”
Dillon sophomore Richard Kamau said. “It’s like before it used to be a big circle where you see all the food. Now it’s just too wide to see all the options.”
Badin resident assistant Camille Martinez noted that
see “Dining” on page 4
ZACK POHLMAN | The Observer
University President Fr. Robert Dowd’s homily at the academic year opening Mass called on students to be “agents of hope” in the coming school year, making note of this year’s forum theme of “Cultivating Hope.”
MARIELLA TADDONIO | The Observer
South Dining Hall has undergone significant changes during its rennovation project, which is expected to be completed in the fall of 2027.
“Mass” on page 2
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Mass
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said. “To have any meaningful conversations about hope, we must take seriously the reasons why so many people find it difficult to hope. And this is the type of conversation that we need to be having here at Notre Dame, a conversation that takes seriously the struggles that so many people face.”
The Mass, which lasted approximately an hour and 15 minutes, featured a large choir with members from each of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart choirs, Notre Dame Chorale and the Glee Club. Featured hymns included “Taste and See” and “Pan de Vida.” The Mass concluded with a rendition of the alma mater, “Notre Dame, Our Mother,” and “Christ, Be Our Light.”
Contact Zack Pohlman at zphohlma2@nd.edu
Move-in
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According to an email from Matthew Palmer, associate vice president for integrated marketing and communications, 31% of Holy Cross students come from Hispanic or Latino backgrounds and 20% of students are considered first-generation. Clark said that the College has made significant efforts to recruit students from unique backgrounds throughout the years.
“We have students coming in from 39 states and 19 countries in this class and so that is pretty remarkable to us, this small Catholic college in Notre Dame, Indiana,“ Clark said. “We also are one of the Cristo Rey preferred university network partners. We are now identified federally as a Hispanicserving institution. So I think that students see a real sense of community, a sense of welcome and a sense of belongingness.”
Today’s Staff
Some of the College’s new initiatives and developments to enhance the student experience include the construction of a new residence hall, a new integrated community that includes seminars for every cohort year, a new business curriculum and the addition of a computer science professor that teaches quantum computing. Eva
ND students particpate in summer service
By Isabel Torres Staff Writer
While many Notre Dame students spend the summer completing professional and volunteering opportunities far from campus, many of these students do so through the help of Notre Dame programs and funding, enabling them to travel to different continents to pursue their interests.
Along with many Notre Dame students that work and study abroad within the summer months, Grace Fuchs, a rising sophomore, participated in service through a summer program run though Notre Dame.
“This summer I was part of Serving in Europe through Nanovic and I worked with Caritas Malta. Caritas is an international non-government organization in Malta; they focus primarily on providing addiction services,“ Fuchs said.
Serving Europe, a program run by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, engages students in pressing social issues in Europe. Fuchs said it provides a great volunteer and exploratory balance.
“Me and my partner spent the summer helping in their
homeless shelter, creating a publishable version of their annual report and assisting with their drug rehabilitation graduation and cannabis awareness campaign,” Fuchs said.
Looking back at the experience of working with the Nanovic Institute, Fuchs expressed that the primary objective of the program is to provide students with opportunities to become immersed within their communities in a comfortable and safe environment.
“Essentially [Nanovic] provides housing and funding so that we may serve a community in Europe and immerse ourselves in a different culture. The focus is on seeing and helping the vulnerable, so we had a semester-long course where they taught us more about the Catholic way to serve vulnerable communities and how we could best support our host organization,” Fuchs said.
The Meruelo Family Center for Career Development provides students with professional experiences and direct guidance on acquiring summer internships. They aim to provide year-round help to Notre Dame students while
allowing them to pursue their interests and personalize their experiences.
Laura Bellis, the director of employer and regional engagement within the leadership team for the Meruelo Center expressed that the staff at Notre Dame are a valuable asset to students even when exploring summer professional development.
“Advisors are available to students throughout the summer for resume reviews, mock interviews and career advice. What sometimes gets overlooked is advice on how to document their summer experience, whether that is an internship, study abroad program or other continued learning,” Bellis said.
Bellis said that their team works very hard to promote one-on-one help and grant students as much open access to professional opportunities as possible.
“The Meruelo Family Center for Career Development offers tailored approaches to best suit the needs of all students. These include tailored emails about events, internships and jobs based on the interests of students, networking
opportunities with employers from a variety of industries, one-on-one career advising sessions to receive individualized feedback and guidance and workshops and learning labs to develop key skills,” Bellis said.
Ryan Willerton, associate vice president for career and professional development at Notre Dame, said that the career center aims to heavily incorporate analytics and data-driven improvements for student summer opportunities.
“Historically, about 85% of students will participate in an internship or research experience during their time at Notre Dame. Our goal is to ensure every student has the opportunity to participate in an internship or other meaningful experience over the summer,“ Willerton wrote in an email to The Observer.
Each year, the center surveys students about their summer experiences, compiling data about how students spend their time.
Willerton explained that the data is used to compile the Summer Experience Database and Summer Experience Networking Directory.
“These resources provide timely insights to inspire students to pursue a variety of summer experiences and make personal connections with classmates to learn about their internships,” Willerton wrote.
He also said that the career center aims to assist students financially through their summer internships rather than simply helping students acquire jobs.
“One of our signature programs is our Summer Internship Funding program. Thanks to the generous University benefactors, we manage more $500,000 to allocate to students who are participating in unpaid or low-paying internships to help them offset travel, lodging, and food costs so that we can ensure every Notre Dame student is financially able to participate in at least one summer internship,“ Willerton wrote. “This past summer, 241 students received funding. The summer funding program is a hidden gem that many students are not aware of.“
Contact Isabel Torres at itorres@nd.edu
SMC awarded $1.1 million grant for first-gen
By Berhan Hagezom
Saint Mary’s News Editor
On Aug. 13, Saint Mary’s College announced in a press release that it has been awarded a $1.1 million, four-year grant to continue its participation in the Kessler Scholars Collaborative. The grant was awarded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Judy and Fred Wilpon Family Foundation. The Kessler Scholars Collaborative funds scholarships for 15 other colleges and universities nationwide.
The Kessler Scholars program aims to help first-generation and limited-income college students pursue higher education through peer mentorship focused heavily on their first year, along with a support system and different programming opportunities throughout their four years of college. Christin Kloski, the director of Saint Mary’s Office for Student Equity, contributed to the application process. Kloski said she thought that the College’s program was unique compared to other schools.
Kloski said Saint Mary’s status as a liberal arts school, an all-women’s institution, and a Catholic college set it apart and made its application more attractive.
Since its establishment in fall 2023, the program has aimed to help Kessler Scholars to become more involved with the college community. Kloski discussed Saint Mary’s recruitment process and how they collaborate with admissions for the program.
“We try to have a 70% cohort of limited-income students [and] everyone identifies as first-gen. What makes Saint Mary’s unique is that we recruit from the state of Indiana. We encourage students to stay on campus all four years so they can get involved as much as they want while they’re here on campus,” Kloski said.
Donna Taylor-Schuman, assistant director of student equity and first-gen programs, is the program director and works with Kloski in reviewing applications for the incoming cohort. They accept approximately 20 to 25 students each year.
She also discussed the financial benefits of being a Kessler Scholar, including a $3,500 annual scholarship.
Students in Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars, a program for Indiana residents that meet income eligibility, are able to receive full tuition grants.
The Kessler Scholars program also includes returning
students as peer mentors who provide yearlong guidance to freshman students. Each year, there are typically 10 mentors across the sophomore and junior classes, along with two senior mentors.
“The senior mentors are the ones who guide our peer mentors just to connect with them,” Kloski said. “For our peer mentors, they’re here for the whole year, so they serve as those mentors throughout the academic year for our first year students, guiding them, assisting them, whatever it might be. As the first week happens on campus, during orientation, they get them acclimated to campus and then
throughout the academic year they have monthly check-ins with their Kessler Scholars and encourage them to go to programming as well.”
Kessler Scholars participate in a three-day pre-orientation session and receive academic and career preparation throughout the year along with social opportunities. Typical events include the mandatory coin ceremony for freshmen, along with optional activities such as friendsgiving, a holiday craft showdown, end-of-year celebration and other events planned by the Office for Student Equity. Kloski said that throughout
the program, students often engage with high-impact practices, experiences and skills that promote student engagement and deep learning. In an email, Kloski wrote that 95% of respondents mentioned being interested in or completing activities outside of classwork, such as volunteering, research or study abroad.
According to Kloski, 95% of respondents in 2025 indicated that their time in the program was “good” or “excellent,” an increase from the previous year.
Contact Berhan Hagezom at bhagezom01@saintmarys.edu
Courtesy of Saint Mary’s College
Participants in the Kessler Scholars program at Saint Mary’s College pose for a photo. The Kessler Scholars program supports first generation students at SMC, the majority of which also identify as low income.
Dining
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the changes are “workable” and just something she needs to get used to.
“I think it will just take me some more time to, like, look at all the food options, since it’s all … in, like, a huge space,” Martinez said. “I liked it when it was a little bit crowded, honestly, because then I would just, like, take a quick lap and then like, finish.”
Although Dillon junior Stice Neuhoff found the spread-out food to be bothersome, he ultimately stated that it’s not “that big of a deal” and thinks the food in South Dining Hall has improved.
“They’re doing construction. They gotta do what they gotta do, so it is what it is,” Neuhoff said.
While the stations do not have labeled food lists on the countertop of each serving station, the entrances to each station’s lines are accompanied by mobile television screens which display the station’s offerings. At times, however, the screens have contained discrepancies or remained off.
“Honestly, I haven’t loved the changes … I don’t love the way the food stations are set up now,” Baumer junior Noah Hanisch said. “I have a food allergy, and I noticed that some of the food stations, like, no longer had the little things that had all the food allergy things on them. So it’s like, I have to, like, go on my phone and, like, click on the website just to see, which is just kind of an annoying thing.”
Dillon sophomore John Janeteas, who has dairy, egg and nut allergies, described his unhappiness with South Dining Hall’s changes on account of the “cut in options.”
“There doesn’t seem to be as many options as before, specifically being the milk choices. I know there’s like, oat milk and things like that … but in any case, I couldn’t find the options,” Janeteas said. “So I guess if it’s not in a pretty clear space, that makes me a little bit more upset, you know, because I couldn’t … find the options I was looking for, regardless of if they’re there or not.”
Despite not noticing a difference in food quality at South, Badin junior Olivia Burke expressed a similar sense of difficulty in finding
the location of foods after getting her “bearings” the past two years.
“I can’t find everything, though,” Burke said. “There’s some things I miss that are near and dear to my heart that I don’t know where they are.”
Grubhub kiosks, formerly located in the entryway of the dining hall, now occupy the South Quad-facing wall of the west dining room, although the kiosks are not in use at this time.
After entering the west dining room, students leave the hall through its traditional exit and travel through a tunnel into a small portion of the former serving area for salad, grill, deli and toasting stations.
“When you want to get up, you got to walk through two different tunnels just to get your food again,” Knott junior Riches Afolabi said. “But, like, I could see the potential. But right now ... it’s not really where it needs to be.”
Once students are finished in the “greens and grains” serving area, they shortly proceed back into an enclosed portion of South Dining Hall’s entryway, before entering the east dining room. Yogurt and cereal, fruit, ice cream, condiment and dessert options are located in the east dining hall, which is also the dining area for students.
Calling South Dining Hall “serviceable but frustrating,” vegetarian Dillon sophomore Aakaash Raja expressed his difficulty finding vegetarian options without the dedicated vegan section, meaning his vegetarian options include constant offerings such as grilled cheese and pizza.
“It is really frustrating to go into South and, like, there’s one food or, like, two main food options that aren’t the regular stuff,” Raja said. “And, I mean, I’m sure other people enjoyed [the food], I was talking to my roommate, he really enjoyed what he had today. Like, I can’t eat it, you know? I think it was like beef and chicken was like the two entrees. I don’t know, not a fan of it.”
In a statement to The Observer, Campus Dining called upon the increased “dietary inclusivity” they aim for the updates to bring.
“The renovation and operational enhancements to South and North Dining Halls represent a significant chapter
in the evolution of campus dining at Notre Dame. These efforts reflect a thoughtful planning process that has drawn upon the perspectives of multiple stakeholders and balanced respect for tradition with a commitment to innovation,” Campus Dining wrote. “The updates prompt important considerations regarding the preservation of historic elements alongside modern improvements, the adaptation of culinary and service operations, and the experiences of both employees and students. They also underscore questions about the ways in which dietary inclusivity, service efficiency, and capacity management are addressed within high-volume dining environments.”
South Dining Hall employees have confirmed that there have not been vegetarian options available at meals. One employee answered that there would “sometimes” be a vegetarian entree with dinner, but there would not be a dedicated vegan entree station in the dining hall until practices shifted to become more routine.
Additionally, a dining hall employee confirmed that there was not a gluten free section, aside from gluten free bread, while a gluten-free student noted that the gluten free refrigerator and freezer were entirely empty.
“I didn’t love the like, makeshift kitchen that they’re doing … The food isn’t as good, it’s harder to get to, I don’t really know exactly where everything is, yet. I don’t love how I have to walk all the way through South to get different things, and then they kind of are, like, hiding stuff in the middle.
So I have to walk from one side into the middle to see what’s in the middle and then back,” Dillon resident assistant Noah Allen said. “It’s kind of a mess right now.”
Although Allen’s hall is only a few-second walk away from South Dining Hall, Allen noted that he would now more heavily consider heading to North instead of South to eat if he were coming from a location like DeBartolo Hall. Additionally, sealing the deal, Allen shared that the changes to South Dining Hall made his decision to opt for a senior-only meal plan with less swipes and more Flex Points easier.
Other students residing closer to South Dining
Hall have been faced with similar tests of their loyalty to the dining hall under construction.
“I’ve also started going to North a lot more, just because, like, I don’t love the renovation,” Welsh Family sophomore Kara Gallagher said. “I think it’ll work with maybe some, like, minor adjustments here and there, but I’m gonna keep going to South, every so often.”
Gallagher noted that she thinks the decision to renovate South Dining Hall is a good one and that food quality has not decreased. She assured she still prefers South.
According to Janeteas, he has also heavily considered eating at North Dining Hall more than South.
“I get really into the school spirit and things like that. So I’m like, you know, ‘South Dining Hall is the best, North Dining Hall is the worst,’” Janeteas said. “But recently, I have been considering, like, ‘Okay, well, there is not much food here at South.’”
When Kamau was asked if he would go to North Dining Hall, he responded, “absolutely not. But, it’s [South Dining Hall] making stuff look worse. But it’s necessary for the renovations, I understand.”
Badin junior Fiona Denning stated that South has been disappointing, and she is confused by the longer lines for food despite the similar amount of tables. Still, Denning does not think North is necessarily a better option.
“I think North is already overrun with the extra dorms over there now, so I feel as if it’s kind of an even playing field,” Denning said.
Campus Dining spoke positively to North Dining Hall’s new flow.
“Similarly, the introduction of new systems—such as Grab & Go offerings and revised line flow at North Dining Hall—signals an intentional focus on enhancing accessibility, streamlining operations, and supporting the broader mission of hospitality on campus,” Campus Dining wrote. “Collectively, these changes invite a deeper understanding of how dining facilities evolve to meet the needs of a dynamic and diverse university community.”
Despite needing a period to adjust to the changes, another student faithful to South voiced his excitement to see the renovation’s
outcome, although he will be graduated by the renovations’ conclusion.
“I’ve been a dedicated South Dining Hall attendee. I love South,” Sorin resident assistant Theo Austin said. “I didn’t really think it had a lot of problems. I understand how the main area was a little complicated, but, yeah, I’m curious to see what it looks like at the end. I hope it’s worth it.”
The east dining room also includes drinks, located in the place of the former plate return. While the station now has two new water and ice machines, similar to those that were added to North Dining Hall last year, there are no fountain drink machines in South Dining Hall. Instead, plastic beverage dispensers offer students different drink options — notably, blue Powerade and cucumber water.
Kamau mentioned the addition of cucumber and lemon infused water, but said it doesn’t make up for the soda machine’s absence.
“The water machine also, like it sprays everywhere,” Kamau said.
The dining tables have also been rearranged in the east dining room, switching from tables horizontally lined to tables vertically arranged in long columns. With this change, tables frequented by dorms have shifted.
“We’re very sad about the loss of the Baumer table,” Baumer junior Sam Thornton said. “So they’re doing such big changes already, right? Why did they decide to flip the tables up on us as well? You know it’s just like too many changes all at once. I think bring back the Baumer table, bring back the horizontal tables, they’re just ruining cultures and destroying vibes.”
Differently, Keough sophomore Jack Freking was not bothered by the shift in table arrangement, noting that he liked South because of the seating, and with it being “pretty much the same,” he will continue to come to South despite the food station layout that looks like “a new dining hall.”
Contact Grace Tadjaweski at gtadajwe@nd.edu, Henry Jagodzinski at hjagodzi@nd.edu and Sophia Tran at stran2@nd.edu
Move-in
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De La Rosa, a junior, discussed her excitement for the new business curriculum.
“I am really looking forward to our classes and how they’re going to change. As a business major, they have changed the way that the business major,
the courses and the curriculum is going to look for the freshmen. I’m very excited for that and very excited to see how that’s going to transition for me as a junior this year,” De La Rosa said.
Clark said that the class of 2029 is “probably the most competitive and selective class that we’ve had perhaps in the history of the College” when considering
GPA. He also said that “this is the largest enrollment that the College has had in our history.”
After the matriculation ceremony students broke into groups, introduced themselves to each other and paired up for different activities. Events included included a TikTok challenge with the song “Sweetener,” sports and drawing challenges near the Pfeil Center, along
with Kahoot trivia. Holy Cross students oversaw the organization and planning of the event, which was intended primarily for students at the College. Yet, Clark discussed the importance of the input and collaboration between the tri-campus community.
“We live in a world today where in so many ways we face an existential crisis and right here in the
tri-campus community we have a chance to prepare the next generation of l eaders who can make a difference,” Clark said. “As they step into this, they get a chance to begin forging a future for themselves and we get a chance to walk that journey with them.”
Contact Berhan Hagezom at bhagezom01@saintmarys.edu
Learning news over hard-boiled eggs
By Redmond Bernhold Opinion Editor
-I lived with a New York City finance bro this summer who checked off all the typical intern-in-the-city requirements: gray Patagonia vest, khaki chinos, three desktop monitors for elaborate Excel spreadsheets and a commute to FiDi.
He lived in the second room of my subleased Lower East Side apartment. We shared a bathroom and for most of the summer got along fairly well. However, somewhere around the heat wave in late June, things began going awry.
He, who shall be referred to as “room two,” began to leave rotting food to stink in his room, never cleaned the bathroom riddled with hair, fell ill with a mysterious sniffle and argued that were all going to perish quicker than his bananas.
One day, I was eating cheese pizza with Zora Rodgers, fellow New York City intern, tenant of room three and opinion columnist for The Observer. Room two walked into the kitchen to check his pot of hard-boiled eggs, left to overflow and boil for one hour.
He removed the lid, and steam billowed, filling the already hot apartment with the stench of egg. He looked at me and Zora.
“Did you guys see we’re going to die tomorrow?” room two asked.
Zora and I looked at each other. “What?” we said in unison.
He pulled out his phone and opened TikTok. I couldn’t
By Hannah Alice Simon Columnist, “Eyedentity”
It is lovely to be walking alone again, taking long strides of certainty on the campus that I have come to know so well over the last three years. I gently weave through the crowds of excited freshmen and their parents, give a half-annoyed, half-amused smile as I navigate past the many carts and suitcases that are staples of Welcome Weekend. I walk through South Quad with the confidence of a senior. Suddenly, a voice calls out to me, “Hi, Hannah!” I wait for a heartbeat, and then I turn toward the voice with a practiced smile. “Hi,” I say. As I walk back to my dorm, I taste the familiar tinge of discomfort on my tongue. Once again, I walk past the excited shouts of the freshmen. But this time I don’t feel like a confident senior.
help but roll my eyes.
He showed us many TikToks of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying, “Today, it’s Tel Aviv. Tomorrow, it’s New York.” All of the posts were deeply edited, showing bombs dropping in Manhattan and obliterating the nearby boroughs.
Room two insisted that Iran’s leaders were going to bomb Midtown.
From all of the posts he showed us, it became clear: he was so tuned in, he was tuned out.
He asked what The Wall Street Journal was saying, anticipating I would confirm his wild claim. I said that he was, of course, misinformed. I explained the reporting I had read earlier in the day and his misunderstanding between Israel and Iran.
He then awkwardly, somewhat embarrassingly, laughed and took five overcooked eggs into his bedroom.
When he left, I wondered how he, a 21-year-old with a competitive banking internship, trusted a meme page for critical pieces of news.
I, too, get news from social media. And I know online accounts are one of the main sources of information for many people, not just Gen Z.
A study by McKinsey found 34% of people under the age of 24 check reliable news websites, and 39% of young readers prefer social media.
Another survey from news app SmartNews found that 65% of Gen Z news readers say they usually or always question the accuracy of a news story.
I know that some of my peers are weary of legacy media and traditional news outlets, instead turning to smaller channels. Others I know have started consuming news from legacy outlets more frequently since the eruption of political events last summer and international conflicts in the past few months.
Therefore, I think Gen Z is entering a bifurcation of digesting news. I think our generation now consumes news through a lens of caricatures: either stories from established outlets seen as authoritative or social media posts that are more engaging. There is skepticism across the board, and for many, there is no North Star.
Perhaps more young people are online and trusting alternative forms of news, on the basis that if even legacy print publications aren’t
reliable, then we should turn to a more diverse array of publications and take everything with a grain of salt.
And as a result, of course the more attention-grabbing content eclipses the accuracy and magnitude of current events.
Globally, the average member of Gen Z spends roughly seven hours a day on their phone. Gen Z also consumes news from social media more than other generations and consumes less news from traditional outlets than any other generation, according to the American Press Institute.
I, too, scroll through social media for the most attention-grabbing pictures and videos, even if they are memes of the news. I have certainly believed misinformation at certain times. But I wish my peers could see the lens of social media algorithms for what they are
I wish I knew who you are
I can only remember the freshman I had been, what it felt like to stand in a corner as a thousand new voices drifted in and out of my ears.
As a blind girl growing up in India, I navigated my small world with confidence. Years of conversations and laughter had permanently etched the voices of my family and my classmates into my heart. But then I moved to the U.S. for college, and my world opened so wide I could no longer trace its limits. Welcome Weekend was a wave of strange voices that washed over me, leaving me breathless. I really wanted to hold onto them, but these voices in their unfamiliar accents just slipped through my fingers, leaving me empty and exhausted.
As my first semester at Notre Dame picked up its pace, my sense of isolation only increased.
Every day, I felt a thousand brief “Hi, Hannah’s” rest against my skin. But these voices never made themselves known to me by name. I began to master the art of the fake smile, the cheerful lilt, as I greeted the voices of strangers. Sometimes, I laughed at it all, called them games I had to play to survive. But most times, I felt so alone in a world where everyone seemed to know each other. I found myself trapped in long conversations with “friends” who seemed to know all about me, my major, how hard my midterm had been. As I mechanically answered the questions they threw at me, I would desperately command my brain to go through the thousands of voices that I had encountered at Notre Dame and find one that fit the person I was talking to. A part of me would long to ask
that question, “Could you please tell me your name?”
But listening to the warmth and the familiarity in their voice, I would never have the courage to tell them that I did not recognize them. I left conversations feeling numb, trapped in my brain, struggling to find an answer to that one question. But something changed when I said “yes” to Notre Dame Vision, a summer retreat for high schoolers led by Notre Dame students. Before the start of the program, my supervisors sat down with me and asked me how they could ensure that I had an inclusive experience. That question finally gave me the space to articulate what I needed. I told them that whenever anyone greeted me, I needed them to tell me their name.
I left that meeting knowing that I had been heard. But my reassurance gave
— competition for engagement.
Last year, I similarly wrote on how Gen Z should be more serious when viewing political figures — that digesting complex, grave current events out of context is concerning. Of course, this phenomenon isn’t new. Fear mongering and dramatic posts on social media are meant to draw interaction and open the algorithm’s revolving door. We are susceptible to spiraling and being locked in for hours. And, in doing so, we can forget about our boiling eggs and spoiled bananas.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Contact Redmond Bernhold at rbernho2@nd.edu
way to familiar anxiety as I met the 40 other students who would be working with me. The first day of names and introductions drifted through me. The second day, I prepared myself to smile as I had always done at the strange voices. “Hi Hannah, it’s Ben.” My smile froze, then widened. “Hi, Ben!” I said. The joy in my voice was too real. Every day of those two months, I was greeted by people who intentionally made themselves known to me, again and again. And slowly, I began holding onto their voices, Maria’s low alto and her joyful laughter, the lazy sarcasm in Rob’s voice. Slowly, these voices became a part of me, and these strangers became friends who etched their names into my heart.
see “Vision” on page 6
REDMOND BERNHOLD| The Observer
Hard-boiled eggs that were cooked for over an hour during a hot summer day in the Lower East Side in New York. Room two frequently left eggs and potatoes to boil for long periods, forgotten amid conversations with roomates.
Vision
Continued from page 5
The friends I made through Vision proved to me that it is indeed possible to create a truly inclusive community that respects the individual needs of each person. The voices of my friends helped me to find roots at Notre Dame. Their willingness to make
By Jonah Tran Columnist, “Saturae
et Sapientia”
I write this article to create the trilogy of Opinion articles (read the first and second) that focus on men and their masculine urges. To be honest, this isn’t a sex-ed article, but rather a reflection on a recent bachelor party trip for the upcoming wedding of my best friend named Dan. I wouldn’t want to mislead you.
Dan is the consummate “Florida Man.” He drives massive diesel Ford trucks, works long hours in a blue-collar job and fixes/ flips (and even races) ATVs in his free time. His hands are a testament to his industriousness and hard work. They are invariably cut, scabbed and stained black with grease or oil; he lost part of his right index finger while fixing an ATV over three years ago. Dan is already a homeowner and has an unbreakable conviction to provide and protect his fiancée and his future children. He is only 21 years old. On the flip side, his best friend and best man drives a quaint, charcoal gray Toyota Rav4. He is a full-time student, spending most of his days reading, writing and loitering by the Hesburgh Library’s first floor computers. He enjoys reading prose and poetry written in Latin and writes argumentative essays on political economy that nobody cares about or reads. He has spent the majority of his adulthood living in cramped dorms or apartments. He is also 21 years old.
Two weeks ago, we packed into a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta station wagon on a road trip to Blue Ridge, Georgia. where we and his three other groomsmen would celebrate the waning days of Dan’s unmarried life. The other groomsmen are similarly “Florida Men”: they drive trucks, work blue-collar jobs, and have working-man hands. We spent the duration of the car ride singing along to country songs, lodging accusations over our brazen flatulence and gawking
themselves known gave me the confidence to stride through this campus and finally call it my home. But the taste of discomfort and overwhelming fatigue still lingers. Every time I am trapped in an empty interaction in which I am left searching for the other person’s identity, I feel like that vulnerable freshman who stood alone at the edge of the
Notre Dame community. But now I also have hope, because I believe in my university and what its students can do.
I know that Notre Dame is a place that does not take its commitment to inclusion lightly. I know that Notre Dame is a place where I continue to encounter people like Rob, Liam and Martha. My friends at Vision once gave me the space to
articulate what I needed. They gave me the courage to find my voice. Today, I am strong enough to claim space for myself and articulate my need, because I know that Notre Dame has a listening heart. So once again, I speak for myself, and perhaps for the blind students who will come after me. I ask that you make yourself
The masculine urge to ... pt 3
at trucks, trailers and machine equipment. During the trip, we went tubing on the Toccoa River, toured a moonshine distillery, went to the local rodeo, ate steak and eggs and smoked cigars at the firepit in front of the cabin.
I worried that I would not be able to connect with the others in the wedding party. I thought I was entirely out of touch with their reality, and to a large extent, this is true. We have different upbringings, priorities and sets of knowledge. I have no clue how to resod a lawn or apply emergency first-aid to a person mangled by a car crash. But they have no idea how to perform a discounted cash flow or scan a dactylic hexameter meter in Latin poetry. But then again, does fancy math or literature really matter in the grand scheme of things? Am I more equipped to confront the challenges of the real-world than these people are? Do I contribute more to society sitting around in DeBartolo Hall than these people do in their bluecollar jobs? Clearly not.
It was a reality check in several ways. For one, I popped my own bubble. A university education is great and all, but to think that you are nobly serving the world and saving humanity by
completing a 4-year degree and then working a whitecollar 9-to-5 job is simply crazed. It is perspective: I contribute in a different, perhaps smaller, way to the world through my education and future corporate career. Secondly, the way in which we found genuine connection was due in great part to shenanigans. Yes, it is healthy and perfectly acceptable for men to do stupid things and say stupid things. “Let boys be boys” is not and should not ever be a green light or endorsement of sexual violence or other criminal, despicable behavior. But could it be that there is a masculine urge for men to pursue and enjoy the simple things in life, like steaks and whiskey, or to do immature things, like good-humor bickering, or play-fighting or buying 200-proof moonshine? Is there not any room at all for a genuine, authentic version of the “let boys be boys” mantra? Thirdly, men are not categorically bad or evil. If anything, they are simple creatures: They find meaning in making or creating things and desire to protect those whom they love. I realize that my advocacy for authentic masculinity may be inconsistent with
known to me by name every time you greet me, so that I can reach out to you with a lilt in my voice, with a smile that comes from my heart.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Contact Hannah Alice Simon at hsimon2@nd.edu
the modern paragon for masculinity: Pedro Pascal. Some may find my writing so objectionable that I, the author, should immediately be publicly executed in South Quad as if we were in ninth-century medieval Europe. In that case, as the noose is being slipped around my neck and I watch the furious, raucous crowd shaking their right fist with Labubus in them and gripping their left fist around an iced matcha latte, I will know that this world is not for me.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Contact Jonah Tran at jtran5@nd.edu
JONAH TRAN| The Observer
The trunk of a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta station wagon is packed with various grocery items, clothes and shoes outside of an Aldi in Blue Ridge, Ga. During their car ride, the author and four others sang country songs for many hours.
Michiana Renaissance Festival is fairest of them all
By Peter Mikulski Scene Editor
“Then I saw in my Dream, that when they were got out of the Wilderness, they presently saw a town before them, and the name of that Town is Vanity; and at that Town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair.”
My neighbor and I were at the Michiana Renaissance Festival, watching an ensemble called The Knights of the Rose don plate armor and fight with dull swords. I was sitting on a bench with my friend to my left and an empty seat to my right. A man and his three little daughters were sitting nearby. An old woman in a fanny pack approached me, and — because of how all of us were arranged — she misunderstood who the girls’ father was, asking me whether I was saving the open seat for my daughters, and if not, asking whether she could take it.
“They’re not mine,” I had to explain, loud enough to be
heard by an old person but quiet enough not to disrupt the show. Instantaneously, it occurred to me that if I had gone to welding school instead of Notre Dame, I would’ve graduated a year ago, and had enough time to find a wife and raise some daughters. It also hit me that if I had gone to welding school, I’d probably make enough money to buy a house one day — not a sure bet when you’re a medieval studies major. Then, the portly knight hit the smaller knight really hard on the head with a mace — which was sick — so I snapped out of it. At the start of the show, the knights mentioned that they were in the employ of King Edward IV, implying that we were somewhere between 1461 and 1483 in the thick of the Wars of the Roses. This information proved upsetting to me, as we soon encountered a group of reenactors dressed (impressively accurately) as a camp of Polish hussars — the Polish hussars didn’t pop onto the scene until the 16th century. I felt
unmoored.
Later, walking from a Punch and Judy puppet show (which the kids loved because Punch and Judy are essentially ye olde brain rot) to a joust, we encountered another disaster: Queen Eleanor.
“Then who’s the monarch of this fair!” I worried. “Is it King Edward or Queen Eleanor?” Edward had a wife, but she was named Elizabeth, and there were rival claimants to the English throne, but none of the Lancastrian pretenders were named Eleanor as far as I know.
I gave up on my attempts to reconcile these inconsistencies when I saw Queen Eleanor drinking a smoothie and going on her phone during the joust. I was crushed.
Nerds often have a penchant for pedantry. Usually, they’d go nuts for technicalities like these, but at the Renaissance fair, they let loose. It’s a big tent, one with room for every nerdy pastime and intellectual property. It’s a “Renaissance” fair, but there’re
also people doing fantasy cosplay, wearing furry attire, selling sci-fi paperbacks and hawking Pokémon merchandise.
The Renaissance fair really brings out the best in nerds, who are generally good people — they’re the people who weren’t quite cool but weren’t quite lame, who unlike nerds were socially conscious enough to be aware of and insecure about their own inadequacy, whom you have to watch out for.
At the Renaissance fair, guys who didn’t do much drinking in high school can drink mead and potion-themed rum beverages with utter abandon. They can sit on bleachers next to sporty guys who live near the 4-H lot at which the fair is held without feeling awkward, bound together by the solidarity of how sick it is to watch a portly knight hit a smaller knight really hard on the head with a mace.
Last week on X.com — Elon Musk’s everything app — Democrats were saying that JD
Vance was lame in high school, and they have pictures to prove it. In contrast, they say, Gavin Newsom was a chad through and through, which they also have pictures to prove.
At the Renaissance fair, there were a lot of guys who looked like JD Vance when he was a teenage nerd, there with their D&D groups. There were also guys who looked like Gavin Newsom when he was a high school baseball player, there with their daughters because they wanted to meet a queen. At the Renaissance fair, unlike on X.com and in Congress, these demographics consort with carefree joy.
The Renaissance fair is a sort of eschatological paradise in this way, like that verse of C. W. McCall’s “Convoy” when the truckers and the hippies team up against the police. The lion lies down with the lamb.
Contact Peter Mikulski at pmikulsk@nd.edu
Freemeown raises army against kitty cat attack
By Joe Rudolph Scene Writer
Beneath a vaulted sky, bruised and swollen with ancient storm clouds, the Earth held its breath, trembling with quiet dread. From the sun-baked marshes of Meowmi, Florida, where shadows clung like whiskers, surged an unstoppable tide. An army of a million ferocious kittens, their fur gleaming with wet silk sheen, eyes blazing emerald fires, was advancing north. Some among them towered nearly three feet tall, sinew coiled beneath velvet coats, claws sharp and silent as winter’s edge. At their head strode Meowpolean Bonapawte, a figure cloaked in menace, his banner a flicker of green and orange lightning, heralding the coming of the Iron Claw, a kitten supreme world order bent on reshaping the very soul of this nation.
Their advance was a creeping cataclysm. Ancient cities crumbled beneath velvet paws. The delicate fabric of tradition unraveled like fragile parchment. The land’s sacred beauty was crushed beneath a million tiny paws, each step a whispered doom. Yet far to the north, in South Bend, rose a lone sentinel. Notre Dame and its Golden Dome pierced the twilight like a shard of dawn’s first light, a fortress not merely of stone, but of unyielding faith, courage and honor.
Here stood Meowcus Freemeown, the true defender of Notre Dame. His gaze burned steady and fierce, an unshakable flame against the gathering shadow. He bore no crown but the weight of virtue, no scepter but a sword of unwavering faith. For
weeks he had forged his faithful, not merely in body but in soul, through relentless trials beneath frostbitten skies, pushing them beyond limits, shaping them into warriors of spirit and steel.
“This battle demands more than strength,” he told them, voice low as mountain winds. “It calls for hearts forged in the fires of faith and courage, wills unbroken by the darkest shadow.”
Fear trembled in the eyes of his soldiers. A young voice faltered, “They say Empurror Meowpolean boasts of his past as a convict, and that his fury is aimed at us because we are Catholics. How can we stand against such wrath?”
Meowcus’s gaze softened but did not waver. “Let him boast,” he said. “Our Catholic faith is no chain but a fortress. It is the sacred flame that no darkness can
quench, the shield no claw can rend. The Iron Claw may come with a million kitty cats, some reaching nearly three feet tall, but they cannot touch the soul forged by truth and grace.”
Tears glistened, shining in the gathering gloom. Another whispered, voice cracked, “But what if we fall? What if the night swallows us whole?”
Meowcus stepped forward, voice rising with thunderous calm, a mountain wind stirring the frozen air, “We fight not because victory is certain, but because surrender is the death of all that is sacred. We stand for the Catholic faith that has carried us through storms older than memory. We stand for the honor etched deep into Notre Dame’s heart, the beacon of courage when hope fades, justice when cruelty reigns, grace when
darkness threatens. Should defeat come, let it find us unbroken, unbowed, eternal.”
One of the youngest soldiers spoke from the back. “Coach… are you afraid?”
Meowcus smiled faintly. “Afraid? Fear is not the master here. We choose what to do with it. I choose to stand.”
A murmur stirred, fierce and resolute. Throughout the crowd, a voice rang clear: “Truly, Meowcus is the rightful king of the Fighting Irish!”
Many wept openly then, tears not born of despair but of fierce hope and unyielding will.
On the eve before battle, beneath the luminous dome that caught the last dying light like a sacred promise, Meowcus gathered his faithful. His voice rang out, a hymn of defiance and sacred purpose:
“Tomorrow, the Iron Claw will thunder upon these fields. They will strike as a relentless tide of silent paws bent on crushing all we cherish. They seek to erase truth, honor and beauty itself. Indeed, they have taken so much from our land already. Its beauty. Its tradition. But I tell you now: They will not take Notre Dame!”
“For they will find the fortress of faith, the rampart of courage and the grace that will never be broken. We will not fall into the paws of tyranny! Notre Dame is not merely a place. It is the living heart of our Catholic faith made manifest. To defend it is to stand for all that is true and good and beautiful in a world grown ever darker.”
“Steel yourselves. Stand as one. When the storm breaks, when the million kitty cats come, remember this: here, the Iron Claw will meet their reckoning.”
His words echoed through the chill night air. Some fell to their knees, tears streaming, as hope blazed fierce and eternal.
When dawn spilled molten gold over frost-hardened earth, the storm arrived. Emerald eyes burned with merciless hunger as a million paws swept forward under Meowpolean’s silent command, terrible as a gathering tempest. But across that field stood Meowcus Freemeown, undaunted, unyielding. For he stood as the blazing beacon who would sooner perish than see his faith, his family or Notre Dame surrender.
And with that, the Notre Dame faithful tightened their lines, gripped their weapons and prepared to meet the flood.
Contact Joe Rudolph at jrudolp3@nd.edu
ISABELLE RUTLAND | The Observer
HUMOR
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Luke Scholler Junior Dillon Hall
“18.”
Caroline Henige Sophomore Lyons Hall “15.”
What is your favorite location on campus?
Layden Almer Sophomore Lyons Hall “19.”
Jack Bertram Freshman Stanford Hall “18.”
Kathryn Sweeney Sophomore Lyons Hall
“15.”
SOCIAL MEDIA POLL
Have an idea for a poll? Email dstangel@nd.edu
How many classes did you have on FDOC?
A recent poll conducted by The Observer had a response of 160 individuals conducted via Instagram. Looking at the number of classes students had on their first days, the results showed that a majority of people, 37%, had three classes. With 26.9% of students having four or more classes and 25% of students having two classes. As a majority of students have many classes to kick their weeks off, a surprisingly large percentage, 11.3%, students only had one class on Monday. Classes this year started a day earlier on Monday, instead of Tuesday.
THE NEXT FIVE DAYS
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Wednesday
Bite-Sized Art: Osborne Edition Raclin Murphy Museum of Art Noon - 12:15 p.m.
Thursday
“Sinners” Film
Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
7 p.m. - 9:20 p.m.
Friday
Flick on the Field: “Rudy” Notre Dame Stadium
9 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Saturday
Gallery Stroll: Shakespeare with Peter Holland Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Sunday
Notre Dame Women’s Soccer vs. Oakland Alumni Stadium
6 p.m.
PHOTO
MARIELLA TADDONIO The Observer
The Saint Mary’s College Student Activities Board hosted their annual Belle’s Bash on Sunday, Aug. 24. The event was held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Le Mans green. The Board invited all students to the event by welcoming new students and returning students to campus with participatory social activities, food and games.
Faith, fire and football: Notre Dame–Miami rivalry
By Ryan Eastland Sports Writer
When the college football world thinks of the historic rivalry between Miami and Notre Dame, one phrase comes to mind: “Catholics vs. Convicts.” The famous phrase traces its roots back to South Quad residents Pat Walsh (Dillon) and Joe Fredrick (Alumni) who illegally produced and distributed the infamous Catholics vs. Convicts t-shirt for the 1988 game between the two schools. The phrase, which eventually became the title of an ESPN “30 for 30” chronicling the game and its background, came to fruition after Miami’s football roster saw publicized legal trouble and multiple player arrests in the 1980s. While the derogatory shirt is certainly what comes to mind when anyone thinks about the matchup, there is so much more to this rivalry than just “Catholics vs. Convicts.”
In terms of history, the rivalry started in 1955 with an Irish victory, quickly evened out by a Hurricane victory in 1960. The following matchup in 1965 saw a boring game that ended in a 0–0 tie, the only tie in the 29-game
all-time series. The next 11 matchups resulted in Notre Dame victories. In fact, from 1971–1980, Notre Dame beat Miami 10 years in a row, one of which was a bowl game that took place in Tokyo, Japan. Yes, surprising to most, this matchup was played in Japan for the Mirage Bowl. The Irish won this round 40–15, with captain Dave Waymer returning two interceptions for touchdowns.
While there is some history before the 1980s, the rivalry we all know and love didn’t start to heat up until Miami won their first national championship in 1983. Two years later, the Hurricanes embarrassed the Irish in Miami, beating them by 51 points, the largest margin of victory in the series. Under head coach Jimmy Johnson, the Hurricanes rose to college football prominence, with some of those Miami teams among the best ever. While the title of “Convicts” was bestowed, somewhat unjustly, upon Miami, don’t let that taint the electric and dominant teams that Miami had.
That 1985 game marked Gerry Faust’s last as Notre Dame coach, with Lou Holtz
brought in to reinvigorate the sputtering Irish program. Holtz’s arrival is when the rivalry entered full swing. These teams hated each other, and so did the Holtz and Johnson. The clash of cultures along with two great programs only raised the stakes for many of the matchups. In 1987, Miami once again embarrassed the Irish in Miami with a 24–0 victory. But the most prominent of all the games between these two storied programs was the 1988 game, played in Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 15. The game featured two undefeated teams in a matchup that ultimately decided the national champion. During warmups, the two teams broke out into a heated fight. In fact this pregame brawl — in the tunnel — is one of the main reasons that Notre Dame now has a separate away tunnel in the northeast corner of Notre Dame Stadium. After the fight, Lou Holtz gave a legendary quote in his pregame speech to the team: “If you want to fight after the game, go ahead, but you save Jimmy Johnson’s ass for me.” The Irish would go on to win this game by one point, the biggest and most
remembered test on their way to a perfect 12–0 national championship season.
Recently, the rivalry has not been as animated. In 2010, 2012 and 2016, poor Miami teams made the matchup low stakes. In 2010, the Irish saw a familiar face, Al Golden, coaching the Hurricanes in the Sun Bowl. In 2012, the game was played at Soldier Field as part of the Shamrock Series, and in 2016 at South Bend, both teams were underwhelming. The Irish won all three matchups, although they later vacated the 2012 win. But in 2017, the No. 3 Irish went to Hard Rock Stadium and met the No. 7 Hurricanes. The famous Miami turnover chain was featured many times as both Brandon Wimbush and Ian Book threw picks. The Irish were once again crushed by the Hurricanes in Florida. It also shattered any hopes of Notre Dame making the College Football Playoff.
This history brings us to today. Miami will be the host and Carson Beck will be rocking new threads for the Hurricanes. The experienced transfer QB is leading a strong Miami team into a new season. On the other side
of the field, Notre Dame has quite the opposite predicament. Redshirt freshman QB CJ Carr will be starting for the first time in a hostile environment that has proved troublesome for Irish QBs in the past.
The hype for this game is real. It is a top-10 matchup between historic rivals. Notre Dame is favored and is bringing back plenty of talent, but history tells us that the Irish struggle on the road against Miami. In fact, the Irish haven’t beat the Hurricanes on the road since 1977, and the Irish have never won against Miami in Hard Rock Stadium. This primetime matchup under the lights in Miami Gardens could be anyone’s game. Will a strong ND defense stifle Carson Beck’s debut? Or will a new Irish quarterback crumble in his first collegiate start? Only time will tell, but no doubt the nation’s eyes will be on this historic rivalry. Sunday, Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m., Catholics vs. Convicts, Notre Dame vs. Miami under the lights, a historic and fierce rivalry renewed Contact Ryan Eastland at reastlan@nd.edu
Saint Mary’s soccer prepares for a new season
By Claire Watson Associate Sports Editor
As they prepare for their upcoming 2025–26 season, the Saint Mary’s soccer team welcomes back returners and numerous newcomers under head coach Farkhod Kurbonov who is now entering his fourth season with the Belles.
Last year, the record wasn’t where the team had hoped, but the Belles still accomplished a feat the program had long been searching for. The team finished the season going 7–9–1 overall, 2–5–1 in conference, 5–2–1 at home and 2–7 on the road. Despite this record, the Belles placed high enough in the conference to head to the MIAA tournament for the first time since 2008. There, Trine University outplayed the Belles, knocking them out of the tournament in the first round.
The team this year will be welcoming back a number of different players that were significant to the success a year ago. On defense, sophomore Isabella Kreydich returns to solidify the back line. Kreydich finished her freshman season having competed in all 17 games,
scoring two goals, recording 16 shots and eight shots on goal. Kreydich’s classmate, sophomore defender Danielle Escobedo also returns to the field for the Belles. Escobedo also competed in all 17 of the games, tallying one goal, two assists, five shots and eight shots on goal. Escobedo also was named MIAA Defensive player of the week in midSeptember 2024.
Junior midfielder Claire Keely comes back after a strong showing last season after competing in 16 of the 17 season games and starting in 12 of them. Keely finished her sophomore year with one assist, three shots and two shots on goal. In addition to this, Keely was named to the CSC Academic All-District team.
Senior defender Izzy Sherman also returns for her fourth season with the Belles. In this past season, Sherman played in all 17 games having a total of 13 shots and eight shots on goal. Senior midfielder Grace Reyda joins Sherman on the field this year. Reyda competed in 15 out of 17 games this past season finishing with one assist, 12 shots and four shots on goal.
With a strong base going into the new year, the Belles get ready to kick off their season on Aug. 29 with an away
game against Franklin at 7 p.m. before returning home to face off against Governors State at 3 p.m. on Aug. 31 for their home opener.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
SOFIA CRIMIVARIOLI THE OBSERVER
Grace Barresi dribbles up field for Saint Mary’s in a 3-2 loss against Adrian. After a 7-9-1 campaign a year ago that resulted in a postseason birht for the first time since 2008, the Belles look to improve as they start 2025.
Five things to know from Freeman’s presser
By Tyler Reidy Associate Sports Editor
On Tuesday afternoon, Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman took to the podium for his first game-week press conference of the 2025 season. The Irish are set to open the campaign on Sunday night at Miami. Here are five key takeaways from Freeman’s presser.
Jordan Botelho is back
Add another storyline to Sunday night – the potential return of Jordan Botelho. The graduate defensive end, who missed all but three games last year with a torn patellar tendon, suffered a torn pectoral muscle in May. He was expected to miss four months, but he’ll be available for the Miami game.
“The work he’s put in to himself in a position physically and mentally to help this football team shows you his commitment to this football team – to putting in the work to help this team,” Freeman said.
Freeman, who has coached Botelho since he was his defensive coordinator four years ago, said that Botelho’s recovery is a testament to his maturity.
“I remember in 2021 meeting with Jordan, and he was a talented young person at that time but wasn’t a complete football player [and] person yet,” Freeman recalled. “The maturity that he has truly displayed in these four years has been tremendous, and part of maturity is how you respond to negative things.”
Botelho enters the 2025 season with 11.5 career sacks.
The starting quarterback decision has gone over well
Early last week, Notre Dame announced sophomore CJ Carr as its starting
quarterback. The positional battle between him and junior Kenny Minchey lasted longer than expected, with both practicing at a high level.
“CJ and Kenny both improved in training camp, and that’s what you want out of a competition,” Freeman said. “You want both guys to find ways to elevate, and I believe they both did, and I had to make a difficult decision.”
For the program to be in the best position possible, both quarterbacks must recognize that the starting decision isn’t the end of the story.
“As I told both of them, we’re gonna need both of them this year … they both have to be mature enough to handle that decision and understand they’re chasing their full potential no matter if you’re named the starting quarterback or you’re the backup quarterback,” Freeman described. “You have to continue to work –that’s not the ultimate goal is to be named starter – it’s to be the best version of you, and both of them have gone to work.”
As expected, the decision has solidified Notre Dame’s practice and preparation. Carr is now more comfortable and confident in his role, and his teammates can build their play around him.
“When you’re in a competition with somebody, there’s a little hesitation to truly just lead as the quarterback should lead and be the leader of that offense,” Freeman said. “Both of them have done it in fall camp, but I think now there’s direction, right? There is no confusion on who’s gonna be the quarterback to start game one, and so you’re gonna see that chemistry continue to build.”
Meanwhile, Minchey has taken the news exactly how Freeman anticipated he would.
“He was disappointed, but I knew after a day or so he was gonna use it to make him a better version of Kenny, and that’s what I’ve seen,” Freeman said. “He’s come out and he’s practiced – he’s prepared in a way that you’d expect Kenny Minchey to do, and that’s a sign of maturity … You can use this as a motivator – you can use multiple different things as a motivator – to put the work in, but he will be ready if his number is called, and I knew that when I made this decision.”
Carr won’t be asked to carry the team
Though many Irish fans may see near-flawless play from Carr as requisite for a 2-0 start against Miami and Texas A&M, that just can’t be expected from him in his first career start. In what will be an extremely challenging environment at Hard Rock Stadium, Freeman aims to simplify Carr’s expectations and aggressiveness.
“Every play can’t be a touchdown, every play can’t be a bomb,” Freeman pointed out. “Trust the game plan, trust what you see, be who you are, and win this play … Be the best version of CJ Carr. Make those guys around you better. That’s something that he does really well. He raises the play of those guys around him through his words, through his actions [and] through his competitive spirit.”
Of course, other factors on the field can help to take the load off of Carr.
“We have to understand that we can’t expect CJ to be perfect,” Freeman said. “We’ve gotta protect him in the pass game in terms of our O-line but also protect him in the decisions we have him make. We can’t put too much on his plate … We’ve gotta be able to run the ball – that’s
something that we know we have to be able to do – and defensively, we’ve gotta be able to help our quarterback. We’ve gotta get takeaways. We’ve gotta be really good on defense and make sure this isn’t a shootout.”
Notre Dame will be tested in the trenches
When Freeman began to speak on Miami during his opening statement, he jumped right to their talent at the line of scrimmage.
“As I’ve watched them, they’re probably developed a little bit like I view our teams in terms of being O-line [and] D-line driven,” Freeman said.
On the offensive line, the Hurricanes return four players who started for the team last year, the only exception being experienced TCU transfer James Brockermeyer at center. Defensively, Miami has lots of depth on the line, with defensive ends Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. catching the eye of Freeman. The two of them combined for nine sacks last year.
Winning the trenches will be key for the Irish, who enter Sunday with a severe experience disadvantage at quarterback. While Carr makes his first career start, two-year Georgia Bulldog starter Carson Beck gets the nod for Miami.
“[He’s] experienced, talented, has played in [as] big games as anybody we’ll see, any quarterback in the country,” Freeman said of Beck.
“We obviously evaluated him tremendously last year as we got ready for Georgia, and he is an extremely good quarterback and makes good decisions, fast decisions, and so I won’t foresee [Miami] taking a step back offensively.”
The Irish defensive line will be ready
To counter Miami’s strength
on the offensive line, Notre Dame wields a defensive line full of high-potential, but largely unproven, talent. Interestingly, sophomore Bryce Young is listed as a defensive end starter on the team’s initial depth chart, giving him an immediate chance to build on an attention-capturing freshman season.
“Physically, he’s gotten bigger. He’s a big man,” Freeman said of Young. “What you’ve seen from him over training camp is really handling his weight and using it in the right way of being a powerful football player, not just an edge rusher. He’s now really enhanced his game to be a complete defensive end in the run and the pass game and so he’s getting better, and he’s a guy that came in as a freshman and was really freaking good, and he’s continuously getting better.”
Regarding defensive tackle, Freeman admitted that the position was his largest question mark beginning the summer. However, he feels much more convictive now about his pool of players, beginning with junior captain Donovan Hinish, the younger brother of former Irish defensive stalwart Kurt Hinish.
“I told him, wearing number 41, he’s got big shoes to fill because of his brother, and I came in when his brother was here, and I had one year with Kurt,” Freeman recalled. “Don’t tell Kurt I said this, but Donnie’s making me forget about the older 41, which is what Kurt would want, right?”
“I speak with a lot of confidence when I talk about that defensive tackle group,” Freeman said. “I think we’re gonna see some big things out of them.”
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Saint Mary’s volleyball look for a successful season
By Claire Watson Associate Sports Editor
The Saint Mary’s volleyball team will enter its 11th season under head coach Denise Van De Walle, and the team is looking for a more successful 2025-26 season. Last year, the Belles finished 10-13 overall and 2-6 in conference play, not giving them an avenue to the MIAA tournament. Saint Mary’s went 5-3 at home while going 2-6 during their away games.
This year, they look to improve on that disparity. Following last season, the Belles graduated their sole senior, Cali Allen. Allen was a highly valuable outside hitter, but the Belles welcome five incoming freshmen this year and they welcome back a significant number of returners who heavily impacted the team last year.
Sophomore duo middle and outside hitter Kalli Lewkowski and setter
Giuliana Graczyk will return for the Belles this year. Lewkowski competed in all 80 sets as a freshman, while Graczyk was also a heavy competitor, participating in 65. Lewkowski was a team leader on the court as she led the group with a .302 hitting percentage, while also coming in second with 214 kills on the season, 43 blocks and a season total of 244 points. Graczyk followed her classmate, ranking second on the
team with 308 assists, third in service aces with 16 and fifth in digs with 109.
Senior defensive specialist Karli Fegan will return for the Belles, looking to rule on the court. Fegan led the team during the last season with a team-high of 333 digs while also being named MIAA defensive specialist of the week. Alongside her, senior middle hitter and outside hitter Grace Braselton showed her worth on the court as she finished
last season with 97 kills, 109 points overall and 19 blocks. The team starts off their season with a trip to Sandusky, Ohio to compete in the Cedar Point Invitational starting at 3 p.m. on Aug. 29 against Oberlin and finishing at noon on Aug. 30 against Kenyon before hitting the road to battle Benedictine on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
SMC VOLLEYBALL
Irish men’s soccer prepares to host Oregon State
By Ben Hicks Associate Sports Editor
Notre Dame men’s soccer returns to the pitch Thursday evening to play host to the Oregon State Beavers.
Entering play at 0-02, the Irish ended both of their first two matches level, but despite the identical results, the value of each match varied significantly.
Eighth-year head coach Chad Riley’s side opened the season with an impressive 1-1 draw in Ann Arbor against rival Michigan. Despite being outshot, Notre Dame hung tough with a 2024 NCAA Tournament team that returned numerous contributors. The Irish followed that result up with a lackluster 0-0 tie in the Alumni Stadium season opener against IU Indy. The Jaguars won just five matches last season, but senior goalkeeper Cameron Maung-Maung turned away all five Notre Dame chances.
Despite being left to rot in the remnants of the onceproud Pac-12 conference, Oregon State men’s soccer remains a prideful program. Having to build a competitive
schedule as an independent for the first time in 2024, the Beavers missed the postseason, but much like the Irish, were a participant in the 2023 College Cup. After being elevated to head coach last offseason, Jarred Brookins guided the Beavers to a 2-0 start to 2025, collecting impressive victories at home over UC Santa Barbara (3-0) and Washington (2-1). Brookins replaced Greg Dalby, a former standout midfielder and assistant coach for the Irish, who left Corvallis to become Air Force’s leader.
Redshirt sophomore defender Iker Carbonell García is the playmaking engine for Oregon State. Despite playing primarily out of the back third, García has assisted on four of the Beavers’ five goals thus far. Sophomore goalkeeper John Nicolson has made three saves on the season, while collecting one clean sheet.
For the Irish, graduate defender Diego Ochoa is the lone goal-scorer, having found the back of the net in the 27th minute of his debut, putting home a nice feed from
sophomore midfielder Ian Shaul. Sophomore netminder Blake Kelly recorded three saves against the Wolverines and four saves against IU Indy.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu ND WOMEN’S SOCCER
Thursday’s contest at Alumni Stadium is set for an 8:30 p.m. first touch as the second leg of a doubleheader in conjunction with the women’s team and its earlier match against Michigan. Streaming for both matches will be available on ACCNX.
Notre Dame women’s soccer welcomes Michigan
By Chris Dailey Sports Writer
The No. 7 Notre Dame women’s soccer team will square off against Michigan in the first leg of the soccer programs’ doubleheader this Thursday at Alumni Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m., with the men’s team following right after at 8:30 p.m. against Oregon State.
The Irish’s star-studded attack, headlined by All-American sophomore Izzy Engle, will be sure to open the night with fireworks. Following a gutsy draw on the road to No. 13 Arkansas, Engle netted a first-half brace against Cincinnati on Thursday night. Her unique blend of speed, technical ability and sheer clinical nature within the final third has sculpted her into becoming one of the country’s premier forwards.
However, Engle is not alone in the forward line. Classmate Ellie Hodsen scored a remarkable goal against Arkansas, taking the ball coast to coast before scoring off of a thunderous shot from outside the box. Hodsen followed it up with yet another strong finish against the Bearcats.
Fellow sophomore Anabelle Chukwu has also begun to heat up early in the year. Chukwu’s header against Cincinnati marked her first goal of the year. With her loaded international
resume, there will surely be plenty more to come from the Canadian senior international.
The Irish are expected to stick with their preferred 3–5–2 formation as they take on the Wolverines. The three star attackers, who typically rotate between those two forward positions, are complemented by the creative midfield of Grace Restovich, Laney Matriano and Chayse Ying. All-ACC defender Leah Klenke has thrived in the wingback position.
Michigan is going to have to take advantage of Notre Dame’s numbers up if they want to rain on the Irish parade. Through the first four games of the season, Michigan are 2–2. They started their season off strong with wins against Villanova and Detroit Mercy by a combined score of 6–1 before falling to both Alabama and Georgia in a southern road trip.
Similarly to the Irish, Michigan are led by a sophomore forward. Elle Ervin has excelled in her starting role for Michigan. Ervin scored in Michigan’s first three games of the year. Those goals are paired with an assist picked up in their opener against Villanova. Ervin will have to step up once again for Michigan against a Notre Dame side that plays just as strong defensively as they do on the attack.
A win against the Wolverines
will put Notre Dame in good position to gradually move towards the No. 2 ranking that they opened the season with, especially if goals galore come as they did against Cincinnati.
Even with their lofty preseason ranking, head coach Nate Norman has emphasized
an underdog mentality. That mindset has certainly translated to fierce play on the pitch through the first three games of the season. Engle, Hodsen and Chukwu’s work rate pressing the bar has become increasingly rare for forwards of such high quality. It’s that identity that
should carry the Irish far, and makes this rivalry game a mustwatch all the more.
Admission for the game is free. The match will be broadcast live on ACCNX.
Contact Chris Dailey at cdailey2@nd.edu
MARIELLA TADDONIO THE OBSERVER
Junior midfielder Morgan Roy looks to beat a Bearcat defender during Notre Dame’s 4-0 victory over Cincinnati at Alumni Stadium on Aug. 21. Roy recorded an assist on sophomore forward Annabelle Chukwu’s 61st-minute goal.
JONATHAN KARR THE OBSERVER
Freshman forward Ren Sylvester possesses the ball in Notre Dame’s 0-0 draw against IU Indy at Alumni Stadium on Aug. 24. The Ann Arbor native, ranked 104th nationally in his class, has appeared in both Irish contests thus far.