Letter from the Board Chair

As the proud father of two Notre Dame graduates and a Notre Dame junior, I have seen firsthand the impact the Academy has had on the lives of so many talented young women. It is now my privilege to serve as the Chair of the Board of Trustees and continue to work with Dr. Judith Dwyer and our accomplished faculty and dedicated staff as we seek to fulfill the mission of Saint Julie.

Speak with anyone who knows Notre Dame and you will hear a recurring theme – praise for our strong academic programs, which challenge every student to reach her potential, and our deep commitment to the faith tradition of the Catholic Church and the legacy of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. This is what makes Notre Dame so unique.

I have been a member of Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees since 2011 and I am continually inspired by what I see. Notre Dame alumnae are contributing and leading in professions around the world, and at the same time sharing Saint Julie’s passion for justice and compassion for the poor to improve the lives of others. I would like to thank our outstanding faculty and staff for all that they do day in and day out to inspire our students to become the compassionate leaders our world so needs today.

Last year, after a comprehensive strategic planning process, the Board approved the Academy’s Strategic Vision 2015-2020: OUR TIME to INSPIRE, and I am excited by the progress we have already made toward the goals set forth in that plan. The Board remains enthusiastically committed to working closely with Dr. Dwyer to further advance those goals and our strategic vision of Notre Dame being recognized as the premier independent Catholic academy for young women in North America.

To that end, the Board of Trustees voted in 2015 to support a comprehensive Campus Master Plan which will provide Notre Dame students with a state-of-the-art learning environment for a superior, 21st century education. It is truly exciting to be part of the Notre Dame community at this transformative time.

I would like to thank our outgoing Board Chair, Mary Ellen Maggitti, for her dedicated service to Notre Dame during the transition to Dr. Dwyer’s presidency and our strategic planning process. Her wisdom and leadership have been invaluable and I am pleased that she will continue as a Trustee for another year. I would also like to welcome D’Arcy Rudnay ’73 P’03’05 as our new Board Vice Chair and Barb Riley ’90 P’19’21’23 as a new member of the Board. Their expertise and passion for Notre Dame

George Van Kula

will serve the Academy well as we work on behalf of the talented young women who are making a lasting impact in communities around the world.

Finally, I would like to thank each and every member of the Notre Dame community who has contributed time, talent or treasure during the last year. The pursuit of our strategic vision is a team effort and we cannot achieve it without your support.

Sincerely,

George Van Kula Chair, Board of Trustees