Notre Dame College of Arts & Letters

09/08/2026

Operation Midway Blitz was getting underway.

Hundreds of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were being deployed in the Chicago region, apprehending thousands of people. In response, protests were planned, lawsuits filed, and journalists sent to downtown streets, family apartments, and courthouses to ensure nothing happened in the dark.

Two of those reporters were Notre Dame’s Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics, and Democracy (Notre Dame Journalism) alumnae Adriana Pérez ’22 and Madeline Buckley ’11. As part of the Chicago Tribune’s staff of over 70 reporters, they were awarded a Pulitzer Prize for their work — the highest award in journalism.

“I’m sure it’s pretty cool to get a Pulitzer by yourself,” Pérez said. “But it’s so beautiful to share something so big with others.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/46c8hZg

Adriana Pérez (right) interviews over video call an immigrant whose…

09/03/2026

When Paul Popiel arrived at the University of Notre Dame in 1993 for his master’s degree, working with the University of Notre Dame Band of the Fighting Irish set the tone for his entire career.

Now, after leading the School of Music at the University of Kansas, he’s back home in South Bend as the new Kenn and Pamela Ricci Director of Bands.

From building a 350-student family during tryout week to preparing for kickoff at Lambeau Field this upcoming Sunday, Popiel is excited to guide the next generation of Irish musicians.

“I feel like the band always wins,” he said. “If we support the team, we entertain the crowd, and we represent the University well, it’s a good day. And I'm looking forward to doing that several times this fall.”

Paul Popiel, who became the Kenn and Pamela Ricci Director of Bands at the University of Notre Dame in July. Photo by Jon L. Hendricks…

08/27/2026

When Lipe Fernandes considered his education after high school, he wanted something more than career prep.

He wanted the whole college experience — something that would develop him as a person, not just his resume.

His appetite for something more drove him to leave his home country of Brazil to study in the U.S., and it’s why he’s glad he picked the Program of Liberal Studies at Notre Dame.

“I found something where I can cultivate both an intellectual life and a practical life,” he said.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4gQ7Utq

Lipe Fernandes …

08/25/2026

we're so back ☘️🤍📚

07/29/2026

Gilberto Cárdenas, professor emeritus of sociology and founding director of the Institute of Latino Studies (ILS) at the University of Notre Dame, died Sunday, July 26. He was 79.

For more than five decades, Cárdenas devoted his life to expanding educational opportunity, advancing scholarship, and supporting artists and their work. He worked to ensure that future generations of artists, scholars, and community leaders would recognize the richness and importance of Latino history, culture, and the institutions that reflected them.

"From our first meeting — and for years to come — he has been a generous colleague, devoted friend, and staunch advocate for Latino studies,” said Jason Ruiz, professor of American studies and director of ILS. “The marks he made on the institute and, more broadly, in the field, are difficult to put into words, but he will be profoundly missed.”

Gilberto Cárdenas, professor emeritus of sociology and founding director of the Institute of Latino Studies (ILS) at the University of Notre Dame, ...

07/04/2026

Happy 250 years, USA!

07/03/2026

What is America?

It's a question the Founding Fathers started answering 250 years ago, and one we're still working on today, especially in the Department of American Studies.

With experts in art and architecture, African American novels and Latino films, the natural environment and the urban landscape, American studies at Notre Dame is dedicated to finding out what makes America tick — what divides us and what brings us together.

Learn more at americanstudies.nd.edu

06/23/2026

Since he first encountered the Holy Cross community as an undergraduate at Notre Dame, Rev. Stephen M. Koeth, C.S.C., ’99, has worked hard toward the life he has now.

As a priest, he’s a ministerial presence — leading Mass, hearing confessions, and being a spiritual resource for students. As an assistant professor in the Department of History, he teaches and researches urban and religious history in 20th-century America.

It’s an opportunity for Koeth to continue delving into his passions for history and his faith — using both to elevate each other.

“When I came to Notre Dame and met the Holy Cross community, it clicked that both of these things that were attractive to me — ministry and academia — weren’t opposites,” Koeth said. “I didn’t have to pick one or the other. That’s why I joined the congregation — because it proposed a life where I could be a priest-scholar.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3QtWX6y

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06/21/2026

To the designated luggage luggers in our lives, happy Father’s Day! 🫶

06/18/2026

A team of four Notre Dame undergraduate students won the national competition America’s Startup with their pitch for a data security company.

America’s Startup is a collegiate competition created to highlight and support young entrepreneurs. Student teams submitted their startup ideas earlier this year, and the selected semifinalists were invited to Draper University in California for the final competition. They pitched their ideas to and networked with America’s Startup Investor Council, a group of prominent Silicon Valley business leaders and investors.

“It felt great to see our hard work pay off after putting so much time and effort into this company,” said team member Peter Bae, a computer science and economics major. “We are extremely grateful for the publicity and the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, influential investors, and mentors.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/4exlDTP

From left to right, student entrepreneurs Peter Bae, Lucky…