Letter from the Executive Director: December 5, 2025

Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends,

Last weekend, my family and I put up our Christmas tree. Holiday traditions have a way of tapping into my nostalgia, so as we were hanging the lights and ornaments, I found myself revisiting some of my favorite memories. But the one I’ve continued to reflect on over the past few days brings me back to when my brother, John, was still a young boy.

Nine years my junior, John still believed in Santa Claus long after I’d figured it out, and our dad went all out to keep the magic alive for him. I distinctly remember the sound of sleigh bells and a deep “Ho, Ho, Ho!” ringing from the living room, followed by Dad calling for John to race downstairs. “You just missed him!” Dad would say, and point to a new present under the tree. Then the two would rush outside, pointing to the sky as they imagined Santa flying off in his sleigh.

I remember being struck by John’s hope in the magic of the season, something I thought would be lost once he stopped believing in Santa. But now I see it differently. John’s hope in Santa is the same hope we feel during the Advent season as we wait for the birth of Christ. It’s the same hope I hear echoed by members of the Notre Dame family in our daily Advent series, Sacred Stories of Notre Dame—a hope that evolves with us. We’re just a few days in, and I’ve already been so inspired by the incredible stories in this year’s lineup. As always, it is our gift to the Notre Dame family this season, and I hope you will follow along.

All the best,

Dolly Duffy '84
Executive Director
Notre Dame Alumni Association