Letter from the Executive Director: February 12, 2026

Published on February 12, 2026


Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends,

One of the greatest joys of my role is witnessing the many ways our Notre Dame family continues to grow, learn, and explore long after leaving campus. I’ve always believed that a new experience is one of the finest gifts we can receive, and this past week, I was reminded of that in the most spectacular way.

My husband, Dan, and I recently returned from hosting a Traveling Irish journey to Tanzania. While the sights were breathtaking—watching lions in the tall grass, seeing the "Big 5" up close, and witnessing the Great Migration—the true highlight was seeing it all through the eyes of our fellow alumni.

There is something so uniquely Notre Dame about the way we travel. It isn't just about the destination; it’s about the curiosity we bring to the world and the way we support one another in new environments. Witnessing the raw beauty of nature was a powerful reminder that while we all have our daily routines and “bubbles,” the world is vast, diverse, and waiting to be understood.

Whether you are traveling across the globe this year or finding new perspectives right in your own backyard, I hope you feel that same sense of wonder. This community is built on the idea that we never stop being students of the world, and I am so grateful to be on this journey with all of you.

I can’t wait to hear where your own adventures take you next!

Dolly Duffy '84
Executive Director
Notre Dame Alumni Association

 

Other news

The Rev. John J. Cavanaugh, C.S.C., Award - 2025: Thomas Ahearne '81

February 3, 2026
What would you fight for? In recognition of his decades of successfully fighting for the enforcement of constitutional rights, election integrity, and equality, the Notre Dame Alumni Association honors Thomas Ahearne ’81 with the Rev. John J. Cavanaugh, C.S.C., Award.Ahearne admits that he had:No plan to attend Notre Dame: But he landed in South Bend after an alum handed him a stamped, pre-address

The Rev. William Corby, C.S.C., Award - 2011: Lt. Cmdr. Robert L. Miller, Sr. '42, '47 J.D.

February 17, 2026
2011: Lt. Cmdr. Robert L. Miller, Sr. '42, '47 J.D.Established in 1985, the Rev. William Corby, C.S.C., Award is conferred on an alumnus/alumna (living or deceased) who has distinguished himself or herself in military service. The award is presented in honor of Notre Dame's third president, who was a celebrated Civil War chaplain of the Union army's Irish Brigade. The 2011 Rev. William Corby, C.S.