Letter from the Executive Director: September 11, 2026
Published on September 11, 2026
Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends,
A few weeks before the world lost Dolly Parton, someone—I don’t know who—left a fabulous sticker on my desk that read “Dolly Vibes Only,” a message that means something a bit different to me now. Though we share a name, Dolly was a singular talent. She knew exactly who she was and, through her art and her actions, taught us all a little more about the human condition. If anyone had good vibes, it was Dolly Parton.
As far as I know, Dolly had no connection to Notre Dame. Then again, in an increasingly polarized world, she didn’t belong to just one audience. Here was an American icon whose kindness, humility, and unwavering faith spoke volumes—perhaps far more than the glamour and rhinestones. She was proof that genius doesn’t look a certain way, and personal success doesn’t mean leaving others behind. After she founded the Dollywood Foundation to improve educational outcomes in Sevier County, Tenn., the high school dropout rate fell from 35 percent to 6 percent. I’m sure more than a few students on our campus today were once beneficiaries of Dolly’s Imagination Library, which provided more than 332 million books to children during her lifetime. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
In her memoir, Dolly wrote, “When someone shows you their true colors, believe them.” Dolly’s true colors were bold and bright and accented with glitter, and she left the world a shinier place for it. I think there’s a lesson there for all of us: ability, joy, and goodwill can go hand in hand. In fact, I think there’s no better recipe for becoming a force for good.
All the best,
Dolly Duffy '84
Executive Director
Notre Dame Alumni Association