Alumni Association and YoungND Honor 2026 Domer Dozen
The Notre Dame Alumni Association announced its 2026 Domer Dozen cohort, honoring 12 graduates ages 32 and younger for excellence in their contributions in learning, service, faith, and work—the core pillars of the association’s mission.
The Domer Dozen program is the signature initiative of YoungND, the Alumni Association’s young alumni group. The 2026 honorees have excelled in medicine, public & military service, scholarship, the arts, advocacy, and religious life, among other areas.
“Each of the 2026 Domer Dozen honorees has taken a different path since graduating from Notre Dame, but all have found ways to weave the mission of Our Lady’s University into their everyday lives,” said Dolly Duffy ’84, executive director of the Alumni Association. “Through their work, the communities they serve, and the way they show up for the people around them, these incredible young people are living examples of what it looks like to build lives of purpose and meaning.”
The 2026 Domer Dozen honorees are:
Dr. Erik Carlson ’16 — Accompanying seriously ill patients through the most difficult moments of their lives
Richard Clark, Ph.D., ’16 — Driving scholarship on globalization, international finance, and climate change in global institutions
Jennifer Flanagan ’18 — Creating encounters between people who would otherwise never meet
Shannon Gaylord ’17 — Bringing lived experience to a disorder few providers are trained to treat
Andrew Halt ’17 — Bringing technical rigor and creative strategies to civic problem-solving
Adam Henderson ’16 — Litigating for veterans in an area of the law he has long been passionate about
Liz Hynes ’17 — Writing comedy in New York and standing with the writers who make it
Madelyn G. Kennedy ’17 — Offering a soft landing for families in need
Dr. Beverly Kyalwazi ’17 — Expanding equitable access to liver transplantation and care
Brandon Ruggles ’17 — A people-first leader building strong teams and developing future leaders
Rev. Brian Vetter, C.S.C., ’17, ’23 M.Div., ’25 M.Ed. — Building relationships with young people in the classroom and helping them know the love of Christ
Lt. Thomas Yaeger Jr. ’18 — Committing to service that extends well beyond a career in uniform
For their complete bios and to learn more about the 2026 Domer Dozen, visit domerdozen.nd.edu.