Alumni Association Launches Notre Dame Military & Veteran Alumni Group
The University of Notre Dame Alumni Association has announced the establishment of the Notre Dame Military & Veteran Alumni (NDMVA) group, bringing together military-connected alumni, their families, and supporters throughout the Notre Dame community.
Inspired by the University’s enduring commitment to “God, Country, Notre Dame,” the group will honor Notre Dame’s military tradition while fostering fellowship, mentorship, and opportunities for service across generations and around the world.
Notre Dame’s history of service to the nation’s armed forces dates back to the Civil War, when Rev. William Corby, C.S.C., served as chaplain to the Irish Brigade. That legacy continued under Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., ’39, who advanced the University’s ROTC programs and supported returning World War II veterans. Today, that commitment remains strong under the leadership of University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., ’87, who previously oversaw Notre Dame’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs and ROTC programs.
“The establishment of this new group is a natural extension of Notre Dame’s enduring values of service, leadership, and community,” said Dolly Duffy ’84, executive director of the Notre Dame Alumni Association. “We are proud to create a dedicated home within the Alumni Association for our military-connected alumni and their families, and we are especially grateful to the Notre Dame Senior Alumni Group, whose vision, dedication, and perseverance helped bring this initiative to life.”
The establishment of NDMVA, which will officially launch on July 1, 2027, represents the culmination of the Veterans Engagement Initiative championed by the Notre Dame Senior Alumni Board in collaboration with the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Alumni Association.
“Our vision has always been to ensure Notre Dame’s military community has a meaningful place within the Alumni Association,” said retired Air Force Lt. Col. Anthony “Tio” Totaro ’81, former Notre Dame Senior Alumni Board member and co-chair of the NDMVA Steering Committee. “We look forward to building a community that honors our shared commitment to service and strengthens the bonds among generations of Notre Dame alumni.”
The group will welcome not only those who have served, are serving, and will serve, but also military families, friends, and members of the wider Notre Dame family who share an appreciation for military service and sacrifice. Through partnerships with local Notre Dame clubs, campus organizations, and fellow alumni groups, NDMVA will extend its reach across the University’s global alumni network.
“Since 1940, more than 15,000 Notre Dame alumni have served in the U.S. military,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Ken Heckel ’96, the Sergeant John F. Crowley Director of the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs and co-chair of the NDMVA Steering Committee. “NDMVA offers an extraordinary opportunity to build upon that legacy, bringing together generations of military-connected alumni through meaningful engagement and a shared commitment to service.”
With its establishment, NDMVA begins a new chapter in Notre Dame’s military tradition, honoring generations of service while creating new opportunities for connection across the University’s military community.
As the group takes shape, military-connected alumni are encouraged to visit myNotreDame to review and update their military affiliation and service information. This will help Notre Dame more effectively engage its military community and shape future initiatives that reflect its members’ interests and experiences.