Dear Students, I extend a warm welcome to all Notre Dame students. Whether you are arriving on campus for the first time or returning after a summer away, we are very glad you are part of the Notre Dame community. As we celebrate the University’s 175th anniversary and open the academic year, I invite you to attend a special campus-wide Mass on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 11:30 a.m. in front of Bond Hall. Please join me on this important occasion to gather as a community, welcome new members and ask God’s blessing on our endeavors in the coming year. Following Mass, there will be a picnic on South Quad, where live music and other activities are planned. All are welcome. We will be joined at Mass by Notre Dame Trail pilgrims who walked all or part of the 300 miles that Rev. Edward F. Sorin, C.S.C., and his fellow religious trekked in 1842 from Vincennes, Indiana, to found the University of Notre Dame. I welcome you to join the pilgrims as we walk the final three miles of the Trail to campus that morning. We will meet at South Bend’s Howard Park at 8:30 a.m. for a blessing before we begin. You can find more information and register for the Trail at trail.nd.edu. The University of Notre Dame’s mission is distinctive. We strive to offer an undergraduate education of the whole person - mind, body and spirit - that is second to none. We cultivate scholarly excellence, and we advance human understanding through top-tier research and post-baccalaureate programs. In all that we do, we ensure that the Catholic identity of Notre Dame informs our efforts. As you know, the University has a rich history. Generations of Notre Dame graduates have been shaped by their experiences here, and they, in turn, have left their mark on the University. We invite you to do the same, to be part of Notre Dame’s present as well as its future. Individually and collectively, you have tremendous talents and gifts to share. At a time when the world’s need for compassionate and creative leaders is great, I hope you will take every day, every place on this campus and every conversation with those you encounter here as an opportunity to engage, learn and grow. You are Notre Dame, and we are better because you are here. Once again, welcome. I wish you every grace and blessing, and my prayers are with you. In Notre Dame,
Fr. John Jenkins University President Aug. 16