Since 1981, the Pasquerilla East (PE) Pyros have relished in a creating a vibrant community, helping students grow in faith and dedicating themselves service. Throughout the years, these women have bonded through spiritual retreats, athletics and daily class work.
Pasquerilla East was the first dorm constructed with the intention of housing women. Initially the Pink Elephants, the residents of PE changed their mascot after the development of their flag football team. They chose red and black as their colors to stand out from the other dorms, thus becoming the Pyros.
Junior Alexa Bradley, president of Pasquerilla East, said she is constantly impressed with the strong sisterhood she sees among residents.
“The community is overall welcoming and we have similar lifestyles,” Bradley said. “We do work together and hang out together.”
Junior Jackie Weinrich, vice president of PE, said she appreciates the work that all residents, and especially the RAs, have done in encouraging community, creating fun events and providing sweet desserts.
“We like to work hard, play hard, if you will,” Weinrich said.
Bradley also said that PE’s weekly hall council meeting brings residents together.
“We always have substantial participation and attendance at hall council and people want to be commissioners every semester,” Bradley said. “Every meeting is pretty full and we always have snacks and fun activities.”
One of PE’s signature events is Silent Night Silent Auction, an annual Christmastime celebration that encourages participation from students, but also professors and their families. Pasquerilla East donates the money raised from the auction and all of its other fundraising events to Hannah’s House, a charity for moms, expectant mothers and children.
“This year we’re trying to get in more contact with the women and children and increase the bond with them,” Bradley said.
One of hall council's goals for the year was to increase dorm involvement by freshmen, Bradley said.
“This was important so we tried to make the things that we did more fun,” Bradley said. “We wanted the upperclassmen to be excited for everything so that our freshmen would also be more excited. We’ve had a great response from freshmen this year.”
Additionally, PE’s hall council is working on a new signature event to be revealed later this spring and is building stronger connections with weekly service opportunities.
Both Bradley and Weinrich said that PE’s athletics are important to the identity of the dorm and are an easy way to get residents connected with the dorm community.
“We have a strong flag football team, great dorm sports and a lot of spirit in PE,” Weinrich said. “People are always willing to get involved. Community is part of our tradition.”
PE also boasts a strong spiritual life and a well-designed spiritual, reflective and meditative retreat every year, Bradley said.
“It’s quiet time alone but you also get to be in community with others,” Bradley said. “There’s a lot of spiritual life in the dorm and we are welcoming to all faiths.”
Weinrich said she believes that PE stands out among other Notre Dame dorms because of a sense of belonging among residents.
“I wanted to give back a little more as vice president,” Weinrich said. “We’re the hottest dorm on campus and we have a strong community. It’s so easy to make a connection to the people I’ve met in PE and to feel at home.”
