This past weekend I attended the Notre Dame vs. Georgia football game. While I wished for a better outcome for the game, I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience on the Georgia campus. I had just exited the parking garage and was looking at a map of the campus when I was approached and asked if I needed assistance. I turned around to be greeted by an alumnus of the University of Georgia. They introduced themselves and proceeded to explain they were one of the “Silver Dawgs” inspired by how the Georgia fans had been treated two years earlier when they had attended the previous Notre Dame-Georgia football game. Notre Dame had treated the Georgia fans as guests of the University rather merely as “the opponent.” The Georgia fans were so impressed that they started a program similar to Notre Dame’s starting with their 2018 home games. All day long my sister and I were greeted with a friendly hello and a smile. Even after the game, we were treated well. This article discusses the program at Georgia. I wonder if the simple act of kindness and courtesy towards guests of the University on other football weekends has inspired them to enact similar programs on other campuses.
Joe Szedula
class of 1980
Sept. 25