Welcome Back, Notre Dame! “Hey, aren’t you the guys who make those silly Student Government videos?” Yes, yes we are. But when we decided to graduate from filming themed videos in front of a dimly-lit greenscreen (shameless plug–follow @ndstugov on IG) to leading Student Government, we formulated a three-tiered approach to our leadership philosophy: Listen, Grow and Flourish. And while the year is only getting started, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made. As Mark Twain once said, “If God intended us to talk more than listen, he would’ve given us two mouths and one ear.” Per Twain’s advice, we listened during the early months of our term. We’ve taken what you’ve told us — whether it’s the desire for more fruit in the dining halls to more reliable transportation options off-campus — and we’ve focused our efforts on turning it into action. And while we don’t have the space here to go over all 97 of our initiatives, we highly suggest you check out our Progress Tracker, located on the student government website. Additionally, follow the aforementioned student government Instagram (that’s @ndstugov again for all you article skimmers out there … ) for all the most up-to-date info. Next up, grow. All growth is aimed at the development of the mind and spirit, and our directors have been hard at work this summer crafting events that are focused solely on improving the lives of students who call this place home. Whether it be annual traditions like “Flick on the Field” (hosted Aug. 25), Back the Bend and Walk the Walk Week, or brand new initiatives like Women’s Advocacy Week, International Students Celebration Night and our Local Interfaith Series, we are so excited to share all the wonderfully engaging and beneficial things we have in store for you this year. Lastly, flourish. We believe that every student on this campus can flourish, becoming the compassionate, inspiring and empowering individual God intended you to be. But flourishing isn’t possible without absolute transparency. So whether it be coming to our Coffee Chats, using our (soon-to-be-released) “Let’s Make It Happen Form,” writing us an email or even just stopping by the new office (109 Lafortune), we want to hear from you. Yes, you! By year’s end, our hope is that every student on this campus will be able to point to a multitude of events or initiatives that student government executed to tangibly improve the student experience. Please know it is truly an honor for us to serve you, in any way that we can. While we may have traded out silly videos for Observer articles, our love for Notre Dame and dedication to you remains all the same. If you ever have a question, comment or recommendation, please never hesitate to reach out to Daniel, Aidan or Collette. Our door is always open (109 Lafortune), and we can’t wait for this year to get rolling! Enjoy the year, and welcome back to campus! Go Irish!
Daniel Jung
Student Body President
Aidan Rezner
Student Body Vice President
Collette Doyle
Student Government Chief of Staff
Aug. 16
