For Good: Stories from Notre Dame

Notre Dame students inspire University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., every day. In their curiosity and desire to lead lives of meaning and purpose, Father Dowd sees the heart of Notre Dame’s mission: forming students who seek truth, encounter new perspectives, and put their gifts in service to others.In this episode of For Good, Father Dowd reflects on Notre Dame’s distinctive role as a Catholic research university and how that mission shapes the University’s engagement with the defining issues of our time, while preparing students to help shape what comes next.Join us as Father Dowd reflects on what Notre Dame’s mission asks of the University today—and what it means to carry that mission forward.00:00 — New Academic Year at Notre Dame, with Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.02:50 — Lessons from East Africa04:34 — Becoming a More Global University07:58 — Building Bridges Across Differences09:01 — Lessons from the Presidency12:57 — Why Father Dowd Still Teaches at Notre Dame16:39 — Making Notre Dame More Accessible20:27 — How Notre Dame Is Facing Higher Education’s Challenges21:31 — Keeping the Human at the Center of AI24:04 — College Athletics Landscape: Putting Student-Athletes First25:04 — Holy Cross and Notre Dame’s Mission

In an age of artificial intelligence, rapid change, and global uncertainty, Kenneth Scheve ’90, the I.A. O’Shaughnessy Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, believes the liberal arts are not becoming less relevant—they are becoming more essential. At Notre Dame, he’s building on the University’s tradition of educating both the heart and the mind while preparing students to think deeply, engage new ideas, and lead with purpose.Join us for this episode of For Good as Dean Scheve reflects on the enduring role of Arts and Letters at Notre Dame, the College’s growing commitment to global education and research that serves the common good, and why a liberal arts education remains one of the best foundations for leadership and service in a changing world.0:00 – The story behind O'Shaughnessy Great Hall4:45 – The transformative journey of a Notre Dame student6:38 – Returning to Notre Dame to lead the College of Arts and Letters10:42 – Notre Dame's commitment to the Humanities13:34 – How the Humanities prepare students for lives of purpose17:44 – Why critical thinking matters more than ever in the age of AI21:33 – The importance of global education23:39 – Addressing society's biggest challenges through research28:49 – A hopeful vision for Notre Dame's future

An arts renaissance is unfolding at Notre Dame, and the University is investing in the arts to enrich the student experience and strengthen the bonds between campus and the broader community.In this episode of For Good, Rebecca Struch, Managing Director of the Notre Dame Arts Initiative, reflects on why people turn to the arts in times of uncertainty, how creativity builds community and breaks down barriers, and why Notre Dame's investment in the arts is shaping a new generation of artists, scholars, leaders, and citizens. She also shares her vision for the inaugural Notre Dame Arts Biennial, an ambitious six-month celebration of the arts beginning in January 2027.Please join us for this conversation about the power of the arts to break down barriers, build bridges, and strengthen communities.00:00 — Black box theatre as a metaphor for the arts04:04 — Rebecca’s Journey to Notre Dame09:43 — Why the arts matter during hard times12:52 — Inside Notre Dame's Arts Initiative16:06 — The inaugural Notre Dame Arts Biennial21:37 — Why now is the right time for the arts25:15 — Faith, tradition & creativity28:48 — A renaissance in the arts at Notre Dame31:40 — Breaking down barriers

For Marcus Cole, the Joseph A. Matson Dean of Notre Dame Law School, true success goes far beyond rankings, salaries, or prestige. Instead, it’s found in purpose—the lives our graduates lead, the communities they serve, and the profound good they do in the world.In this episode of For Good, Dean Cole reflects on how Notre Dame is forming lawyers to lead with conviction and compassion. He discusses the growth of the Law School's clinical programs, the launch of the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic, record success in judicial clerkships, and Notre Dame’s increasingly global reach. We invite you to join this thoughtful conversation on leadership, legal education, service, and hope.0:00 — Forming mission-driven lawyers 5:34 — A historic year for Notre Dame Law School10:07 — What it takes to be a Notre Dame Law student13:42 — Why religious liberty is worth fighting for19:49 — How Notre Dame became a clerkship powerhouse22:21 — Seeking justice for the wrongfully convicted25:28 — Why supreme court justices keep coming back to Notre Dame28:03 — A bold vision: tuition-free law school31:06 — The best lawyers must think globally35:30 — Notre Dame Law School is cultivating hope

Kathleen Sprows Cummings brings Catholic history vividly into the present—illuminating not only where the Church has been, but where it may be headed next.In this episode of For Good, Cummings, the John A. O’Brien Collegiate Professor of American Studies and History and inaugural director of Notre Dame’s Global Catholic Research Initiative, reflects on the people and movements that have shaped Catholic life across generations—from the women religious whose work helped build Notre Dame to the growing influence of the global Church today.She also shares timely insight into the election of Pope Leo XIV, the growing role of women’s leadership in the Church, the call for Catholics around the world to listen and discern together, and why Notre Dame is uniquely positioned to become a leading center for the study of global Catholicism.Join us for a fascinating conversation about faith, history, and the evolving role of the Church in a rapidly changing world.0:00 — The hidden history of Visitation Hall at Remick Commons4:05 — A Saint of Our Own, canonization, and the making of Catholic heroes9:04 — From American Catholicism to the global Church12:18 — Notre Dame archives and preserving Catholic history15:15 — The election of the first American pope20:27 — Pope Leo XIV’s first year and the future of the Church23:47 — Pope Leo XIV, politics, and moral leadership27:00 — How the Church is rethinking women’s leadership34:05 — Leading a global Church37:12 — Notre Dame and the future of global Catholicism40:00 — Finding hope in the global Church