Message from the President
Our University’s founder, Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., famously proclaimed in 1842 that Notre Dame would be “a force for good in this country.” As we approach the 175th anniversary of the University’s founding and reflect on the University’s global reach, we can see the ways in which Father Sorin’s vision has extended beyond the political and geographic borders of this nation, as Notre Dame has taken its place among the world’s great Catholic universities.
In March of this year, I led a delegation of University leaders to South America, where we met with leaders from academia, business and government. There we announced the establishment of our sixth Global Gateway campus, in São Paulo, Brazil. Like our other Global Gateways—in London, Dublin, Jerusalem, Beijing, and Rome—this Gateway will serve as a hub for teaching, learning, and research. While we continue to greatly value and nurture our affiliations in Europe and Asia, the compass for Notre Dame now also points south toward Latin America. Over the summer, we held similar meetings as part of a Global Forum in Mexico City.
In addition, the University entered into a historic agreement with the Vatican Library, one of the world’s great repositories for religious and secular knowledge, that will allow for scholarship and joint research endeavors. Many of these initiatives are possible because of our Rome Global Gateway. In Ireland, the University was invited by the Archbishop of Dublin to take on stewardship of the iconic Newman University Church, which will house the new Notre Dame- Newman Center for Faith and Reason. These examples, amid many others of our growing international presence, come at a time when we must all think and act globally, both in terms of advancing human knowledge and serving the wider Church.
The opportunities to expand our reach as the preeminent global Catholic research institution could not occur without the careful stewardship of our resources. We remain rooted in the confidence we have in our financial standing, thanks to a conservative fiscal approach that has allowed us to continue to grow in significant, yet prudent, ways.
The details of the University’s financial state are contained in this report. Ever watchful in the face of challenging economic times and the evolving landscape of higher education, we are filled with hope and enthusiasm about what lies ahead. Thank you for your support and participation in the present and future of Notre Dame.
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President