STUDENTS PREPARE TO pave the way
PAGE 3
ND ROBOTICS celebrate 20 years
PAGE 5
ND GLOBAL EDUCATION around the world
PAGE 7
Notre Dame San Jose affirms its place as the
Mass of Commissioning 2024
A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Welcome!
Dear Notre Dame community,
We are fortunate to begin the 2024-2025 academic year with great vigor! Students are thriving in classrooms, we are investing in new community partnerships and we are proactively advancing San Jose, one student at a time. We look forward to a record-breaking Women of Impact fundraiser, a notable ND Reads and a celebratory 30 th Woman's Place Project! Each evidence our flourishing community.
As we celebrate the fruits of our labor, it’s equally imperative to acknowledge the challenges among us. We live and serve in a world of astonishing beauty and intricate complexities. What I know to be certain in this state of unpredictability, is that God is immovable.
I appreciate that scripture in Proverbs 3:5 reminds us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Amidst uncertainty, let's continue to cling to Him and equip ourselves in the process. Recognizing growth often comes from discomfort and adversity; now is the time to pursue meaningful dialogue and civic engagement.
Notre Dame is the Center for Women’s Leadership in Silicon Valley. As a conscientious community of learners, Notre Dame students actively engage in rich discussions with faculty and staff, equipped with robust Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training. We will continue to stay informed, be wellread and mindful of our Hallmarks which enable us to become empathetic leaders in society.
HEAD OF SCHOOL’S
Fall Reading List
(Suggested reading for our literary enthusiasts!)
ND READS BOOK SELECTION Everything She Touched: The Life of Ruth Asawa by Marilyn Chase
Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Good Enough by Kate Bowler
How Children Succeed by Paul Tough
Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond
Under Pressure by Lisa Damour
During our beautiful Mass of Commissioning this year, we elevated two relevant themes: joy and justice. As you continue to support Notre Dame in our 173 rd year, thank you for elevating both along with us. Let us forge forward with a renewed commitment to peace. Let’s choose unity over division and love over differences.
Wishing your family a blessed fall. As always, be kind. Choose joy. And remember: God is good.
In Notre Dame,
ASHLEY RAE MATHIS, HEAD OF SCHOOL
2024-25 Board of Directors
Kathy Almazol
FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, SJ DIOCESE
Katie Colin EXEC. DIRECTOR, US EAST-WEST PROVINCE SNDDEN
Darhil Crooks DIRECTOR, APPLE
Sister Terry Davis
SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR
Nancy Erba (chair) CFO, INFINERA CORPORATION
Mark French PARTNER, KPMG
Kristy Gannon CEO, FLUXX LABS
Selina Garrison FORMER DIRECTOR, INTUIT
Jennifer Hall FORMER HR EXECUTIVE, INTUITIVE SURGICAL
Greg Hanson EXECUTIVE & ADVISOR, MARKETPLACE COMMERCE
Jenny Hsia '99 PRINCIPAL, ARC PACIFIC CONSTRUCTION & ARCHITECTURE
Lisa Quintero '91 Jensen SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, CRAWFORD GROUP
Sister Kathryn Keenan SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR
Rose Que '82 Lue VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY LEADER
Ruth Ann McNees COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, ATTORNEY
Laura Murphy COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, ATTORNEY
Alex Nguyen '94 ATTORNEY, BERLINER COHEN LLP
Anisha Patel '16 ANALYST, CISCO
Rose Pierro '63 Simmons FORMER OPERATIONS OFFICER, HEALTH CARE
Eileen Tanghal FOUNDER & GENERAL PARTNER, BLACK OPAL VENTURES
Melinda K. Postle '88 Thompson GENERAL COUNSEL, MIRO
A vibrant new academic year for ND
The first day of the 24-25 school year buzzed with excitement and anticipation as Notre Dame welcomed back the Basilisks, Stingrays and Ravens, and greeted the Class of 2028.
Our Notre Dame community gathered in Julie Billiart Hall for an assembly hosted by the 2024-2025 Associated Student Body school council. Head of School Ashley Rae Mathis addressed the student body with her hopes and aspirations for the school year: “Continue to center yourselves in the goodness that surrounds you: your peers, Notre Dame faculty and staff, your families and our good God."
The Class of 2028 navigated the hallways with renewed confidence after completing Freshman Orientation the Friday before the first day of school. Returning students warmly guided their new peers, embodying Notre Dame’s spirit of community.
The week prior was Opening Days Week for ND faculty, staff and our Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Everyone was reunited at the annual retreat, abound with hugs, laughter, smiles and meaningful conversation. ND was honored to be on Santa Clara University’s gorgeous campus and acknowledged the 1851 connection we share as the founding year of our educational institutions. The week continued with professional development and preparation with ambitious goals for 2024-25.
We look forward to an exciting year ahead. Welcome back, Regents! •
ASB Council Leadership Theme for 2024-25
Associated Student Body (ASB) students are elected each year to represent Notre Dame under a leadership theme of their choosing. The theme for 2024-25 is Pave The Way with the mission to seek out and develop leadership in all opportunities.
Leadership themes are used as a vehicle to guide leadership activities throughout the year and to identify an area where student leaders can make a positive difference for our school community.
AT NOTRE DAME, WE FOCUS ON empowering women
TO BE IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP — to be pioneers. IN ORDER TO EMPHASIZE OUR INTENT TO DEVELOP A brave and independent GENERATION, OUR LEADERSHIP THEME FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR IS: “Pave The Way.”
— RIO '25, ASB PRESIDENT —
Custom-made badges for ND faculty & staff
Since last fall, a small group of sophomore Janksters have worked with Notre Dame's Marketing and Communications department to create new name badges for faculty and staff. With several rounds of samples and high quality standards in place, this dedicated group of students used the laser cutting machine in the Center for Women's Leadership Engineering Lab to produce over 200 name badges before the start of the academic year.
Special thanks to co-directors Marta Carrillo and Aidan Ferrer and mentor Dean Mulla for their guidance with this project, which empowered robotics students to apply the skills they learn in robotics, while also contributing to our school community.
And, a round of applause for Ananya '27, Ava '27, Khloe '27 and Reese '27 for their commitment to excellence!
Robotics Celebrates 20 Years: The Janksters
In 2004, a small group of students gathered to learn about robotics, a new program at Notre Dame. Team 1967 — otherwise, and affectionately, known as The Janksters — was formed with just 12 students. Since then it has grown to 67 students with over 80% of the participants continuing their participation from year to year. They are now celebrating their 20th year as a team at Notre Dame.
When Marta Carrillo became the coach in 2012, there were 19 students on the team. When 13 of them graduated, she knew something needed to change for long-term sustainability. This is when she revamped the program to include different opportunities and introduced boot camp, a weeklong program to welcome curious students to learn more about The Janksters.
“Robotics has changed what I want to pursue as an adult,” said Anushka ‘27, a sophomore and liaison for the team. “Before I participated in boot camp last year, I was unsure whether engineering was for me, but now I know I want to be an engineer.”
Anushka was one of 66 students who built and programmed their robot, Rosa, last year.
“We’ve tried to make this program student-focused,” said Carrillo, who is a co-director of the program alongside Aidan Ferrer. “We want students to feel genuine accomplishment and bond through failures as well as successes.”
The mission of the robotics team is to create a community of learners who love to explore engineering and robotics. They also learn teamwork, leadership and service through hands-on experience that will help them succeed in life, whatever their chosen career path or committee on the team.
The Janksters has four committees: mechanical, electronics, programming and business. Each committee plays a pivotal role for the team, from the physical design and wiring to programming and maintaining a brand.
“The three biggest lessons I learned on the team are problem-solving, being open-minded and being adaptable,” said Samanya ‘25, the team captain. “I've really enjoyed being a part of the Janksters because I have made many friendships. I've learned so much from how to build a robot to how to be a good teammate.”
In addition to STEM learning, community service is a big part of the program. Last year the team hosted the 10th annual Young Women’s Engineering Summit, mentored elementary students, and presented with Sunday Friends, a local nonprofit that empowers low-income families to break the generational cycle of poverty by fostering positive development in children.
Notre Dame is committed to creating positive narratives and championing role models that combat negative stereotypes about career opportunities for young women. “This program really creates women of impact as the students learn skills, become role models and give back to the community,” said Ferrer, who described FIRST Robotics Competitions (FRC) as a “varsity sport for the mind.”
“Last year, our competition at the San Francisco Regional FRC was exciting because other teams were looking at us and seeing the bold choices we made pay off,” he said. "Girls are just as capable as boys." •
Robotics
HAS CHANGED WHAT I WANT TO PURSUE AS AN ADULT. NOW I KNOW I WANT TO BE AN engineer. — ANUSHKA '27
BEING ABLE TO CREATE memorable bonds WITH SUCH DIVERSE PEOPLE WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS. BEING A PART OF A LARGER NETWORK WAS PRECIOUS AND IMPACTFUL ON MY perspective of
the world
. THIS TRIP TRULY OPENED MY EYES TO THE diversity and inspiration THE WORLD HOLDS.
— SOPHIA '25, BOSTON CONFERENCE —
Global Education takes off...
Notre Dame San Jose’s global education program continues to inspire! Over the summer, students embarked on incredible journeys around the world, being justice advocates and providing service to communities in need, deepening their faith as spiritual seekers and becoming well-informed global citizens as lifelong learners and community leaders.
Thirteen students trekked through Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, led by John Bracco and Ruth Burson, with visits to iconic sites such as Angkor Wat, Ho Chi Minh City and the Bayon Temple in Siem Reap. The group learned how to navigate the Mekong River, the twelfth-longest river in the world, and visited significant historical sites like the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Reunification Palace.
Julianne Johnston and Christina Morello led the delegation attending the Boston Leadership Conference, a prime
opportunity for Notre Dame student leaders to develop their skills and build connections in the national Notre Dame de Namur Network. In addition to the conference, these six students dormed at Emmanuel College, explored Northeastern and Harvard Universities, led a liturgy for 12 ND schools across the nation, as well as attended a Boston Red Sox game. They also had the opportunity to serve at Daily Table Grocery, a public market that provides groceries at affordable prices for communities in need.
Meanwhile, the interfaith immersion delegation partnered with the Shinnyoen Foundation and made their way to New Mexico, where they engaged in meaningful activities across various faith traditions. Led by Dr. Kathleen Quiazon and Deacon Steve Herrera, students served at the San Francisco de Asis church, explored Native American culture at Taos Pueblo and experienced Zen Buddhist at Upaya Zen Center. They also
...and takes over the globe
visited Temple Beth Shalom to learn about Judaism and toured historic churches in Santa Fe.
In Okayama, Japan, 12 students along with leaders Bayard Neilsen and Olena Petrova participated in an exchange program where they stayed with host families from Notre Dame Seishin. “This is an incredible program that does such a great job of showing students a different way of life, and how they are all connected by one thing they have in common: being Notre Dame students,” said Nielsen, who has chaperoned this trip three times. Students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in contemporary and historical sites, such as the teamLab Borderless museum and Universal Studios Tokyo, and the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island.
Students from Notre Dame Seishin will come to Notre Dame San Jose in 2025 – the first time since the
COVID-19 lockdown – and our school community is excited to welcome them to campus just as they welcomed us to theirs.
To round out the summer, 10 students in the cultural language immersion delegation, along with trip leaders Beverley Heigre and Bayard Neilsen, embarked on a journey to Costa Rica to study the Spanish language and learn more about the rich culture in Guanacaste. In addition to the immersive study program, students engaged with the community, visited local establishments and experienced surfing and kayaking while learning firsthand about the region’s indigenous history.
There is no limit to where a Notre Dame education can take our students! Stay tuned for another year full of experiential learning and opportunities for engagement in communities near and far. •
01 Ava Baker ‘21
Ava is a senior at Duke Kunshan University in China, studying computer science. She spent the summer analyzing police data as it reflects interactions with people of color. She has enjoyed the opportunity to live in Europe, Asia and North Carolina during the last three years.
02 Juliana Dines ‘19
Juliana attends Columbia University in New York City to pursue a master’s degree in Sustainability Management.
03 Lorena Cortez ‘14
Lorena is directing and producing her short film, Copacabana. She spent the summer fundraising and filming and now has ND students working with her on the project. Lorena’s mission for this film is to empower female filmmakers and amplify their voices in a maledominated industry.
04 Marina Rosales ‘13
Marina graduated with a doctorate from the University of the Pacific— Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy. She is now pursuing a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency with the VA San Diego Healthcare System. She is the first in her family to receive a doctorate and plans to advocate for access to care and Hispanic health.
05 Mayra Pinedo ‘13 Vega
Mayra works as a courtroom clerk for Sacramento Superior Court and attends Law School at the University of the Pacific. She married a longtime friend from Sacred Heart Nativity and they have two sons, Alfredo and Emiliano.
06 Genevieve Dominguez ‘97 Dong Genevieve is the Associate General Counsel, Executive Director for Wells Fargo Bank, managing a team in the Risk, Intellectual Property and Litigation division of the Legal department. She has been happily married to her husband, David, for almost 16 years, and they live with their children Oliver and Natalie in Concord.
07 Tina Fontenot-Martin '96
Tina graduated from San Jose State University with a master's degree in Library and Information Science. She is a children's librarian intern for the Santa Clara County Library District where she enjoys designing innovative programming and working with diverse patrons.
08 Sr. Mary Sheila Maksim ‘96
Celebrating her Silver Jubilee as Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia, Sr. Mary Sheila is currently serving in Limerick, Ireland at St. Saviour’s Dominican Church. Sr. Mary Sheila made her first profession of vows on Aug. 9, 1999. In her 25 years as a woman religious, Sr. Mary Sheila has served in Catholic education for eight dioceses.
09 Theresa Fisher ‘89
Theresa graduated with a Master of Theological Studies degree from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. She also published a book, Walking Through the Valley of Dementia: A Self-Paced Spiritual Retreat for Care Partners – available now.
10 Jianna Salinas ‘15 Evaristo
01
Jianna is a professional motorcycle drag racer, and at Sonoma Nationals, she reached a historic milestone becoming the fastest female in Pro Stock Motorcycle history, achieving a speed of 204.54 mph in 6.67 seconds in a 1/4 mile. 02 03 04 05 06 08
Friday, Dec. 20, 4 - 6 p.m.
Class of 2019 Five-Year Reunion
Tues., April 8
ND's Day of Giving
Wed., April 30, 12 p.m. ND Alum & Senior Networking Lunch
www.ndsj.org | @notredamesj