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Volume 56, Issue 11 | Wednesday, september 15, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Panel recalls activism Former student leaders discuss changemaking on campus By EVAN MCKENNA Managing Editor
On Monday evening, one DeBartolo lecture hall was filled with the voices of Notre Dame student government’s famous firsts. Among them, a certain trio marked a steady progression of representation for the group’s highest office: David Krashna ’71, the first Black student body president, Brooke Norton Lais ’02, the first female student body president and Bryan Ricketts ’16, the first openly gay student body president. Joining them were Elizabeth
Shappell Lattanner ’07, the third female student body president and first student assistant to the Gender Relations Center following its founding; former student body vice president and president Becca Blais ’18 and former student body president Alex Coccia ’14. The six University alumni spoke to students as part of a panel on student activism and changemaking within student organizations. Hosted by student government’s University policy core team, the discussion was driven by questions from attending students while panelists participated over Zoom.
Director of University Policy Dane Sherman led the conversation, starting with introductions before transitioning into a Q&A format. To begin, sophomore Layton Hall briefly discussed the emails sent to students detailing recent reported incidents of sexual battery and rape on campus before asking the panelists their thoughts on policies t o prevent future occurrences. In response, Lais argued that while there is still much work to be done in regards to sexual assault prevention methods, the current system represents a vast see PANEL PAGE 3
NDPD informs community of rape on campus Observer Staff Report
The Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) has reported an incident of rape on campus that occurred the evening of Sept. 9, according to an email from the Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) to the University community Monday. The email said the male victim, a student, had exchanged messages with the
male suspect on a dating app before they met in a parking lot on the east side of campus. The email said there is no additional suspect information available at the moment and the OIE continues to investigate. The email stressed the importance of safety and awareness and said instances of sexual see NDPD PAGE 5
2021 Domer Dozen speak Students celebrate return of fullof life after Notre Dame capacity football
By ADRIANA PEREZ Editor-in-Chief
The Alumni Association and YoungND board named the 2021 Domer Dozen on Thursday, as part of an initiative meant to celebrate the accomplishments of young Notre Dame alumni. These 12 former students were selected out of 88 nominees and were celebrated Friday in Geddes Hall ahead of the Notre Dame vs. Toledo game. “Those chosen represent a truly outstanding group of young Notre Dame graduates who continue to make a
difference in their faith, service, learning and work, serving as inspiring role models to a rising generation of soon-to-be Notre Dame graduates,” the Domer Dozen website states. The honorees included Sarah Mervosh, Tia Paulette, Zoe Kourajian Rote, Qing Zhu, Jessica Pedroza, Marissa Koscielski, Claire Conley, Rene Bermea, Kiersten DeHaven, Matt Conaghan, Austin Hickman and Michael Hillmer. The nine alumni who were able to make it to campus gave short “TEDx-style” talks on Friday. They shared their
post-graduation and life experiences in fields that range from education, health care, peacebuilding, law, engineering, entrepreneurship and journalism. A former managing editor at The Observer and a current national correspondent at the New York Times since 2018, Sarah Mervosh ’12 graduated from Notre Dame with majors in psychology and Arabic and a minor in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy. After working at the Dallas Morning News, she joined the Times — but by the see DOZEN PAGE 4
Full capacity in-person campus tours return By MEGAN FAHRNEY News Writer
This fall, on-campus information sessions and tours have been brought back to full capacity for prospective Notre Dame students. The Office of Under-graduate Admissions canceled on-campus
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offerings in March of 2020 due to the onset of COVID-19. The office has been offering virtual campus tours and information sessions since that spring. Limited capacity on-campus offerings resumed during the summer of 2021. In accordance with the University’s visitors policy, all visitors must wear masks indoors,
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regardless of vaccination status. Tour guides must wear masks inside specified campus buildings, such as the first floor of McKenna Hall, where information sessions take place. Maria Finan, assistant director for undergraduate admissions, see TOURS PAGE 5
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ALYSA GUFFEY | The Observer
Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s, and Holy Cross students watched as the Irish defeated Toledo Saturday, their 25th consecutive home win. By MEG LANGE News Writer
This past weekend half of the tri-campus w itnessed their first taste of what a normal Notre Dame home game is like, w ithout so many COVID protocols in place. For some it was their first home game in a full stadium, for others it was the first home game in their college career, but for the upperclassmen it was a return to what they had come to know and love about Notre Dame home games before
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the pandemic: tailgating, a full student section and events all around campus pumping people up for the game against Toledo. The festive weekend started out w ith a Friday pep rally, which included a live band and all the Notre Dame dorms show ing up to South Quad in st yle. Dunne residents came sporting Sentinel helmets, the Badin Hall women all wore frog bucket hats and Lew is Hall even had see GAMEDAY PAGE 5
soccer PAGE 16