The Xavier Chorus joins the ND Glee Club for a special rendition of

"Twas the Night Before Christmas!"

Under the direction of Art Department Chair Nicole Wakabayashi, Notre Dame was pleased to present its Christmas Choral Gala on the evening of Thursday, December 15th in the Dolan Center. The 9th and 10th grade choirs performed holiday songs both classic and contemporary.

ND's Glee Club wowed the audience with its renditions of "Silent Night," "This Christmas," and "Go Tell It on the Mountain." Special guests included the Xavier High School Choral Continuum and a professional 6-piece band (friends of Ms. Wakabayashi, along with ND's own

Mr. Womer on bass!). The evening ended with a rousing singalong of "Joy to the World." Students and faculty enjoyed a reprise of the show on the morning of December 16th, with the addition of the traditional (and raucous) senior class version of "The 12 Days of Christmas." Everyone at ND wishes you and yours a joyful and inspiring holiday season!

Our Encuentro Project participants hiked to the top of Mt. Cristo Rey in El Paso,

 reciting prayers for the Stations of the Cross enroute

Noted Adriana Silva '23, "I'd recommend this trip to everyone who gets the chance to go on it these upcoming years.... I absolutely loved connecting with people from my home country, Venezuela, who are over here seeking a better future like my own family did a few years back. Being able to provide any sort of comfort to these people sits well with me, and The Encuentro Project made me realize how much power we younger people have in changing our world for the better. Immigration is a very hard issue to deal with, and there is not one solution for this, but together we can definitely work to make circumstances better for our fellow people."

Chaperone Jackie Elias described the trip to the border as "an eye-opening experience filled with compassion."

Catie Maniscalco '23 agreed: "Each day was filled with something new. Whether it was meeting with border patrol or an immigration attorney, everything was such a great learning experience." 

Repeat chaperone Scott Vasey sums it up: "Spending five full days in El Paso with The Encuentro Project helped me deepen my understanding of and commitment to some of the world's most desperate and deserving human beings. Sharing this powerful experience with nine Notre Dame seniors was especially rewarding and was just another reminder that I work with some of the most brilliant, sensitive, compassionate, motivated, worldly students anywhere on the planet."

The Notre Dame Library is the setting for our traditional Tree of books.

The project takes several days to build.

Thanks to the leadership of ND librarian Lydie Kane and plenty of student helpers, this year's tree shines brightly!

Alumnae, please save the dates and consider volunteering for two upcoming events:

Our Alumnae College Panel on Thursday, January 5th, at 8:15 am. Please Email Jackie Brilliant if you are a current college student or recent graduate and are available to be a panelist!

Our Career Fair will take place on Friday, February 10th, beginning at 8:15 am. Please save the date and stay tuned for more info on how to volunteer. Thank you!