Table of Contents

Recent and Upcoming Events
Spotlight
Class Notes
Alumnae and Alumni News
Volunteer Opportunities
University News
In Memoriam
In the News

Recent and Upcoming Events

Reunion Weekend 2017

Fun. Exciting. Memorable. 

Reunion 2017 has come and gone and it was a huge success! More than 200 alums and guests from classes ending in “2” and “7” returned to campus. Alumnae and alumni made the trip to Baltimore from as far away as Hawaii, Tennessee, Connecticut, New York, and South Carolina.

In addition to traditional staples like Flashback Friday, the Crab Feast, and sitting in on classes, alumnae and alumni were able to experience new events like a behind-the-scenes campus walking tour, a beer garden and lawn games, and WOW Bites.

At the traditional Reunion Luncheon on Saturday afternoon, we recognized winners of the Alumnae and Alumni Awards:

Class winners of our traffic circle signs were also announced at the luncheon. Congratulations to the classes of 1962 and 1967 for leading the way in Reunion giving, participation, and total gift amount! For the next 12 months, the LeClerc Circle will be renamed for the class of 1962 and the Doyle and Gibbons Circles will be renamed for the class of 1967.

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this weekend possible. Thank you, especially, to the 2017 Reunion Committee.

Planning is already underway for next year’s reunion. Reunion is for everyone and next year we will place specific emphasis on class years ending in “3” and “8.” To see pictures from this year's event check out the University's Flickr.

WOW Thinkins

Notre Dame’s WOW Baltimore Festival Thinkins took place on October 5-7 and we gathered up a lot of valuable information, had great discussions and input from you and our community members. Thank you to all alums who attended in person and those participated online. If you didn’t have the chance to participate, we still want to hear from you. Please contact us at info@wow-baltimore.org. The WOW Baltimore Festival is on April 28 so you have time so send us your ideas - but hurry! For more information please visit wow-baltimore.org. 

WOW School Day

Do you work with or know high school-aged young women? WOW School Day is special day of programming designed especially for young women. Like the larger WOW festival in April, WOW School Day provides an opportunity to discuss issues global and local issues, spend time enjoying artistic performance and explosive scientific pursuits, and most of all, motivates girls to be the force for positive change. 

WOW School Day will be held on the NDMU campus on Wednesday, November 1. Registration and more information is available on our website.

Spotlight

Through this new section we aim to connect you to recent additions or familiar campus faces in a new way!

Paula Dukehart, SSND joined the Notre Dame community in January 2017. Upon arrival, she began a six-month orientation and mentoring process with Sr. Eileen O’Dea and Sr. Paula now assumes the role of Coordinator of Mission Integration.

What does your University position entail? 
My role is to assist the President and the entire Notre Dame community to integrate the Notre Dame of Maryland University mission into their lived experience. This involves introducing new faculty, staff and students to the history and heritage of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and Notre Dame of Maryland University and the NDMU Mission Statement.  My work extends to engaging and supporting all members of the campus community in an on-going process to internalize and express the vision and values that define us as a Catholic institution of higher education.  Through my participation on a variety of committees and in collaboration with other offices, I promote efforts to articulate the core values that define and distinguish NDMU.  Our mission provides us with a strong foundation, received from the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and animates our investment of ourselves and our resources in the present for the sake of the future. 

What’s been most surprising about your new position?
I have been delighted to discover so many colleagues with a deep and lively commitment to strive for intellectual and professional excellence, build inclusive communities, engage in service to others and promote social responsibility.  These commitments focus our efforts and strengthen and unify us as a community. 

What are you looking forward to most in the 2017-2018 academic year?
I am eager to get to know by name, through one-on-one and group interactions, more members of the campus community and to form meaningful connections with them. 

Balance is something we all strive for. How do you find the balance you need? Any practical tips?
I try to take brief “contemplative breaks” in the course of my day.  These momentary pauses help me to refocus on why I am here and how my work supports the larger mission of NDMU, to educate leaders to transform the world.  These breaks take a variety of forms: a few slow, deep breaths, a short walk on campus, a cup of coffee or tea.

How do you spend your spare time?
I love to take long walks on trails, get lost in a good book, visit a friend.

Class Notes

An art exhibit by Dr. Jacqueline Taylor Basker ’61, PhD was held at Bandak Art Gallery in Amman. Read the full article. 

Alumnae and Alumni News

New Leadership on the Alumnae and Alumni Council

The Alumnae and Alumni Council met in October to continue their work on supporting a vibrant alumnae and alumni community. After a transition, new leadership was elected and we are pleased to announce Victoria Meadows '15 as the new council president. Victoria's term begins immediately and will conclude in 2020.  Elizabeth Brescia M'12 was named the new vice president and Connie Matsumoto '94 is the new secretary. Please join us in congratulating these alumnae on their appointments.

Top Row: Hendrik Schulte M'16, Nikki Gatewood '01, Sallie Mullen '68. 
Middle Row: Kathy Volk Ph.D. '08, Victoria Meadows '15, Monique Turner '03 Pharm.D. '15, Roxine Phillips '96
Bottom Row: Jessica Sexton '08, Brian Zubek M'16, Katie Salim '18, Joe Weatherstein '08


Photos and brief notes about each representative are available on the Alumnae and Alumni Council website.

The current slate of representatives is as follows:

 
President Victoria Meadows ’15
Vice President Elizabeth Brescia M’12
Secretary Connie Matsumoto ’94
​Past President Lisa McMurtrie ’93
Women’s College Sallie Mullen ’68
CAUS Roxine Phillips ’96
Grad Hendrik Schulte M'16
School of Pharmacy Monique Turner ’03, PharmD.’15
​School of Education Kathy Volk Ph.D.’08
School of Nursing Naomi Cross ’17
SGA Katie Salim ’18
At-Large Nichole Gatewood ’01
At-Large Jessica Sexton ’08
At-Large Joe Weatherstein ’08
​At-Large Diane Webbert ’04
​At-Large Brian Zubek M’16

Tower Talk 2017-2018

This publication is moving to a bimonthly schedule. We hope that this adjustment will allow you to access information about NDMU on a more consistent basis. This issue covers news for September and October. The next issue will cover November and December. You can expect to receive that issue close to the start of December.

Online Degrees at NDMU

As an NDMU alum, you know how beneficial an NDMU education is. You also know that people learn in various ways. NDMU is meeting those needs. Perhaps you’re familiar with our hybrid courses; those that offer education in combined face-to-face and online format. But are you familiar with our 100% online programs? These special programs feature rolling admissions, multiple entry dates, no previous on-campus experience, and the same personalized support NDMU provides.

So what’s available under the 100% online umbrella?

Graduate Programs
Bachelor’s Programs

Volunteer Opportunities

Reunion 2018 Committee

It’s not too early! We are looking for volunteers in class years ending in years 3 and 8 to help us plan next year’s celebration. If you are interested in helping raise the bar for Reunion success, this committee welcomes you. We seek volunteers to collaborate on program planning, fundraising, class participation, and attendance outreach. For more information, and to volunteer, email the Office of Alumnae and Alumni Relations. Committee meetings will begin in January.

Notre Dame Fund

Every fall and spring, our team of dedicated, energetic callers reach out to alumnae and alumni of the University. They are excited to share campus news, and the many ways your generosity can help students. A caller may contact you on behalf of the The Notre Dame Fund, and we hope that you will answer the call.
Your gifts to The Notre Dame Fund help provide:
  • student scholarships 
  • library resources
  • classroom technology and lab equipment
  • support for student programs 
  • faculty and staff, and the ability to operate campus
  • and so much more!

Please show your school spirit by answering the call and making a gift! 

Don't have time to talk? You can still support The Notre Dame Fund. You should soon receive a pamphlet in the mail with more information about how your support will help students and additional ways to give. 

University News

Gibbons Rededication

If you have not been to campus in a while, we invite you to return to see some additions and enhancements, from the beautiful 1960 Gateway Heritage Plaza, funded by the Class of 1960 with support from their Little Sisters of the Class of 1962, to the Merrick Tower —the icon of our University— which is shining brighter after a major restoration. 
 
No doubt you will also notice the newly renovated Gibbons Hall – a project that was completed this summer. 
 
Gibbons Hall is a strong symbol of our solid foundation and legacy, a legacy you have lived and help build. In September NDMU hosted a rededication, welcoming public dignitaries, state officials, board and community members to cut the ceremonial ribbon on our landmark building.
 
Inside Gibbons, and with your generous support, Notre Dame was able to create new spaces of learning and future homes to influential centers including the M. Lee Rice Center for Global Leadership and the future home of the Women’s Institute of Notre Dame. 
 
We also renovated an entire suite for our Communication Arts students. It includes a new viewing room, a green-screen production space and a post-production editing lab. We built a new radio station and a new workspace for our student newspaper - Columns. The faculty offices were upgraded along with student common and study areas. 
 
The Global Digital Classroom, another new and innovative learning space for our students is a 40-seat classroom that through cutting edge technology, connects our students and faculty to people from across the globe…We get to meet, learn from and introduce ourselves to people from all over the nation and the world with one click of the mouse. It is amazing. 

SSND News

On Sunday, September 17, during Reunion Weekend, over 30 Baltimore-area SSNDs gathered on campus for the annual SSND Community Breakfast. The morning included a campus update from NDMU President, Dr. Marylou Yam and an opportunity to reconnect with each other.

In Memoriam

Kathleen Bracken Bedard '46
Kathleen Murphy Berger '74
Margaret Fitzgerald Burke '79
Kit Craig Reed '54

In the News

Tower Talk Header - Merrick Tower