Chronicle - STUDENT LIFE

Recent initiatives at Mendoza underline the importance of community engagement and inclusivity both inside and outside the classroom. Students showcased their innovative solutions to socioeconomic challenges in the DE&I Grow the Good in Business Case Competition, while alumni like Mary Tedesco were recognized for their dedication to volunteer service with the U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award. Other highlights include Matthew Downing's participation in the Jeopardy! National College Championship and the Allies in the Workplace event, aimed at fostering an inclusive mindset among students entering the professional world.

Published: May 15, 2022

Activities Inside And Outside The Classroom

THE CASE FOR DIVERSITY

Students Compete To Improve DE&I Statewide

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is a broad, complex and multifaceted topic. From pay equity to discrimination, and from representation in leadership to systemic inequities, DE&I is fundamental to establishing workplaces and communities that flourish.

winners of the DE&I Case Competition To address these challenges, nearly 30 teams of two to four students in the residential Specialized Master's Programs participated in the DE&I Grow the Good in Business Case Competition. The competition asked participants to examine the disproportionate impact of socioeconomic challenges on communities across Indiana and to propose a business solution to the wealth gap.

Competition sponsor, the State of Indiana, presented the case which involved a real-life current challenge pertaining to the wealth gap in Indiana. Proposals from each team were judged by Notre Dame faculty and representatives from sponsoring organizations, including the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership, KPMG, the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership, 1st Source Bank and Gibson Insurance.

"Our hope is that the sponsors [gained] some insights from this experience and that our students [came] away inspired and better equipped to bring about solutions for an equitable world," said Kristen Collett-Schmitt, associate dean for Specialized Master's Programs at Mendoza.

The competition kicked off in early February with a final awards ceremony on April 1, 2022. Master of Science in Management students Katelyn Derifield, Maya Dodson, Maria Schorr and Kelly Straub won the competition with a proposal that aimed to improve access to education resources for underserved populations in central Indiana.

PASSION FOR VOLUNTEERING

volunteers packing bags With her passion for volunteer service, Mary Tedesco (EMBA '22) has constantly strived to positively impact the communities around her. When a classmate noticed, she nominated Tedesco for the U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award, a lifetime achievement of more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service. On Nov. 11, Tedesco received the award in front of her EMBA classmates and professors.

#25

Notre Dame MBA ranking in the U.S. News & World Report 2023 list of top MBA programs

Matt Downing on Jeopardy

NO QUESTION ABOUT IT

Marketing Major Matthew Downing ('22) participated in the 2022 Jeopardy! National College Championship. Although he didn't win, Downing good-naturedly checked it off as an awesome life experience. The episode, hosted by Mayim Bialik, aired on Feb. 10.

ALLY AT WORK

Mendoza's Specialized Master's Programs DE&I Council hosted the Allies in the Workplace event on Jan. 13 to help students enter the workforce with an inclusive mindset, reflect on personal biases and create opportunities for learning about different cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities. Panelist Stephanie Jackson (EMBA '18), director of diversity and inclusion for USA Hockey, spoke to attendees about striving for inclusivity. Read about Jackson in her profile in Family.

MALAWI MATTERS

Undergraduates Megan O'Gorman, David Petrison and Ruby Le teamed up with local nonprofit, Malawi Matters, as part of a project management course in the spring of 2021. The class worked to create a marketing and distribution plan for Malawi Matters' book release and fundraising effort, which supports the development of HIV and AIDS education for Malawians.

VARIETY SHOW

Jd Damarillo (MSBA '22) and Ghislain Trinidade (MSBA '22) close "Irish I Had Talent," Mendoza's inaugural variety show for graduate students, on Feb. 17, 2022.

people playing guitars

POETS & QUANTS

The Mendoza College of Business was named one of the 10 "schools to watch" for its MBA program by Poets & Quants. The article pointed to Mendoza's mission-driven culture to "Grow the Good in Business™" as a key component for building a sense of community for students.