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Students at �����鶹 will have the opportunity to access funds for academic research with the development of a new Notre Dame Endowed Student Research Fund � the University largest-ever fund dedicated solely to student research. The fund, which currently stands at more than $100,000, will support interdisciplinary research expenses for students. Students will be able to use the funds to cover conference fees, travel, publication, and other necessary expenses to engage in meaningful research experiences. �����鶹 President Marylou Yam spearheaded the establishment of the fund to promote experiential learning.

Eleven undergraduate students and two faculty at �����鶹are playing a hands-on role in one of the largest soil microbiome studies ever attempted. Dr. Jennifer Kerr and Dr. Sayumi York lead a team of student researchers were co-authors of a December 2025 article on the BioDIGS research in Nature Genetics, a leading peer-reviewed journal for high-impact research on how genetics impact human disease, biological function, and evolution. The �����鶹 team worked on the project with a Johns Hopkins University scientist who is one of the world foremost experts in genomics research.

�����鶹 School of Education is partnering with three public school districts to combat the teacher shortage with a $4.9 million initiative funded by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) � making it �����鶹 largest academic grant. More than 70 pre-licensed professionals from the public schools in Charles, Montgomery, and Worcester counties will enroll in the Bachelor of Arts in education program � earning the degree in just three years through �����鶹 distinctive teacher apprenticeship.

From the field to clinicals, with passion and perseverance Sarah Generoso '25 has made the most of her time at �����鶹. As a two-sport athlete and standout nursing student, Sarah found strength in a supportive campus community and forged lifelong friendships.

What started with an AP Psychology class in high school became a lifelong calling for Rebecca Becraft '25. At �����鶹, she built a foundation for empathy and understanding. Now Rebecca is ready to make an impact in mental health care and inspire the next generation.

Growing up in Nigeria, John Jegede, Pharm.D.'25 always knew he wanted to be a doctor. After the heartbreaking loss of his sister who was studying pharmacy, John found a calling to carry her legacy forward. Even through the many challenges John faced as an international student, he met it all with unwavering faith. �God has been faithful through turbulent seasons,� he said. Now, as he graduates, John sets his sights on a future in transplant pharmacy.

Lavorette Preston �00, M�03, D'25 describes her college journey as �an emotional rollercoaster ride unlike any other found in an amusement park that ended up being the most rewarding ride of my lifetime.� That ride began years ago in �����鶹 Weekend College program, where she balanced a full-time job with her coursework. A human resources professional for more than two decades, she has spent much of her career hiring and mentoring young workers. It this experience that fueled her doctoral research in youth workforce readiness.

The �����鶹 School of Pharmacy has a great balance between didactics and leadership/extracurricular opportunities, which has prepared me to enter the real world and impact patients� lives. The thing I love most about �����鶹 is the culture and environment the school sets for its students. As a class, we came here as strangers and now we are parting ways as one big family.

For close to three years, Amelia King worked a 4:30 to 9:30 a.m. shift at Amazon before heading to �����鶹 for her classes. She also mixed in a second job selling insurance for State Farm on the side. All in all, King worked six days a week for a majority of her college career, using her one �off day� to catch up on coursework and her personal life. Her perseverance, however, paid off in the end, as she already has a full-time job lined up at an accounting firm downtown where she interned this semester.

For Jennifer Connelly, adding a master degree while continuing to work full time as a clinical educator at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital initially felt like a daunting task. As she progressed, however, through �����鶹's Leadership in Nursing Education program, Connelly realized that it was not just moving her career forward, but the University emphasis on caring science was also helping her strengthen her love for the profession.