It’s with great excitement that I announce our two new teammates to Development’s Marketing & Communications Team!

Ms. Catey Traylor, a 2014 graduate from Central Michigan University – and, Mr. Terry Howard a 2013 graduate of the University of Notre Dame.  They will be asked to “fill the shoes” of Michael Rodio and Bob Quakenbush…

We had more than 100 outstanding applicants for these two open positions – and I will tell you we are EXCITED about these two talented individuals!

Ms. Catey Traylor hails from “Pure” Michigan.  She grew up riding horses (family owns a horse farm), playing softball and writing stories in a north-west suburb of Detroit called South Lyon.  She was the “Editor-in-Chief” of Central Michigan University’s student-run school newspaper – responsible for a staff of over 50 students.

Catey was one of 20 top college journalists selected by the Carnegie-Knight Foundation Initiative to participate in an eight-month investigative project about post-9/11 war veterans reacclimating to civilian life.  Catey spent the summer traveling all over the country interviewing homeless veterans.

Catey also spent a summer at New York University as an intern in NYU’s Hyperlocal Newsroom.  Her “news beat” was local shops and she wrote stories, shot video and photo and created multimedia packages about life in East Village, Manhattan.

Catey graduated from CMU with a degree in Online Journalism with minors in Media Design, Production and Technology, and Leadership.

Catey Traylor Fun Fact: College and NBA sports fans may recognized the last name TRAYLOR.  Catey’s first-cousin Robert “Tractor” Traylor was a college basketball star at the University of Michigan and played seven seasons in the NBA.

Here’s what one of Catey’s supervisors (Mary Marron) at CMU said about her:   Mary stated that she is one of Catey’s biggest fans. Catey was an incredibly engaged and outgoing student – with these personal traits:

– Mature– Reliable– Hard-working– Accepting of challenges– Go-Getter– Self-motivated– Willing to take direction and learn

Mr. Terry Howard is a “Hoosier” from just down the road from South Bend in a town called North Judson, IN.  Terry grew up on a gravel road — playing football and baseball in this farming community.

An “early admit” to the University of Notre Dame – Terry is the first person in his famiy to go to college.  He graduated from Notre Dame with a B.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing.

While at Notre Dame, Terry was a student assistant at the Hesburgh Libraries – all four years.  He was also very involved with Inter-Hall sports for the BIG RED of Dillon Hall – the best residence hall on campus!

Since graduating from ND in 2013, Terry has been serving as the Assistant to the Director of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission. He also worked as a Community Impact Intern for the United Way of St. Joseph County and served on the Long Range Planning Committee for the Pulaski County Library.

We also learned that Terry and his Dad have “played catch” – in 25 states – with a goal to do this in all 50 states.  When they take family trips in the car – they will pull off the side of the road, grab the mitts and a ball and play catch.  Isn’t that cool!

Terry Howard Fun Fact:  Terry is the all-time career-rushing leader at New Judson – San Pierre High School!

Here’s what Notre Dame Professor Valerie Sayers had to say about Terry:

In fall 2012, Terry was a student in my advanced fiction workshop, and undergraduate elective that attracts the strongest writers on campus.  He quickly distinguished himself as one of the stand-out writers of narrative.  The first line of my first set of commentary on his work reads;  “You’re a graceful, straightforward writer who takes a big chance here,”  — taking a chance signifying a level of above-and-beyond engagement with the material that I tell my students makes a writer.  Fiction writing may be the best test of initiative ever devised and it was my sense that Terry pushed himself to write at a level of complexity that most college students aren’t ready yet to achieve.  By the second manuscript I wrote “It’s very exciting to see this draft, both because it confirms my initial sense that you have talent and because these pages real liveliness and engage the reader throughout.”  By the time he submitted his final project, I felts a strong writer had achieved a new level of depth and development.

Terry is intelligent, thoughtful, witty and charming.  I recommend him without reservation and with admiration and regard.

Please be sure to stop by and welcome Catey and Terry to Notre Dame – we’re excited they’re here!