To better support NDIGI’s goals of promoting research and thought leadership, educating and training students, and convening stakeholders, the Institute’s leadership has been updated as follows. For all questions related to NDIGI, please contact Natalie Sargent (AAD, Mendoza College of Business):

Faculty Director: Colin Jones, associate teaching professor of finance, will serve in this role, where he will be responsible for developing and directing the Institute’s academic curriculum and student programs, coordinating faculty participation in the Institute’s programs, and representing NDIGI at selected Wall Street events and industry forums.

Colin teaches Applied Investment Management (AIM) and Advanced Investment Strategies. Recipient of several significant teaching awards, he is the coauthor of the digital introductory textbook “A Living Introduction to Finance,” a real-time learning platform that saves students money on textbooks while improving the efficacy of introductory courses.

Managing Director: Erin Bellissimo, NDIGI managing director since 2018, is continuing to serve in this role and is responsible for setting the Institute’s strategic priorities and managing its operations in collaboration with the faculty and research directors. This includes developing and directing curriculum and programs, mentoring students, supporting faculty research, and building and facilitating relationships among the Institute’s key constituents.

Research Director: This is a new position. Professor of finance Shane Corwin, who previously served as NDIGI faculty director, will serve in this new role of research director. Shane will be responsible for leading the Institute’s research efforts and serving as a conduit for academic investing-related research to be shared with NDIGI stakeholders and the practitioner community.

Our October charity of the month is the Ronald McDonald House of South Bend. We will be partnering with them in a couple different ways and the first we’d like to highlight is participating in their Chef for a Day Program. We have 5 dates in October we’ve committed to providing dinner for, and for each of those meals we are looking for 6-7 volunteers. Those dates are October 11th, 17th, 18th, 22nd, and 25th. To volunteer or for more information please sign up here. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to Grace Prosniewski or Amy Plotkin.

Happy Birthday to all our colleagues celebrating their special days in October! We hope you have a scary good year!

10/3 – Brandon Tabor
10/3 – Jesse Meyer
10/4 – David Chaudoir
10/4 – Ellen Roof
10/5 – Sheri Egendoerfer
10/6 – Ruben de Jesus Medina
10/8 – Maureen Dunkley
10/10 – T.J. Pillari
10/11 – Ashley Gerard
10/11 – Tom Scrace
10/12 – Chris De Trempe
10/12 – Katie Eckrich
10/13 – Julie Burnett
10/13 – Mary Fisher
10/15 – Jim Gosz
10/16 – Angeline Johnson
10/17 – Katherine Cinninger
10/19 – Allison Slabaugh
10/20 – Brad Goff
10/21 – Darius Walker
10/24 – Andrew Yocum
10/24 – Heather McClain
10/25 – Sujatha Rajkumar
10/27 – Leah Corachea
10/27 – Mary Jane Anon
10/28 – Anne Wieber
10/30 – George Duke
10/30 – Kasey O’Connor
10/31 – Jason Scarlett

Industry Insights is a new virtual engagement platform dedicated to connecting and informing the Notre Dame family in the midst of our turbulent times. Through a series of live-streamed interviews, Industry Insights seeks to convene Notre Dame alumni, parents, and friends with members of our community who have distinguished themselves in their fields and have key roles to play in defining our “new normal.” Facilitated by University leaders, these conversations feature experts hailing from sectors across society, reflecting the reality that no industry will emerge from the current challenges unchanged nor, fortunately, unshaped by Notre Dame values.

Join us live tonight, September 28 at 7 PM ET to hear from Paul Ryan, the 54th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Denis McDonough, former White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama and current professor of the practice of public policy at the Keough School of Global Affairs. They will be sitting down with Scott Appleby, the Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough School of Global Affairs, to discuss the current confluence of historic crises and their ramifications for the public sector.

You can tune in at: industryinsights.nd.edu

Similar to the call to campus to assist with student move out last spring, there is an opportunity to help with next week’s Flu Blitz.

UHS and HR are asking for volunteers to assist during the clinic. Rest assured, staff are not being asked to administer the vaccines. Rather, volunteers are needed to greet people when they arrive, to check their scheduled appointment, to facilitate signing consent forms, to swipe IDs, to run supplies, to direct people and so on. With the need for physical distancing during this event, there is simply a need for more people to help with the steps necessary to get students, faculty, and staff through the process as safely and efficiently as possible.

Staff can sign up to volunteer here.

Each day, we need nearly 20 volunteers every hour, 9:30 am – 8:00 pm.

There is a separate tab for each day – September 29, September 30 and October 1st. Feel free to sign up for multiple shifts if your schedule allows.

Directions are on the signup form and are:

• Arrive at Gate B of the ND Stadium.
• Complete your daily health screening prior to arriving.
• Wear your mask.
• Dress comfortably. Closed toed shoes required.

Volunteers will receive an email on Monday, Sept. 28th with more information. Any volunteer questions can be directed to Kathy Brannock at kbrannoc@nd.edu.

Finally, please know we will likely have a second Flu Blitz later in October at which time we will share a second request for volunteers as well.

The Flu Blitz is particularly important during this time. As you may know, the University is requiring all students and strongly encouraging all faculty and staff to receive the vaccine this year. For all information regarding this event, please visit HERE.

The September Matching Gift Email will send this Tuesday, September 22, to this list of assigned entities who work for matching gift companies, have made a gift since August 8, 2020, and as of today have not yet matched their gift. These gifts represent over $156K in potential matches.

Please note that individuals on the second tab of the excel file (“Fundraiser Outreach”) have not received the matching gift email message (all gifts exceeding $25,000) but may be eligible to match their gifts totaling $267K. You are encouraged to reach out to your assigned benefactors directly to discuss the details and answer questions related to the matching gift process.

If you have any questions regarding this matching gift communication, please reach out to Laura Walker.

As part of our UR a Force for Good campaign in September, we will be collecting non-perishable food donations for the Food Bank of Northern Indiana as part of the Meals with Muffet initiative. You can drop off your donations outside ESC on the other side of our reserved parking spots on either Tuesday, September 22nd, 10am-12pm (EST) or on Thursday, September 24th, 2-4pm (EST). Amy Plotkin and Grace Prosniewski will be on site both times to gather any donations. Thank you in advance for helping those in need in our community!

Items Always in Need

• Canned Meat and Fish (Tuna, Chicken, Pork, Ham, Spam)
• Peanut Butter
• Grape Jelly
• Low Sodium Canned Vegetables including Whole Kernel Corn, Green Beans, Mixed Vegetables, Diced Tomatoes
• Low Sugar/Light Syrup Canned Fruit including Apple Sauce, Fruit Cocktail, Peaches, Pears
• Canned Soups, Stews, Chili and Chowders
• Boxed Meals – Macaroni and Cheese, Lasagna, Cheeseburger and Tuna Helpers
• Shelf Stable Low Fat and Powdered Milk
• Canned Beans – Red, Kidney, Black, Northern
• Boxed Breakfast Cereals
• Healthy Snacks including Microwavable Popcorn, Granola Bars, Peanuts, Pretzels, Low Fat Pudding Packs
• Starches including Rice, Spaghetti, Macaroni, Egg Noodles
• Baking Products including Cooking Oil, Sugar, Flour, Salt
• Condiments including Ketchup, Mustard, Vinegar

Congratulations to Megan DePrimio and Jeff Faust, who were married on August 29th. The couple wants to thank everyone for the many well wishes they have received from UR.

September is Hunger Action Month. With the pandemic and the resulting high unemployment, community organizations in the area have been stretched even farther than ever before and the need is staggering.  If you need convincing, watch this video to see how local agencies are affected by the pandemic.

There are two food drives on campus this month: Fighting Irish Fighting Hunger and Meals with Muffet. Both of these drives help those in need and the hope is that you will choose one to ease the struggles of our neighbors.

Fighting Irish Fighting Hunger

In its 11th year, this drive is a campus-wide effort. The funds collected are split between the United Way coalition of food pantries People Gotta Eat and the Food Bank of Northern Indiana. The drive is running from September 6, 2020 through September 27, 2020. Due to the restrictions on campus activities because of COVID-19, the drive will strictly focus on online donations. Every dollar we donate, the food bank turns into seven or eight meals. 

The drive’s one main fundraiser is a special auction of a Bible signed by Father Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C. Go to this form to see pictures of it and to place a bid.

For more information and the links to the online donation sites for People Gotta Eat and the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, go to FightingHunger.nd.edu.

Meals with Muffet

Muffet McGraw and the Alumni Association have partnered to raise hunger awareness and to collect food. While their drive is targeted at ND Clubs across the country, groups on campus can also participate by collecting food and/or money and taking them to the food bank. 

Please consider joining one or both of these efforts to fight hunger in our community.