For Good: Stories from Notre Dame

A Notre Dame education is meant to shape a life, not just launch a career.

For William Mattison, the Wilsey College Professor of Theology, that means challenging students to ask life’s biggest questions and reflect on what matters most.

In this episode of For Good, Professor Mattison discusses how Notre Dame links character formation with academic rigor, the growing spiritual curiosity of undergraduates, and how the reimagined Moreau Program is making personal formation central to every student's education.

Give the gift of Notre Dame: https://giveto.nd.edu/give?NDAC=10013&designation=notredamefund 

00:00 — Meet William Mattison, the Wilsey College Professor of Theology

1:13 — What Sets Notre Dame Theology Apart

5:27 — Students’ Spiritual Curiosity

8:51 — How a Theology Department Measures Success

9:35 — Becoming a Theologian Who Lives the Faith

12:26 — Reimagining the Moreau Program

16:11 — Learning Beyond the Classroom

17:51 — How Moreau Builds Community

20:35 — The Story Behind Moreau’s Logo

22:35 — Moreau’s Senior Capstone

24:57 — What Success Looks Like for Moreau

28:26 — Bill’s Reasons for Hope

30:07 — The Power of Great Teachers

Brock Sheahan ’08 knows Notre Dame Hockey from both sides of the bench. Now, as the Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach, he is building a program grounded in discipline, consistency, and accountability–and preparing his players to compete at the highest level.

In this episode of For Good, Coach Sheahan reflects on his journey from student-athlete to head coach, his approach to building a team and developing players, and the role Compton Family Ice Arena continues to play in the growth of Notre Dame hockey.

Discover what’s ahead for Notre Dame Hockey—and what it will take to get there.

00:00 — Meet Brock Sheahan: the Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach 

01:42 — The Impact of Compton Family Ice Arena

05:02 — Brock’s Lifelong Love of Hockey

07:43 — How Notre Dame Shaped His Life

10:00 — Journey to Coaching

14:43 — A Vision for Notre Dame Hockey

17:58 — Developing Players Beyond the Ice

20:43 — Brock’s Hockey GOATs

22:05 — Lessons from Year One and Goals for Year Two

24:06 — Recruiting in a Changing College Hockey Landscape

26:07 — The Lifelong Bonds of Notre Dame Hockey

28:25 — Why Resources Matter in Modern College Hockey

30:04 — Why You Need to Experience Notre Dame Hockey in Person

32:35 — What’s Next for Compton Family Ice Arena

At Notre Dame, “choose hard” has become more than a mantra for the football team. It speaks to something deeply rooted at this University: the belief that the more demanding path is often the one most worth pursuing. As the Fighting Irish prepare to open the season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, that sense of purpose is once again bringing the Notre Dame family together.

In this episode of For Good, Pete Bevacqua, the James E. Rohr Director of Athletics, shares how the “choose hard” mindset is shaping Notre Dame Athletics at a pivotal moment in college sports—from preserving Notre Dame’s distinctive independence to making transformational investments in the student-athlete experience, facilities, and partnerships.

Join us as Pete reflects on the extraordinary convening power of Notre Dame Athletics, the inspiring young people at the heart of its programs, and why, amid all the uncertainty surrounding college sports, he remains hopeful about what comes next.

Give the gift of Notre Dame: https://giveto.nd.edu/give?NDAC=10013&designation=notredamefund 

00:00 — Notre Dame, College Athletics, and More, with Pete Bevacqua

04:03 — Navigating a New Era in College Athletics

11:02 — Rethinking the College Football Playoff

18:11 — Inside the New Shields Family Hall

25:40 — Why Notre Dame Partnered with SoFi

32:02 — What Makes Marcus Freeman Special

35:44 — Joining the NCAA Men’s Basketball Selection Committee

37:01 — The Enduring Value of College Athletics at Notre Dame

Notre Dame students inspire University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., every day. In their curiosity and desire to lead lives of meaning and purpose, Father Dowd sees the heart of Notre Dame’s mission: forming students who seek truth, encounter new perspectives, and put their gifts in service to others.

In this episode of For Good, Father Dowd reflects on Notre Dame’s distinctive role as a Catholic research university and how that mission shapes the University’s engagement with the defining issues of our time, while preparing students to help shape what comes next.

Join us as Father Dowd reflects on what Notre Dame’s mission asks of the University today—and what it means to carry that mission forward.

00:00 — New Academic Year at Notre Dame, with Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.

02:50 — Lessons from East Africa

04:34 — Becoming a More Global University

07:58 — Building Bridges Across Differences

09:01 — Lessons from the Presidency

12:57 — Why Father Dowd Still Teaches at Notre Dame

16:39 — Making Notre Dame More Accessible

20:27 — How Notre Dame Is Facing Higher Education’s Challenges

21:31 — Keeping the Human at the Center of AI

24:04 — College Athletics Landscape: Putting Student-Athletes First

25:04 — Holy Cross and Notre Dame’s Mission

In an age of artificial intelligence, rapid change, and global uncertainty, Kenneth Scheve ’90, the I.A. O’Shaughnessy Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, believes the liberal arts are not becoming less relevant—they are becoming more essential. At Notre Dame, he’s building on the University’s tradition of educating both the heart and the mind while preparing students to think deeply, engage new ideas, and lead with purpose.

Join us for this episode of For Good as Dean Scheve reflects on the enduring role of Arts and Letters at Notre Dame, the College’s growing commitment to global education and research that serves the common good, and why a liberal arts education remains one of the best foundations for leadership and service in a changing world.

0:00 – The story behind O'Shaughnessy Great Hall

4:45 – The transformative journey of a Notre Dame student

6:38 – Returning to Notre Dame to lead the College of Arts and Letters

10:42 – Notre Dame's commitment to the Humanities

13:34 – How the Humanities prepare students for lives of purpose

17:44 – Why critical thinking matters more than ever in the age of AI

21:33 – The importance of global education

23:39 – Addressing society's biggest challenges through research

28:49 – A hopeful vision for Notre Dame's future

An arts renaissance is unfolding at Notre Dame, and the University is investing in the arts to enrich the student experience and strengthen the bonds between campus and the broader community.

In this episode of For Good, Rebecca Struch, Managing Director of the Notre Dame Arts Initiative, reflects on why people turn to the arts in times of uncertainty, how creativity builds community and breaks down barriers, and why Notre Dame's investment in the arts is shaping a new generation of artists, scholars, leaders, and citizens. She also shares her vision for the inaugural Notre Dame Arts Biennial, an ambitious six-month celebration of the arts beginning in January 2027.

Please join us for this conversation about the power of the arts to break down barriers, build bridges, and strengthen communities.

00:00 — Black box theatre as a metaphor for the arts

04:04 — Rebecca’s Journey to Notre Dame

09:43 — Why the arts matter during hard times

12:52 — Inside Notre Dame's Arts Initiative

16:06 — The inaugural Notre Dame Arts Biennial

21:37 — Why now is the right time for the arts

25:15 — Faith, tradition & creativity

28:48 — A renaissance in the arts at Notre Dame

31:40 — Breaking down barriers

For Marcus Cole, the Joseph A. Matson Dean of Notre Dame Law School, true success goes far beyond rankings, salaries, or prestige. Instead, it’s found in purpose—the lives our graduates lead, the communities they serve, and the profound good they do in the world.

In this episode of For Good, Dean Cole reflects on how Notre Dame is forming lawyers to lead with conviction and compassion. He discusses the growth of the Law School's clinical programs, the launch of the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic, record success in judicial clerkships, and Notre Dame’s increasingly global reach. 

We invite you to join this thoughtful conversation on leadership, legal education, service, and hope.

0:00 — Forming mission-driven lawyers 

5:34 — A historic year for Notre Dame Law School

10:07 — What it takes to be a Notre Dame Law student

13:42 — Why religious liberty is worth fighting for

19:49 — How Notre Dame became a clerkship powerhouse

22:21 — Seeking justice for the wrongfully convicted

25:28 — Why supreme court justices keep coming back to Notre Dame

28:03 — A bold vision: tuition-free law school

31:06 — The best lawyers must think globally

35:30 — Notre Dame Law School is cultivating hope

Kathleen Sprows Cummings brings Catholic history vividly into the present—illuminating not only where the Church has been, but where it may be headed next.

In this episode of For Good, Cummings, the John A. O’Brien Collegiate Professor of American Studies and History and inaugural director of Notre Dame’s Global Catholic Research Initiative, reflects on the people and movements that have shaped Catholic life across generations—from the women religious whose work helped build Notre Dame to the growing influence of the global Church today.

She also shares timely insight into the election of Pope Leo XIV, the growing role of women’s leadership in the Church, the call for Catholics around the world to listen and discern together, and why Notre Dame is uniquely positioned to become a leading center for the study of global Catholicism.

Join us for a fascinating conversation about faith, history, and the evolving role of the Church in a rapidly changing world.

0:00 — The hidden history of Visitation Hall at Remick Commons

4:05 — A Saint of Our Own, canonization, and the making of Catholic heroes

9:04 — From American Catholicism to the global Church

12:18 — Notre Dame archives and preserving Catholic history

15:15 — The election of the first American pope

20:27 — Pope Leo XIV’s first year and the future of the Church

23:47 — Pope Leo XIV, politics, and moral leadership

27:00 — How the Church is rethinking women’s leadership

34:05 — Leading a global Church

37:12 — Notre Dame and the future of global Catholicism

40:00 — Finding hope in the global Church

Mentors, teammates, and now the athletes Mike Norment leads have shaped his journey and his approach as Notre Dame’s Peterson Family Head Swimming and Diving Coach. His focus: building a program defined by character, consistency, and care for the individual.
In this episode of For Good, Coach Norment shares his path into coaching, what defines a strong team culture, and the values that drive success.
At Notre Dame, those values come together through top-tier athletics, rigorous academics, and a faith that anchors it all.
Listen now to hear how he’s developing leaders for life, one student-athlete at a time.

0:00 – Meet Coach Michael Norment

4:24 – Role Models & Breaking the Mold

10:03 – A Calling to Coaching

11:40 – Character Before Performance

13:47 – Coming to Notre Dame

16:19 – The Student-Athlete Experience at Notre Dame

18:26 – Raising the Standard of Notre Dame Swimming

24:53 – Elevating Notre Dame Diving

26:24 – A Legacy in Motion

At Notre Dame, formation happens in classrooms, residence halls, and even on the football sidelines.

Rev. Nate Wills, C.S.C., brings that mission to life every day. As a Holy Cross priest, faculty member in the Alliance for Catholic Education, and chaplain to the Fighting Irish football team, Fr. Nate accompanies students across many dimensions of University life: celebrating dorm Mass, mentoring future Catholic school leaders, and praying with players before kickoff.

In this episode of For Good, Fr. Nate reflects on his path to the priesthood, the transformative impact of Catholic education, and the joy of walking with students as they grow in faith, purpose, and community.

Tune in to hear how Notre Dame’s mission comes to life through presence, prayer, and relationships that continue long after graduation.

0:00 – Meet Fr. Nate Wills C.S.C.: formation and call to the priesthood

7:16 – ACE and the mission of Catholic education

8:57 – The Remick Leadership Program

10:42 – Higher-Powered Learning, technology, and AI13:28 – Life as Notre Dame football team chaplain14:42 – Holy Medals and football traditions17:07 – Writing the Pray Like a Champion Today book

20:24 – Accompanying students at Keough Hall

24:46 – Students engaging with their faith at Notre Dame29:09 – The Pod Quad podcast

31:46 – Lent and Holy Week reflection