Hello, Mendoza Colleagues,

The Marketing & Brand Strategy team has made great progress toward our goal of elevating Mendoza's reputation and impact through innovative marketing and strategic communication. I invite you to watch this short video to learn more about what we've been up to! It highlights several of our campaigns, exciting new initiatives and upcoming resources to support your programs and projects.

We appreciate your partnership in this important work. As always, please don't hesitate to contact me to discuss how we can better serve you!

Go Irish!

Jen Wade

Senior Director
Marketing & Brand Strategy Team

Please Watch the Video Here:

Welcome to February! We’ve made it through the Monday of the year (January), and for that I’m grateful.

I’m excited to share an update on the University’s Undergraduate Academic Advising Initiative launched this past August. As background, the current campus undergraduate academic advising model dating back decades consisted of an Office of First Year Advising for first-year students. The office operated separately from the academic advising and administration that the colleges and schools provide to sophomores, juniors and seniors. 

Rising demands on college and school advisors and changes in advising philosophies made this long-standing model unsustainable. In summer 2024, the Office of the Provost advanced a two-year plan to transition all undergraduate academic advising on campus to a four-year model.

To this end, the Mendoza Office of Undergraduate Studies advising team will consist of nine academic advisors and two administrative support staff devoted to advising all Mendoza students from matriculation to graduation. An immediate benefit to our current Mendoza first-year advisors will be that their 500-plus summer introductory Zoom meetings with incoming Mendoza students will be shared between nine advisors instead of four. Likewise, an immediate benefit to our current staff of four Mendoza college advisors will be a reduction of their student cohorts from approximately 475 to about 260 — only 10 more than the national standard. The new model will also allow all advisors to cultivate relationships with students across four years.

Though their duties will not change until this summer, as of February 1, the following first-year advisors have become official staff members of the Mendoza College of Business. My current team and I couldn’t be happier that our suitemates Drew Espeseth, Kevin McNulty, Kristy Patterson and Sarah Priebe are now full members of our Mendoza advising team. Robyn Centilli will be joining us in person from the Keough School and School of Architecture in May. Their bios can be found below or feel free to stop by 101 Mendoza to greet them in person!

In closing, Dean Martijn Cremers and I have advocated for this change since I became assistant dean in 2022. We are grateful that the University is now providing what Vice President and Associate Provost Rev. Dan Groody, C.S.C., has called much-needed “deferred maintenance” for academic advising. I am also grateful for the ongoing collaboration with my advising dean peers in the other colleges and schools and with Elly Brenner, the assistant provost for advising. 

And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my now 11 undergraduate advising team colleagues — Robyn Centilli, Drew Espeseth, Laura Glassford, Lisa Heming, Kevin McNulty, Jessica Noffsinger, Kristy Patterson, Sarah Priebe, Amy Radvansky, Gina Shropshire and Taylor Thomas — for undertaking a lot of extra work (and countless committee meetings!) this academic year in preparation for a smooth transition this summer and beyond. Their efforts will lay a solid foundation on which to add many enhancements to the educational experience of our future Mendoza undergraduates.

Cordially,

Andrew Wendelborn
Assistant Advising Professor
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

Robyn Centilli

Robyn has a background in student support and previously served in roles at the Center for Career Development focusing on discernment, and in the Office of Student Enrichment, where she worked with first-generation and/or low-income (FGLI) students. As a first-generation college graduate, she understands the unique challenges these students face and remains dedicated to their success through academic advising and campus collaborations. Robyn earned a bachelor's degree in Sociology and a master’s in education in clinical mental health counseling. 

Drew Espeseth

Prior to joining Notre Dame's Office of First Year Advising, Drew served as the honors program coordinator at the University of South Dakota, an academic advisor and lecturer at North Dakota State University and assistant director of the Academic Support Center at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He earned a B.S. in journalism and public relations (2010) and a master’s degree in educational leadership (2012) from North Dakota State University. 

Kevin McNulty

Kevin previously taught English and mass communication classes at Penn High School and managed the school’s television studio. His professional interests include best practices in writing instruction, exploring and managing educational technology, and helping students develop showcase portfolios. He graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in English and earned his master’s in English at Middlebury College.

Kristy Patterson

Kristy previously served for eight years as the tutorial services administrator at IU South Bend. She earned her B.A. in psychology from Indiana University in 2013 and her master of professional studies in publishing with a concentration in editing from George Washington University in 2019. Her interests include promoting confidence, passion and reflection in students so they may continually find enrichment in and out of the classroom. 

Sarah Priebe

Prior to starting with First Year Advising, Sarah worked as a care and wellness consultant at Notre Dame from 2016-2019. In this role, she provided support and resources to students in what was previously the College of the First Year of Studies and the Graduate School. As a care and wellness consultant, Sarah co-chaired the Care Team, which was awarded the Presidential Team Irish Award in November 2017. She has worked in higher education in various capacities such as admissions, academic advising, counseling and consulting for more than 15 years. She earned a B.A. in communications from the University of Dayton (2004) and a master’s in counseling and human services from Indiana University (2015).

Teamwork and Budgets: Let’s Make the Magic Happen!

As we embark on a new calendar year, I want to take a moment to address an essential topic that impacts all of us: the upcoming budget cycle. This process is a cornerstone of our operational planning and directly influences our ability to achieve the College's mission and goals.

The diagram below represents the University’s annual planning cycle. A great deal of planning and prioritization has already happened this fiscal year between senior leadership and our partners in central offices including the Provost Office and the Office of Budget and Planning. As Martijn recently shared, the provost has committed $2M toward our Ph.D. in Management program, faculty recruitment and research. These resources will be in addition to the annual allocation increases anticipated for endowment earnings and faculty and staff salary merit pools.

Transparency and Collaboration
The budget cycle is more than just numbers on a page; it is an opportunity to align our resources with our strategic priorities. Your input is invaluable in shaping a budget that meets the needs of our students, faculty and staff.

Here is an overview of the key phases in the budget cycle:

1. Initial Planning and Communication (February): We will receive the annual allocation from the Office of the Provost and additional guidance from the Office of Budget and Planning and Human Resources. This information (available resources for merit, expected endowment earnings adjustment, etc.) will inform our starting point for the annual budget.
2. Drafting the Budget (March - April): Using the feedback received, we will work with department heads and budget managers to create a preliminary draft. Our primary focus during this phase will be to allocate resources for faculty and staff merit. 
3. Review and Adjustment (May): The draft budget will be shared for review, and we will make adjustments based on further feedback and updated financial forecasts. Graduate enrollment updates are key during this phase in determining our available resources for our graduate programs.
4. Final Approval (June): The final budget will be submitted for approval.

We recognize that this year’s budget cycle presents both challenges and opportunities. Rising costs and shifts in enrollment patterns require us to think critically and creatively about resource allocation. At the same time, these challenges present an opportunity to innovate and prioritize investments that enhance our academic programs, student support services and operational efficiency. By carefully evaluating priorities and making intentional decisions about where to allocate resources, we can ensure that the College's core goals are met.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to the College. Your efforts make a profound difference in the lives of our students and the broader community we serve. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me, Tracey Plenzler or Angela Byce with any questions or suggestions regarding the budget process.

Sincerely in Notre Dame,

Tracy

Tracy Biggs
Executive Director, College Operations & Finance

Welcome back! I hope you had a restful break. What an exciting time to cheer on the Fighting Irish! I still haven’t recovered from the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl. What incredible victories. I am quite inspired by the toughness and grit of this team and Coach Freeman. I am particularly proud of the many Mendoza students on the team! 

As we embark on the second half of this academic year, I am glad to share the strides we are making in achieving the ambitious goals outlined in our 2024-2025 Objectives and Key Results. Together, we are advancing Mendoza’s mission to provide a world-class education rooted in faith, excellence and purpose; to foster impactful research that benefits business and society; and to cultivate a thriving and inclusive community for our students, faculty and staff. 

Below, I highlight our collective progress across the key areas driving our mission to Grow the Good in Business.

ADVANCING RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

• Securing Resources for Ph.D. Programs: I’m thrilled to announce that we’ve achieved a significant milestone by raising almost $15M for the Ph.D. in Analytics program. Additionally, the provost has committed $2M for our Ph.D. in Management program, faculty recruitment and research. This funding is in addition to previously announced benefaction for research, making 2024 our most successful year for research funding in the College’s history.
• Enhancing Research Infrastructure: Preparations for the Behavioral Lab, Trading Room and North Addition construction are progressing as planned. North Addition construction is starting ahead of schedule to ensure completion before the start of the Fall 2026 semester. Further, our College events team led by Meghan Huff has greatly enhanced the ability of our academic departments to host conferences, lectures and events. I recognize that the various construction projects will be disruptive to most of us — and very disruptive to some. We are committed to supporting all faculty, staff and students as best we can with the limited space we have. I hope for and appreciate your patience as these exciting improvements get underway.

ENHANCING UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

• Research and Honors Progress: The Mendoza Research Honors Program has been successfully launched! A dedicated Business Honors Program Curriculum Committee also has been established, with its inaugural meeting held on December 9.

• Curriculum and Program Development: Approval was secured for the Business & Computer Science double major program, which will provide an unrivaled new learning experience for students who aspire to be at the forefront of technological innovation and business strategy while also demonstrating a commitment to cross-campus, institutional thinking that is a hallmark of Notre Dame’s 2033 Strategic Framework. Specifically, this program will allow Mendoza students in any of our five business majors to take Computer Science as a second major.
• Student Programming Success: The new College-wide mentorship program is thriving, with more than 94% of First-Year students participating in the Maximizing Mendoza course led by Andy Wendelborn. They are mentored generally by our BHP students, who have shown great commitment to service through this effort. We look forward to growing our mentorship presence and growing the Maximizing Mendoza course.

ELEVATING GRADUATE PROGRAMS

• Curricular Innovation: Several curricular committees have formed for our graduate programs and are taking strides to consider how we can better tailor our programs to attract elite students. The scope includes course offerings, credit hours, requirements and grading structures. I look forward to Nick Berente, Kristen Collett-Schmitt, Gianna Bern and our academic directors presenting their recommendations later this year.
• MBA Strategic Planning: Our partners at Notre Dame Institutional Research, Innovation & Strategy (IRIS) have completed their fall research and benchmarking process for our MBA program, and will move forward with Nick and Gianna – supported by a group of faculty members representing each of our departments – on writing our strategic plan, due by the end of June. I am grateful for the unprecedented level of support from the provost and other University executives in prioritizing the Notre Dame MBA as our flagship graduate program this year, and for the effort provided by Rob Kelly and our staff leaders.

FOSTERING TALENT DEVELOPMENT

• Faculty Recruitment: We continue to focus on recruiting top-tier faculty and we are finalizing some incredible hires this fall. I especially thank Ken Kelly and the chairs for their diligence, hard work and commitment to excellence in all our recruitment efforts.
• Staff Development: Rob has spent much of the fall working closely with our partners in Human Resources, and we are making great strides in ensuring competitive staff compensation and supporting professional growth. Many of our staff have completed the University’s Change Management Certification program this fall, demonstrating their commitment to leadership and excellence. Finally, our staff has been selected to participate in a new performance management pilot program, and I am grateful to all the staff working on making the most of the opportunity. 

INNOVATING IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

• Experiential Learning Strategy: Nick and Gianna have worked closely with Megan Piersma and her team to evaluate many of our experiential learning programs this fall, including expenses, requirements, rigor and pathway alignment. Each of them has spent time traveling with our students to ensure a clear understanding of how to keep our offerings relevant and impactful for our graduate students. 
• New Spaces: As I mentioned above, I’m thrilled that three new construction projects are starting this spring that will transform and elevate our ability to support teaching, research and learning at an elite level. Our North Addition will include what we hope will be one of the finest classrooms on campus to support larger classes and lots of additional space for faculty and research; the new Trading Room will provide expanded, dedicated space for students interested in pursuing careers in finance; and our new Behavioral Lab will transform our ability to perform research experiments. 

BUILDING A VIBRANT COMMUNITY CULTURE

• Strengthening Workplace Engagement: Our “1Mendoza” culture is supported by increased cross-functional team integration and staff leadership initiatives. Social opportunities such as the Halloween costume contest and DEI Council-led events highlight the strong sense of community of our faculty and staff.
• Diversity in Admissions: Partnerships and tools such as the Duolingo English Test are increasing the quality and diversity of graduate program applicants, ensuring that our programs attract talented individuals from a variety of backgrounds.

Together, we are creating a stronger, more dynamic Mendoza to contribute, cooperate and compete for tomorrow's opportunities, guided by Notre Dame’s distinctive Catholic mission. Thank you for your continued dedication and partnership as we bring this vision to life.

In Notre Dame,

Martijn