Welcome back from spring break, and to the home stretch of the academic year. Commencement is just a little more than two months away. 

I was fortunate to travel just before spring break to Manila, the Philippines, for the Notre Dame Alumni Association Asia Pacific regional meeting and to explore a partnership with De La Salle University. The Philippines has one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide. Manila, with a city-center population of nearly 15 million, is one of the world’s most densely populated.

Club leaders and representatives from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, India and the Philippines attended, along with Experiential Learning Director Megan Piersma and several other Alumni Association leaders including Executive Director Dolly Duffy. I gave a presentation to the alumni club leaders about the College’s strategic plan and had several meetings with regional leaders of Notre Dame International to explore collaboration. I also met with a few parents of Notre Dame students and met other alumni at social events.

As I mentioned, an important reason for Megan’s and my trip was to explore a partnership with De La Salle University (DLSU), a Catholic university founded in 1911 by the Christian Brothers whose main campus is in Manila. We discussed future collaborations with DLSU, including a potential immersion for the Global EMBA in Manila and an exchange program for our undergraduate students (with DLSU students coming to Notre Dame in the fall and spring semesters, and our students traveling to Manila perhaps as part of a summer program).

We also met five of our own MBA students in Manila! They were in the Philippines as part of the Meyer Business on the Frontlines program. Megan and I had dinner with leaders from World Vision, our Frontlines partner in the Philippines, along with the Frontlines student team and two alumni advisors. We had fantastic Chinese food, and I challenged myself to eat some new dishes including chicken feet, which are one of the most popular appetizers in Asia.​​ They tasted pretty good (as long as I didn’t think about what I was eating). 

One of our memorable outings was to Mount Pinatubo, an active volcano about 60 miles north of Manila. Pinatubo last erupted in 1991, killing 847 people. Megan and I got up at 1:45 a.m. to drive to the volcano so we could get our hike done before the heat of the day. (Daytime temperatures in Manila typically range in the 90s and it’s very humid.) It was a truly fantastic experience, and one that we could offer the more adventurous of the EMBA students.  

Manila is a fascinating, diverse, busy city with a rich heritage. As a booming metropolis, the energy, the noise, the craziness are off the charts. At the same time, people are easygoing, very friendly and welcoming. Somehow, it all works, even the completely crazy traffic. It's also a city of extremes. There's great wealth and extreme poverty right next to each other. As a vital part of the Asia Pacific region and with a large Catholic population, the Philippines is important for the University and College. I felt a strong American flavor to their culture, e.g., in how many people are wearing NBA jerseys and caps, and the songs on the radio in the cabs.

Hearing from alumni, many of whom are from Mendoza, about their gratitude for Notre Dame, was inspiring. They have learned that the Notre Dame ethos of leadership is about service, and service is about others and giving back. And that’s what they are doing. They attended the regional meeting to learn how they could be more effective in giving back, which is just wonderful to hear. Our strongest supporters are our alumni, and they expressed deep gratitude again for everything they have received from the University because of our staff and faculty.

I’m grateful to the Notre Dame Alumni Association and especially to Lea Barthuly, NDAA international program director, and to the Philippines Alumni Club leaders Guenevierre Panopio (BBA ‘11) and Jaime Urquijo for arranging the meeting. Thank you to Megan Piersma, Ryan Retartha and Reilly Fangman for their support in coordinating the trip, and especially to Megan for being such a fantastic fellow traveler. 

In Notre Dame,

Martijn