Our daily work in Mendoza is guided by our mission to contribute to the development of ethical business leaders as well as by our vision to create student experiences that are informed by our Catholic character. In this spirit, our Catholic character also invites us to reframe our discussion surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in Mendoza.

There is evidence that students feel a deeper sense of inclusion at institutions where they perceive a stronger institutional commitment to creating a diverse and welcoming campus. This perception could be achieved in many ways, including through visibility of accessible support systems and opportunities that encourage appreciation of diverse perspectives, talents and lived experiences — all of which requires College-level commitment of resources. Fortunately, the Mendoza College of Business already has so many of these support systems and opportunities in place, and we actively signal both internally and externally how diversity and belonging relate to our core mission.

In my last Mendoza Exchange message in the fall, I was just a few months into my new role as the College’s inaugural associate dean for innovation and inclusion. At that time, I committed to offering stronger support of student affinity groups and to programming that highlights diverse experiences and connects Mendoza faculty, staff and students. My goals also focused on coordinating with other Colleges on campus and communicating with the University on our DE&I efforts.

As a College, we’ve made good progress on achieving many of these commitments and goals from the fall semester. For example, we’ve organized events including a faculty/staff discussion on the book “Relationship-Rich Education'' by Peter Felten and Leo Lambert; and a Mendoza-led session of “Show Some Skin,” the student-led initiative that invites members of the Notre Dame community to share narratives about identity and difference. I’ve also been intentional in reaching out to students so they are aware of both my support as a DE&I resource and as a signal of Mendoza’s institutional commitment to student belonging. 

As the spring semester is underway, I am even more encouraged and energized by the potential for meaningful change and advancement in the College given the number of exciting and student-led opportunities that have already taken place or are already planned.

We recently concluded Notre Dame’s eighth annual Walk the Walk Week. Several members of our Mendoza community marked the week together by attending the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast and Day of Celebration in downtown South Bend and the Staff DE&I Council’s film screening of Hesburgh. On January 26, Mendoza was a proud sponsor of the inaugural “Celebrating Black Excellence Dinner” hosted by Student Government. Not only did several members of our community experience a moving keynote address from Derrick Johnson, CEO of the NAACP, but we also recognized the outstanding accomplishments of Black students, staff and faculty at Notre Dame, many of whom we are blessed to work with and teach every day here in Mendoza. A complete list of Mendoza nominees and winners can be found here.

Registration is now open for the 2023 DE&I Grow the Good in Business Case Competition. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural competition, we will open this formative DE&I experience to all undergraduate and graduate students in Mendoza this year. The case challenges students to create solutions to improve access to and quality of financial services in underserved markets using the business acumen they've learned in Mendoza. You can find more information about the competition here and below. Please invite the students you engage with to register for the competition and attend our exciting kickoff event on Friday (February 10).

February and March mark Black History Month and Women’s History Month, respectively. Throughout both months, we will recognize the contributions and achievements of Black faculty, staff and students and women from our own Mendoza community on digital signage throughout Mendoza and Stayer. Additionally, in February, Mendoza will be a proud supporter of Black History Week 2023: “Building for Tomorrow,” which is sponsored by the Black Graduate in Management Club (BGM). The week will include opportunities for showcasing Pan African heritage, as well as professional development and networking.

Black History Week 2023 will be extremely powerful in how it will showcase the excellence of Black students across the entire campus of Notre Dame, as BGM’s collaborators include the African Students Association, Black Student Association, National Society of Black Engineers, Black Graduate Student Association, Black Law Students Association, Black Business Association of Notre Dame, Black Faculty and Staff Association, and the Multicultural Student Programs and Studies.

What else is ahead? Stay tuned for more information on other Mendoza-sponsored, student-led DE&I initiatives on campus, such as Lunar New Year in February, the MBAA’s Diversity and Heritage Ball in March and Holi later this spring.

The fact that the large majority of spring DE&I initiatives are led by Mendoza students reflects their recognition of our strong support systems and institutional commitment to a diverse and welcoming campus community for all. I am grateful for the support of so many faculty and staff who have walked beside me through my outreach efforts to students and also committed resources to student initiatives. I acknowledge your own daily efforts to strengthen our inclusive College community. I also want to thank Kara Palmer and the Mendoza Staff DE&I Council for a close collaboration.

I hope to see you at many of our events this spring, and know that I welcome a conversation or your feedback at any time, whether it be in person or through our suggestion boxes. 

In Notre Dame,

Kristen Collett-Schmitt

Associate Dean for Innovation and Inclusion
Associate Teaching Professor of Finance