WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Notre Dame Alumni Association's annual Universal Notre Dame (UND) Celebration in Washington, D.C., took on a profound significance this year, focusing on the theme “Belonging on Campus and Bonding for Life.” The evening served as a powerful testament to the military-affiliated community's depth and influence within the Notre Dame family.
The flagship event, hosted by the Notre Dame Club of Washington, D.C., featured a fireside chat with Ken Heckel ('96), the Sergeant John F. Crowley Director of the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs (OMVA), and Admiral Christopher W. Grady (Ret., '84), the recently retired Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A Powerful Display of Service
The event began with a heartfelt recognition that immediately underscored the evening's theme. When service members and veterans from the Notre Dame family were asked to rise, nearly half the room stood to receive applause and be recognized with a challenge coin.
“It was a clear reflection of the service-minded spirit that runs through our community,” noted an attendee in a subsequent social media post. Director Heckel’s portion of the program focused on recognizing and honoring these veterans and their families, while also detailing the University's expanded support services and research initiatives.
Fireside Chat: From Dillon Hall to Global Command
Admiral Grady (Ret.)—a proud alumnus, NROTC graduate, and former captain of the fencing team—offered a deeply personal perspective on how his Notre Dame experience laid the foundation for his four decades of military leadership.
Key points of the discussion focused on the enduring power of the University's unique structure:
-
Residential Life: Adm. Grady shared reflections on the pivotal role of his residential community in Dillon Hall, particularly the steadying influence of his rector, Fr. Mark Poorman, C.S.C. The community played a vital role in helping him balance the demanding schedules of NROTC, athletics, and a rigorous academic workload. He emphasized that the residential life model remains crucial today for developing students intellectually, morally, and spiritually.
-
Formative Leadership: He spoke about the lessons learned as a student athlete under legendary fencing Coach Mike Decicco, and how those experiences, combined with his time with NROTC peers, shaped his philosophy of officership and servant leadership.
Elevating Service and Security
The conversation concluded by focusing on Notre Dame’s renewed institutional commitment to service members and their families through strategic growth:
-
The OMVA Mission: Adm. Grady stressed the critical importance of the OMVA's growth, stating that the University's commitment is vital to elevating the ethos of servant leadership embodied in service members and their families.
-
The ONDISC Bridge: The Admiral highlighted the increasing global relevance of the O’Brien Notre Dame International Security Center (ONDISC). He discussed how the Center is uniquely positioned to be a leader in a complex global security environment, serving as a bridge to narrow the civil-military divide by bringing high-level military and government leaders together with students and faculty for crucial research and discussion.
The success of the D.C. celebration confirms the strong bond shared by the Notre Dame military community and underscores the University’s ongoing dedication to empowering the next generation of principled leaders.