Advising

From Academic Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Amanda McKendree (11/10/2024)

"5 Habits for Maintaining Mid-Semester Momentum"

As the inaugural Academic Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Mendoza College, I’m
delighted to connect with you in this week’s WAVE. The academic director role focuses mostly
on the undergraduate curriculum and the educational initiatives that support your formation
while at Notre Dame. This has been one of the most enriching professional experiences I’ve
encountered due to the opportunities for sharing Mendoza’s curricular distinctives with current
students, faculty, staff, and prospective students and their families.

I’m writing to you today to share five strategies for maintaining mid-semester momentum that
enhance focus, keep stress low, and encourage a bit of fun along the way. At this point in the
academic year, it’s easy to experience mid-semester fatigue and boredom. At the same time,
you’re also experiencing some anxiety as you look ahead to the end of the semester and plan for
your spring semester. I hope that these five habits inspire you to consider new approaches for
your mid-semester routines.

#1. Unwind Your Mind: Each night, write down all your thoughts, ideas, or worries in a
journal or record a voice note. Including a small action step for the next day increases your
confidence in your plan to stay on track.

#2. Choose Your Own Adventure (Mini-Break): From watching an inspiring video to
participating in your favorite workout, taking a 5–10-minute creative, active break will leave you
refreshed and ready to return to your work.

#3. Chart Your Mission Map: Approaching your end of semester as a journey with
checkpoints along the way creates milestone moments where you can celebrate each
accomplishment. Using a whiteboard, sketchpad, or digital canvas to map out your progress
helps you break larger projects into manageable parts and prioritize tasks based on urgency and
importance.

#4. Team Up for Study Challenges: Form a study group and set fun challenges, like who can
explain a business concept most clearly or solve a statistics problem fastest. Incorporating
flashcards, summaries, and quick quizzes can strengthen your active recall. Encourage each
other with supportive messages, share study hacks, or do a final study sprint together. Lastly,
creating a theme for each challenge can also provide motivation and add fun.

#5. Sync-Up Your Personal Progress: At the end of each week, reflect on which methods are
working for your plan and which are not. From there, you can adjust your habits as needed and
practice an adaptable mindset that is so important for maintaining motivation and preventing
burnout.

As you experiment with these new habits, please reach out to me and your Mendoza community
for any support to keep your momentum going strong throughout the rest of the semester.

Prof. McKendree
Amanda G. McKendree, Ph.D.
Teaching Professor of Management & Organization
Academic Director for Undergraduate Studies
Arthur F. and Mary J. O'Neil Director
Fanning Center for Business Communication

 

From Associate Dean Kristen Collett-Schmitt (10/13/2024)

Greetings, and congratulations on reaching the midway mark of the fall semester! As many of you navigate the demands of team projects and midterms, I hope you're also finding time to create your own memorable experiences on campus.

I am honored to introduce myself as your new Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Specialized Master’s Programs here at Mendoza.  For those of you who haven’t taken my Managerial Economics course, I look forward to meeting you soon! After nearly 16 years at Notre Dame, I can personally attest to how special this community is. From our strong alumni network to the signature academic experiences we offer and our shared commitment to growing the good in business, Mendoza is truly one of a kind.

The fact that Mendoza is so special makes me humbled to serve in this role, and I do not take it for granted. You can count on me to collaborate with academic leadership, engage with key stakeholders like alumni and industry leaders, and, most importantly, connect with you to elevate your academic journey. I will be your advocate, always approachable, and my door will always be open—whether you seek guidance or simply want to chat.

What do I expect from you? Make the most of your time here. Take full advantage of the opportunities around you, share your feedback, and start thinking about your life after Notre Dame and how we can help you prepare. Above all, find balance amidst your academic pursuits and take care of yourselves and each other.

Mendoza may be special, but you are an essential part of what makes this community thrive. Please consider this an open invitation to reach out to me for support of you and your ideas, and/or to connect you with resources. I look forward to growing the good in business together this year! 

Go Irish!

Kristen

Kristen Collett-Schmitt, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Specialized Master's Programs
Teaching Professor, Finance
Faculty Fellow, Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership
Founder, ND Elevate

 

From Dean Martijn Cremers (9/8/2024)

Welcome back to campus! It’s great seeing our hallways and classrooms busy once more. I’m reminded of how fortunate we are to share a sense of community and I hope you will make good use of the Mendoza atrium and other areas in the building to socialize and study.

This week, we have the historic opportunity to participate in the inauguration of Father Bob Dowd (ND ’87), C.S.C., as president of Notre Dame. Father Bob is just the 18th president in the University’s 182-year history and the first transition in nearly 20 years.

I have met Father Bob several times since joining Notre Dame in 2012. In every interaction, I’ve been impressed with his kindness, his global experience as a scholar that informs his vision for how Our Lady’s University can be a force for good around the world, his emphasis on teamwork as “a way of life at Notre Dame” and his commitment to serving you, our students.

The inauguration marks a new era for Notre Dame. It’s a wonderful occasion to celebrate as a community. As you know, classes are canceled on Friday (September 13) to allow for full participation in the planned events. I especially encourage your attendance at the Convocation and Inauguration Ceremony at 2:45 p.m. on Friday in the Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.

With our mission to “grow the good in business to improve the human condition in an ever-changing society,” Mendoza has much to contribute to the future of the University. I hope you will join the historic celebration of Father Bob’s inauguration, and I wish you a wonderful, productive semester. Go Irish!

In Notre Dame,

Martijn Cremers
Martin J. Gillen Dean

 

From Assistant Dean Andrew Wendelborn (8/25/2024)

Dear Mendoza Students,

Welcome to our new students and welcome back to our returning students! I don't know about yours, but my summer sure flew by quickly. Still, it was a fun summer, as I was able to take time for a vacation in England and Wales in July, followed by the excitement of watching Notre Dame students and alumni participating in the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris.

We are excited about the start of the new academic year and hope that you are, too. There’s lots of learning to be done both in and out of the classroom, and the faculty and staff of the college stand ready to accompany you on your Notre Dame journey.

Remember that the advising team in 101 (or one-oh-fun, as we like to call it) Mendoza is here each weekday to help you with many things from academic discernment and your plan of study to connecting you with campus resources. Not only is doing so our job, it is our passion.

Best wishes to you all as you begin the fall semester.

Andrew Wendelborn
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

 

From Assistant Dean Andrew Wendelborn (10/22/2023)

We’re here for you!

Welcome back from what I hope was a restful Fall Break! As you read this, I will have just returned from a trip to northern Uganda with some students who were working on class projects in support of a vocational training center for young women. It was an incredible experience and one I won’t soon forget. I trust you're ready, as I am, to finish the second half of the semester strong while taking advantage of the many learning opportunities that are available both inside and outside the classrooms.

As we begin the second half of the semester, please remember that our undergraduate advising team in 101 Mendoza is here to accompany you. In addition to helping you with academic planning, our advisors are great listeners who can connect you with a wealth of resources across campus.

If an advisor has reached out to you for a required meeting regarding a low midterm deficiency or multiple midterm deficiencies, please be sure to discuss frankly any issues you may be having so that the advisor can support you in the best possible way. Also, please keep in mind that the last day to drop a full-semester course is this Friday, October 27.

Again, remember that you are welcome to stop by 101 Mendoza for any reason — for help, to share good news or just to say hello.

Best wishes,

Assistant Dean Wendelborn

 Assistant Advising Professor

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies

 

From Associate Dean Kristen Collett-Schmitt (10/8/2023)

Greetings, and congratulations on reaching the midway mark of the fall semester! While we typically find ourselves swamped with team projects and midterms at this point in the academic year, I hope you are doing well and carving out time to create your own unique experiences on campus.

This past summer marked my first full year as the inaugural associate dean for innovation and inclusion here in Mendoza. The role aligns with the College’s larger goals of developing innovative curriculum and formative experiences for our students and supporting a culture of encounter among faculty, staff and students. 

In case it’s unfamiliar to you, creating a culture of encounter begins with realizing that we are more similar to each other than we are different. In a recent encyclical, Pope Francis suggested that to embrace a culture of encounter means to value the interconnectedness of our universe. He said, “Let us dream, then, as a single human family, as fellow travelers sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth which is our common home, each of us bringing the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all.”  A culture where individuals recognize the connections that bind us together is also one where belonging and inclusion are possible.

Now that the fall semester is well underway, I'm encouraged that students are expressing a deeper sense of inclusion and a strong commitment to creating a welcoming campus here at Notre Dame. Our resources in Mendoza allow us to achieve belonging in many ways, including through the visibility of accessible support systems and opportunities that encourage appreciation of diverse perspectives, talents and lived experiences. I want you to know that I am one of those support systems.

One of my goals this year is to strengthen Mendoza’s support of student clubs and affinity groups. You are pivotal in shaping the College’s inclusive culture through leadership of student organizations! I encourage you or your club to connect with me this semester to enable College-level support of your club’s goals and priorities. 

An example of where I am already doing this is a new student-led coalition called, “The Equity in Business Initiative.” This initiative strives to make sure all students, especially students from underrepresented backgrounds and those unfamiliar with business/business-adjacent roles, know about career and enrichment opportunities on campus. 

I am also working to create formative student experiences that support inclusion in business. In case you missed it last year, the DE&I Grow the Good in Business Case Competition is an example of this work.  In Spring 2023, the competition drew Mendoza undergraduate and graduate students to compete for $35,000 with their pitches focused on financial inclusion. Stay tuned for Spring 2024, when we plan to welcome more corporate sponsors and job recruiters. I hope that you consider participating!

Please consider this an open invitation to reach out to me for support of you and your ideas, and/or to connect you with resources. We can strengthen Mendoza’s culture, and Grow the Good in Business, together.  

Go Irish!

Kristen

Kristen Collett-Schmitt, Ph.D. 

Associate Dean for Innovation and Inclusion 

Teaching Professor, Finance

Faculty Fellow, Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership

Founder, ND Elevate

  

From Dean Martijn Cremers (8/27/2023)

Welcome back! On behalf of the Mendoza faculty and staff, we are excited to start the new
academic year!

The title of this newsletter – the WAVE – has a double meaning. It stands for Weekly
Announcements Via Email, and is an important way for our Undergraduate Studies Office to
provide you with the critical information you need to know about registration, courses, events
and other topics.

In addition, the “Wave” refers to the “Great Wave Off Kanagawa,” a famous Japanese print that
is one of my favorite pieces of art. Its three elements effectively illustrate our distinctive
mission as a Catholic business school seeking “to grow the good in business to improve the
human condition in an ever-changing society. Through impactful research and educational
programs, we contribute to the formation of ethical business leaders who integrate the mind
and the heart, and have the competence to see and the courage to act.”

The “Wave” print reminds us that we need to meet the various challenges we encounter (i.e.,
waves) by setting our course by an unmovable, unshakeable compass point outside of
ourselves (i.e., the principles of our faith represented by Mount Fuji), as part of a supportive
community with a shared purpose (represented by three small boats full of people).

The "Wave" print thereby also represents a Catholic vision of business, where:

● The great wave itself represents the dynamic, challenging and adventurous environment
of business;
● Mount Fuji represents the universal, human principles of Catholic Social Teaching —
such as the intrinsic dignity of each person, solidarity and a focus on those with the
greatest needs, and growing toward the best version of yourself by the grace of God and
the support of others — that provide a guide to business decisions; and
● The three small boats represent a business organization as a team that aims to
contribute to a shared purpose, i.e., a common good.

As you encounter the “great waves” that undoubtedly will arise over the year ahead, I hope
“The Wave” will remind you that there will always be our unmovable mountain, God, to serve
as your destination and point to navigate by. There will always be people around you who help
you on your journey with love, compassion, wisdom and friendship.

At Mendoza, our imperative to Grow the Good in Business is inspired by three “Cs” that
correspond to the pillars of Catholic Social Teaching:

• Contribute to human flourishing, serving others in response to all the gifts we have
received, through which we ourselves flourish.
• Cooperate in solidarity through teamwork as part of a community, and prioritize those
with the greatest needs.
• Compete externally in the marketplace and internally toward the best version of
oneself, by the grace of God and with the help of others.

Lastly, our Undergraduate Studies team will continue to provide you with useful updates each
week in this newsletter. I encourage you to attend two upcoming events in particular:

Tom Mendoza Presents: Leadership, Culture and the Power of Diversity, September 1, noon –
1 p.m., Jordan Auditorium: This event is held in celebration of the historic matchup of the
Fighting Irish versus Tennessee State University – the first time Notre Dame has faced off
against an HBCU school on the football field. The conversation will be hosted by Tom
Mendoza, former president and vice chairman of NetApp, and feature Eddie George, TSU
Football Head Coach and former Heisman Trophy Winner; Niele Ivey, Karen & Kevin Keyes
Family Head Women’s Basketball Coach; and Derrick Mayes, Notre Dame All-American
football player, former team captain and Patrick Industries Board Director.

Thomas H. Quinn Lecture Featuring Steve Levitt, September 15, 3:30 p.m., DeBartolo
Performing Arts Center. Levitt is an American economist and co-author of the bestselling book
“Freakonomics” and its sequels. He is a professor in the University of Chicago’s economics
department and was the 2003 recipient of the American Economic Association’s prestigious
John Bates Clark Medal, given to the country’s best economist under 40.

These events are great opportunities to hear from renowned leaders with diverse backgrounds
and experiences.

I also encourage you to read The WAVE faithfully! I'm very grateful to everyone who helps put it
together, to bring you important information. There are a lot of great things in store at Mendoza this year.

In Notre Dame,

Martijn Cremers
Dean, Mendoza College of Business

 

 

Welcome from the Assistant Dean (8/20/2023)

Dear Mendoza Students,

Welcome to our new students and welcome back to our returning students!

We are excited for the start of the new academic year and hope that you are, too. There’s lots of learning to be done both in and out of the classroom, and the faculty and staff of the College stand ready to accompany you on your Notre Dame journey.

Returning students may notice the new look of this newsletter. We hope you find it easier to navigate while still providing you with important information. As always, please reach out to us if you have any ideas or suggestions. And special thanks to Mendoza staff members Laura Glassford and Zara Osterman for their work to revamp The WAVE during the summer months!

Remember that the advising team in 101 Mendoza is here to help you and to connect you with resources. Not only is doing so our job, it is our passion.

Best wishes as you begin the fall semester and Go Irish! Beat Navy!

Andrew Wendelborn
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies