Student Life - Fall 2026

Supporting Military Families

The Notre Dame MBA launched a new scholars program for military-affiliated students, further strengthening the University’s longstanding commitment to active-duty service members, veterans and their families.

Thanks to a $15 million gift from Notre Dame alumnus Bill Angrick (BBA ’90) and his wife Stephanie, up to 10 military students entering the full-time MBA program can receive $30,000 per year in wrap-around funding. It may be used to cover relocation, housing and childcare expenses and is in addition to any merit-based or other financial awards the scholar may receive. 

The Angrick Military Scholars Program prioritizes candidates with families in effort to ease their transition into the full-time MBA program. Recipients will also participate in exclusive leadership consulting and community-building events aimed at launching meaningful careers beyond military service.

“We look forward to helping Notre Dame attract outstanding military veteran leaders with high potential so that the Notre Dame MBA program can prepare these leaders to make an even greater positive impact on society,” said Bill Angrick, a member of the Business Advisory Council for the Mendoza College of Business.

The gift will also recognize one or more Angrick Scholars annually as Naticchia Fellows, named in honor of Marine Corps veteran Robert D. Naticchia, the late father of Stephanie (Naticchia) Angrick.

“With this generous gift from the Angrick family, the Notre Dame MBA will provide the most comprehensive financial support available to families of qualified military students,” said Dean Martijn Cremers. “The Angrick Military Scholars Program will help us attract outstanding military and veteran leaders whose experience and service align with the mission and values of our MBA program and the entire Notre Dame community.”
 

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ETHICAL ANALYTICS WIN

Ph.D. in Analytics candidate Marialena Bevilacqua took home the top prize at the university-wide Shaheen Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition. Her winning presentation, “Keeping the Human in Humanitarian,” examines how private donors respond to humanitarian organizations’ use of artificial intelligence in decision making. Competing against finalists from across the University, Bevilacqua demonstrated the importance of aligning AI adoption with donor expectations to maintain trust and financial support.

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LIMITLESS CREATIVE IMPACT

Mendoza’s Grow Irish experiential learning program offers graduate students diverse opportunities to gain real-world experience and expand career readiness. In one partnership, five teams of graduate business students have partnered with A Rosie Place for Children, a South Bend nonprofit hospital for medically-fragile children. Over several years their work helped to advance the HeARTworks Studio, a specialized facility that uses AI and eye-gaze technology to help non-verbal children express themselves through art. Students provided strategic support, from designing fundraising plans to developing a marketing playbook for national expansion, ensuring that every child can create and innovate without limits.

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TOP PITCH

A team of four Mendoza undergraduates (left to right: Kristen Arieta, Quinn Reilly, Alex Moeller and Adelyn Clemmer) earned first place at the 2026 Florida Investment Conference. Representing the Notre Dame Investment Club. The competition allowed students to stress-test financial theses and defend their valuations in a high-pressure professional setting, plus take home a $6,000 prize. 

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SKY-HIGH MISSION

When the Irish kicked off against Miami in the football season opener, MBA student Maximo “Money” Navarro (MBA ’27) had the best seat in the house — 1,000 feet above the field. An Air Force test pilot, Navarro joined fellow Domer Major Trent “Wreck” McMullen (ND ’12) in an F-15E Strike Eagle for the game’s ceremonial flyover. For Navarro, the high-speed police escort back to the stadium after landing was almost as exhilarating as navigating a flight through an impending thunderstorm.

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REAL ESTATE REVITALIZATION WIN

A team of Notre Dame MBA students secured first place in the national Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation Real Estate Challenge. Their winning proposal centered on revitalizing Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood. The team’s community-first vision would transform a 48-acre disused site into a vibrant hub for human flourishing and economic opportunity.

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SHINE ON

Four students were chosen to represent Mendoza in Poets & Quants “2026 Best & Brightest.”

Cole P. Cherian (BBA ’26) is a standout in finance with a 4.0 GPA. Cherian’s unique senior capstone explores Marxian alienation through the lens of Tolstoy and the TV series Severance. Cole is a devoted mentor and member of the Business Honors Program, and faculty appreciate his intellectual curiosity and selfless commitment to his peers’ success. 

Grace Zaucha (BBA ’26) is a first-generation student finishing her accounting degree in just three years. A member of the Business Honors Program, Zaucha balances a rigorous academic load — including the study of three languages — with competitive swimming and classical piano. 

Katie Wiggin (MBA ’26) is a Forté Fellow who served as VP of alumni relations for the MBA Association. Her dedication to “growing the good in business” motivated her to take two Business on the Frontlines courses, consulting for nonprofits from Uganda to South Bend. Next, she heads to PwC in Chicago.

Dody Eid (MBA ’26) is a Meyer Fellow. He launched the “Faith & Reason” speaker series and organized weekly community service trips. Beyond the classroom, the economist and viral percussionist developed his startup TriviaLinked, earning a spot in P&Q’s 2025 Most Disruptive MBA Startups and “Top Mobile Game of 2025” from Pocket Gamer Magazine.

2026 Magazine Issue