Notre Dame News | Notre Dame News | News

Maria Mercedes Salmon named director of Mexico City Global Center

2023-04-19T13:40:00-04:00

Notre Dame International has announced that Maria Mercedes Salmon has been appointed director of the University of Notre Dame’s Global Center in Mexico.

In this role, Mercedes Salmon will work with Notre Dame’s students, faculty and community of alumni, parents and partners to prioritize continual and accessible international education, through supporting innovative, meaningful and impactful academic exchanges and research and building and maintaining strategic partnerships. Under her leadership, Notre Dame aims to enhance its global exchange and research initiatives, academic leadership, and footprint in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and beyond.

In her previous role as the regional educational advising coordinator (REAC) for Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, she and her team — including 55 EducationUSA advisers, 19 U.S. embassies and consulates and more than 50 host institutions throughout 25 countries — established a consistent environment for higher education internationalization between the United States and an extremely socioeconomically diverse sub-region of the Americas.

Prior to assuming REAC responsibilities, she was the EducationUSA country coordinator and Fulbright Foreign Student program officer at the Fulbright Commission in Ecuador for 10 years and its acting executive director. She holds a Licenciatura en Gestión Empresarial Internacional from Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil and a Master of Arts in international affairs from Ohio University, where she attended as a Fulbright grantee.

The Notre Dame Global Center is part of NDI’s global network, which includes 12 international locations in Beijing, Dublin, Hong Kong, Jerusalem, Kylemore Abbey (western Ireland), London, Mumbai, Nairobi, Rome, Santiago and São Paulo.

Learn more about Notre Dame’s work in Mexico.

Originally published by Cory Hankins at international.nd.edu on April 18.

Notre Dame International hosts IREX UASP Fellows from Nigeria

2023-03-17T14:56:00-04:00

Notre Dame International welcomed two fellows from African universities as part of the IREX University Administration Sponsorship Program. IREX is an international development organization based in Washington, D.C., that helps build research management capacity of African administrators and faculty. On Feb. 19, Angela Itegboje and Titilayo Olaposi arrived on campus as part of the new fellowship program.

Fellows met with faculty and staff from NDI, Notre Dame Research; the IDEA Center; the Keough 91��Ƶ’s Pulte Institute, Kellogg Institute and McKenna Center; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Department of Electrical Engineering; the Pamoja Initiative; the Graduate 91��Ƶ; and the Berthiaume Institute for Precision Health.

“Hosting the IREX UASP fellowship has been a great experience. Notre Dame has played an active role in enabling research leadership to thrive in sub-Saharan Africa by allowing a bidirectional exchange and acquisition of knowledge and skill by showcasing the best global practices in innovation and research management as well as commercialization of the intellectual products of research,” says Jackie Oluoch-Aridi, director of Notre Dame in Nairobi.

Jonathan Noble, senior assistant provost for internationalization at Notre Dame, also spoke of the partnership, saying, “We are extremely grateful for the enthusiastic engagement and sharing by numerous colleagues across campus. We trust this exchange will catalyze more opportunities for administrative and scholarly exchange with research institutions in the African continent.”

Since arriving in February, Itegboje and Olaposi, who are both IREX UASP Research Management Fellows from Nigeria, have met with leaders all across campus to compare their institutions’ practices with Notre Dame’s research ecosystem, and are each responsible for proposing plans to improve their own institution’s performance, using a template provided by IREX.

Olaposi, principal research fellow at the African Institute for Science Policy and Innovation of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, says, “Most of my research focuses on technological entrepreneurship and innovation management. Coming here, I have been very impressed. The people are very friendly and always willing to share knowledge. We have touched different centers, institutes and offices and it is very helpful to me because I have become an administrator, even as a researcher.

“The knowledge I have gained here is very useful to me to oversee research management within my own university. I have learned so much regarding grants, management, proposal development and assessment, and communication,” she concludes.

Itegboje, assistant registrar and research administrator in the Research Management Office at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, adds, “Notre Dame is an environment that is open to learning, and our visit has been both fruitful and informative. I am focusing on innovation, technology and commercialization and have already gained so much knowledge on how to make the best use of research to impact and serve societal needs.”

IREX, a global development and education organization working in more than 100 countries around the world, contacted Notre Dame International in fall 2022, seeking a partnership wherein Notre Dame would host African university leaders under the UASP (University Administration Support Program) Research Management Fellowships. UASP builds the research management capacity of African administrators and faculty to design and lead related reforms at their institutions following the program.

Learn more about Notre Dame International’s commitment to supporting faculty research through its global network and strategic partnerships.

Originally published by Cory Hankins at international.nd.edu on March 16.

Mandela Washington Fellowship returns in summer 2022

2022-06-17T16:00:00-04:00

The University of Notre Dame this week welcomed 25 fellows in the 2022 cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. The Pulte Institute for Global Development, part of the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, will host these fellows for a six-week Leadership Institute, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

These fellows are talented entrepreneurs and business leaders from 17 different countries, who bring with them a wide array of expertise including specializations in STEM education, robotics, gender equity, youth empowerment and financial literacy.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities and local community engagement. YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and enhance peace and security across Africa. Since 2014, the U.S. Department of State has supported nearly 5,100 Mandela Washington Fellows from across Africa to develop their leadership skills and foster connections and collaboration with U.S. professionals. The cohort of fellows hosted by Notre Dame will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 27 educational institutions across the U.S.

After their Leadership Institutes, fellows will participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit, where they will take part in networking and panel discussions with each other and with U.S. leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Following the summit, up to 100 competitively selected fellows will participate in four weeks of professional development with U.S. nongovernmental organizations, private companies and government agencies.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and implemented by IREX, Leadership Institutes will offer programs that will challenge, motivate and empower young leaders from Africa to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.

The Notre Dame program will give fellows the opportunity to connect with the South Bend community, including:

Local businesses, entrepreneurs and community leaders through site visits, networking opportunities and community service projects;
Local residents through fun cultural activities like a hospitality night, a South Bend Cubs baseball game and East Race whitewater rafting.
Community organizations, such as Unity Gardens, the Food Bank of Northern Indiana and Habitat for Humanity, through service projects.

For additional information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship Leadership Institute at the University of Notre Dame — or to host a fellow for a hospitality night — contact Jennifer Krauser at jkrauser@nd.edu or visit www.pulte.nd.edu/mwf.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. government and administered by IREX. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit mandelawashingtonfellowship.org and join the conversation at #YALI2022.

Originally published by Cory Hankins at pulte.nd.edu on June 14.

South Bend Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program kicks off second year of helping local entrepreneurs

2021-03-08T13:00:00-05:00

On Feb. 13, the South Bend Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program (SBEAP) welcomed a new cohort of 70 participants as it kicked off its second year supporting local entrepreneurs. Among these participants, 65 percent are women, 60 percent are currently in business and 40 percent have a concept for a business.

SBEAP is a 12-month course that leverages University and city resources to help participants establish sustainable ventures as a pathway out of poverty. During the 12 months, participants can advance through five stages: training, mentoring, consulting, community connect and microcredit. The program begins with six Saturdays of training that present the steps of the entrepreneurial process and introduce fundamental tools and concepts that are critical for new venture success.

The founder of the program is Michael Morris, professor of the practice with the Keough 91��Ƶ's McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business at the University of Notre Dame. Morris brings more than 35 years of entrepreneurship experience to South Bend and has replicated the success of SBEAP by launching similar programs in Milwaukee, San Diego, Baton Rouge, Gainesville and Lafayette, Louisiana — all within the last year. As this list of partner cities continues to grow, the McKenna Center has also formed the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative, which seeks to build a community of universities and nonprofit organizations committed to poverty alleviation and the empowering potential of entrepreneurship.

In 2020, SBEAP worked with 60 members of the local community to start and grow businesses of their own. Even amid a global pandemic, 51 participants completed the 12-month program. Currently, 35 of these participants have successfully launched their businesses and are selling products and services. Morris and his team continue to communicate with these entrepreneurs and track their performance using an activity-based tracking approach that considers 80 action steps.

Tonya Hopkins, a 2020 SBEAP participant, is now running her own microblading and cosmetics studio called Virtuous Brows and Beauty.

“I couldn't have asked for a better program. If there is anyone in the area who is starting out or having struggles in some way, I would definitely encourage them and point them in the direction of the program because it's been excellent,” Hopkins said.

Cory Pringle, who owns Faith Hustle Media, a multimedia production company, recalls his own experience as an SBEAP participant over the past year.

“I had been doing business on my own for a while before I joined SBEAP, but didn’t have any formal training or mentors. Since joining the program last year, I’ve gained a new perspective, which has really changed my approach to building my business. The entire process has challenged me to grow, both personally and professionally, and given me the ability to network and be around like-minded individuals who are chasing their dreams.”

SBEAP participants from 2020 will also have the option to participate in a special program this spring to assist them in their marketing efforts and will be invited to all SBEAP specialty training sessions offered in 2021.

“The program will increase the number of specialty training sessions offered to participants where more specialized topics are discussed in greater depth,” Morris said. “We plan to offer a training session in the fall that focuses on helping program participants register their businesses as woman- or minority-owned entities, for instance.”

In addition to accepting a larger pool of delegates this year and expanding efforts to co-market participants’ businesses, SBEAP will launch several networking events and aim to increase the number of participants served by student consultants from 24 to 35. Currently, Notre Dame students are filling the majority of these consultant roles, as well as one student from Saint Mary’s College and two other recent college graduates.

The initial six-week training boot camp portion of SBEAP will be moving to the Charles Martin Youth Center and includes rigorous adherence to CDC guidelines surrounding the pandemic, including mandatory mask wearing, temperature taking and physical distancing.

According to Morris, “Our biggest needs include additional mentors from the community, and financial support for this important program. I think we are making a real difference, and can elevate our efforts even more with additional support from the community.”

To learn more about the South Bend Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program, visit the McKenna Center website.

The McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business — an integral part of the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame — seeks to better understand the critical role of global business in reducing poverty and inequality.

Contact: Cory Hankins, communications specialist, McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business, 574-631-1388, chankins@nd.edu