"I graduated with my master's in theology in 1986. While I think Notre Dame has a long way to go in terms of diversity and inclusion, I think we've come far since my time there. Not including summer sessions, the students were like homogenized milk. I'm serious. But diversity is a conversation that is ongoing, and that's how changes are made. It takes active discussion.
"I remember my adviser encouraging me to take a theology class taught by a female professor. My thinking was that gender didn't matter--it was the quality of the course. So my adviser looked at me and said, 'Well, I'll put you with her. You won't regret it.' The professor was Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza. When she lived in Germany, despite her credentials, she was denied a teaching position. Do you know why? Because she was a woman. That's what they told her: we can't take you because you're a woman. So she moved to the United States, hoping to find a more accepting atmosphere and more opportunities here. After my class with her, I came to see that female professors are often tougher on their female pupils. And it's because they know that their female pupils have had to fight harder to get to where they are. They've overcome incredible odds, and professors want to encourage and foster this energy and passion.
"That's a spirit that's carried on in the alumni association, most specifically female alumni. More than anything, it's about encouraging undergraduates. Letting them know there is a support system behind them."