"One of the most formative experiences I've had at Notre Dame has been participating in Show Some Skin. Back in high school, I wasn't in a long-term relationship the way my sister was. To a point, I felt like I couldn't love or be loved. When I participated in Show Some Skin, I was given a monologue by an author who felt she had a 'gay disease.' I ate, slept, and lived with that monologue, trying to understand the character, trying to get into their head. I had never discriminated against someone who is gay, but I also feel like I grouped them into a category and didn't see them as many, many individuals. As I practiced the monologue, I started love this author. I started to see inside her. And I thought, I could never hate this girl, because I know and love her. 
"After the final night of performance, someone came up to me and said, 'Hey...you performed the monologue that I wrote.' And I was stunned. I said, 'You are exactly how I pictured you.' I'm still friends with her now. I knew her and loved her as a person before I ever met her. Truly, this show taught me that I am capable of loving and am capable of being loved.
"It's so easy to generalize any group of people, to hate them and discriminate against them. But when you're one-on-one, it's impossible to hate them. You see their vulnerability. This is so important, especially in college. And Show Some Skin is addressing that head-on."

Seen at St. Mary's Lake.

            "What's your favorite memory of Notre Dame?"
"There are too many to choose! I've been here for 25 years. Let me think....Father Ted, for sure. The football games. The energy and support from the students and fans. The camaraderie. I was in a pretty bad wreck nine months ago and was out of commission for a while. And I received so much support, prayers, and kindness from the people here. Notre Dame is more than a community--it's a family. We look out for each other. This is actually my fourth week back on the job!"

Seen on North Quad: celebrating Holi.

"I hadn't heard of Holi before this year! He knows all about it, though."
"As you can see, it's a festival in which we throw colors at each other. It's a celebration of spring, of new beginnings, of celebrating friendships, of letting go of old grudges."

"We just finished a routine on the quad for ASA--the African Students Association. You don't have to be African to join, but there are plenty of African students who are involved! All this is for Africa on the Quad--we have a fashion station for head wraps, West African food, dancing, and more."
            "Which one of you choreographed the dance?"
(pointing to the food line) "The tall one!"

Seen on North Quad: Africa on the Quad, sponsored by SUB and the African Students Association.

"For class, we created a product that washes your face more efficiently than a sink. It deposits the water directly onto your face instead of having to splash it. But we don't have a source of running water...so we've been shuttling water bottles back and forth from the bathroom and dumping them into this funnel to supply the water."
"We're studying on the MVP--the minimum viable product. It basically says, 'Why spend a thousand dollars on something you can make from Wal-Mart and Home Depot?' We start here, with this, and learn about the demand for the product and what customers are looking for in it."
"Fourteen people have washed their face with this, and we've learned a lot already. For example, we stopped using cold water. People didn't seem to like that. We also tipped the bucket up on a stack of books so people could use their hands to wash. We also moved the tubes closer together to direct the water."
"Are you sure you don't want to wash your face in it?"

Seen at Touchdown Jesus: lit purple for Relay for Life.

Seen at the Bald and the Beautiful.

"We're hair stylists, but this is our first time shaving heads for the Bald and the Beautiful. We're here because it's a good cause. And because they needed people. We haven't shaved a head yet today, but we will soon!"

Seen on God Quad.

"I've found that law students feel more comfortable and prepared when they take a year off after undergrad before coming to law school. A lot of them find value in doing ACE and Teach for America--and those teach valuable skills going into law school. Plus, a law school will try to scare you a bit during your first year. But if you made it in, you're committed, and you work hard, you'll be fine."

Seen outside Washington Hall.

"Last summer, the summer before my freshman year, involved a lot of tough stuff. That all compiled with the worries of coming to college--handling the chaos of classes, making friends, going to events, joining clubs. About a month in to the semester, I took a short run around the lakes and stopped at the Grotto. And I was surrounded by people, even though we were all silent. People go to the Grotto whether they're in high or low spirits, to ask for help or to say thank you. And that moment was impactful for me: to be surrounded by this presence of people, all with different thoughts and prayers, feeling and being as one."

"I was most concerned about finding a group who I'd fit in with at Notre Dame. I went to four different high schools and never really settled in. But Project Fresh and the architects here have really made Notre Dame home for me. I've found families with those groups. I'm involved in a bunch of different groups, really--the Fisher Regatta, Undergraduate Admissions, FYS. Keeping busy is a way of life for me. I think I would be lost without it. ...is it okay if I do a freeze for my picture?"

Seen at Fieldhouse Mall.

"I was hospitalized earlier this semester after having a manic episode. I was unable to sleep or function, really. At the hospital, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and am now in treatment and on medication. My doctors were and still are hesitant about me sharing this information with other people. But the people in my hall know about it, as do my friends. I'm not afraid to share it. I've found only a supportive community here in the face of all this. And I think it's important to have this dialogue on campus--to share this information, to talk about it, to learn about it. That's the only way to fight the stigma."

"I was first introduced to L'Arche, a faith-based community for individuals with learning disabilities, in Washington DC my freshman year. I went with a Notre Dame group over spring break for a week. That was my first time living with people with intellectual disabilities. I was super happy in the community, but I didn't know why. One week wasn't enough time for me to figure it out.
"Over the summer, I did an SSLP in the same community for two months. And that was a transformative experience. For the first time in my life, I wasn't judged by my race, my appearance, my school, my GPA. We all grow up with those labels. We identify ourselves by them. But without them, I initially felt lost. Who was I, then, if I didn't have all these things? I didn't talk much for the beginning of my time there. 
First time living with people with intellectual disabilities. Super happy in the community, didn't know why. One week wasn't enough time to figure out why. SSLP in the summer, same community for two months. A transformative experience.
"One day, a man with Down Syndrome came up to me and said, 'Can you cut my nails?' It was a beautiful moment. I had felt like nothing without my labels, and suddenly he trusted me with this intimate, personal task. I was so surprised that I didn't respond, so he asked, 'Are you okay?' And I burst into tears. Without a word, he gave me the biggest hug. He felt like a father figure in that moment. That was when my view on L'Arche undoubtedly changed. The residents, known as core members, are angels. They freely offer their love and trust. And just being yourself is enough.
"Notre Dame life is so busy. There's always something to do, whether it's an event or homework. That all went away at L'Arche: the day's obligations were three meals and sleep. I felt like I wasn't doing anything. But I learned: only when you have that free time can you find the time to offer and accept love. We're so occupied by everyday obligations that we don't have time to truly offer others love.
"This summer, I'm going to England's L'Arche. And my goal is to start one in my home country of China. It might not happen right away, but I don't see the value in procrastinating. I've had many dreams and goals as I've grown up, but my dedication to and love for L'Arche has by far been the strongest."

"I've realized that Notre Dame is that it's like Hogwarts: help will always be given to those who ask for it. I came from a competitive high school, and last semester was definitely a time of adjustment. Everything about college was new, and everyone I met was--is--brilliant, talented, and capable. My grades slipped. I stressed. But looking back on last semester, I've come to see it the way we all eventually see our mistakes: you learn something from them. Some mistakes you learn from sooner than others. Instead of beating myself up for it, I maintain a positive attitude. After all, we are all brothers and sisters in the Notre Dame family. We'll one day graduate, leave, and be representatives of Notre Dame elsewhere. It's up to us to pursue knowledge, not just in our grades but in intellectual discussion. It's up to us to help each other be the best we can be, rather than being bogged down and competitive.
"Every morning, I wake up and say to myself, 'I'm so grateful for the opportunity to go to this school.' And that's the best way to approach it, I think. There's help everywhere, from the Writing Center to the Counseling Center to your RAs and rector. And it's willingly given. The first step is being unafraid to seek it." 

"I had an incredible second grade teacher, and that was when I decided I wanted to pursue education as a future career. When I was in high school, I stumbled across ACE online. Nothing had ever clicked with me the way ACE did. Their values and mission aligned perfectly with mine. It was an incredible moment.
"As a junior, I jumped on the opportunity to apply for an ACE internship. Committing a year before everyone else us as interns to prepare ourselves mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Plus, it takes some of the stress and panic of senior year off our shoulders. Through all that, it still suddenly feels much more real when you receive your placement call. One week, you're a college student involved in classes, and the next week, you have a call that tells you the city name, school name, subjects...I was even told where my classroom would be. I'll be teaching high school Spanish and, hopefully, theology.
"Nowadays, it's hard to talk about the future of education without the conversation turning to negativity. But that's not what ACE is like: they're so enthusiastic, so hopeful, so positive, so committed. The energy in the ACE office is contagious. It's prepared us for our future in the best possible way."

"We're working on atmospheric perspective in Drawing I--making things look fuzzy if they're in the background and not the focus. I'm just taking it for an elective, but there are a lot of art minors here. We've been doing mostly still life. Plus it was a nice day out, so we figured we'd draw outside."

"When I was a junior, as a pre-med and theology major, I realized I needed to start thinking about plans after college. As I was discerning, it seemed like the ACE program was everywhere I went. I was drawn to the deep relationships facilitated by ACE. I found I was less interested in seeing someone once a year for a check-up visit, and more interested in getting to know them through daily interaction.
"ACE provides such a grounded support system. You first need encouragement, strong roots, a community in order to give of yourself. You can't give without first having. And that's what I see the ACE program doing. You have a spiritual advisor, an academic advisor, an advisor in your diocese, and of course the 180 people across the country all living out the same fundamental ACE values.
"Everyone in the ACE office is so connected. It's a creative, enthusiastic, passionate group. But they're also lighthearted, too. I just got my assignment for next year: I'll be in a new program in Indianapolis teaching middle school science, math, and religion!"