2020s

20 New Class Secretary
Summer is winding down, and many of us are probably happy to get some relief from the heat and have the Irish dominate our Saturdays again. But I am very excited to follow more than just our football team as I take over as the Class Notes author for the Class of 2020! Starting off, Griffin Modjeski is finishing up his Ph.D. in MechE at Notre Dame with plans to defend this summer. Theresa Rice has been appointed as a visiting associate professor of liturgical studies at the Aquinas Institute of Theology. We have had a couple weddings this summer, bringing together the Irish family at home and internationally. Addie Donaher and Blake Murphy are thrilled to announce their marriage. The ceremony took place at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame followed by an outdoor reception in New Buffalo MI. The bridesmaids included fellow Cavanaugh Hall residents Mary Hilliard, Catherine Markley, Emma (Brady) Voulargis, Claire DiOrio, Amanda Wall and Skylar Adams as well as the bride’s sister Maeve Donaher ’24SMC. Zach Zeller married Alejandra Ganoza Muniz in early July in the Sacred Valley in Peru and were joined in the celebrations by ND friends and fencing teammates. Cecilia Fasano and Collin Brown have a wedding date for this Aug. 1, and fellow Ryan Hall wildcat Lily Arp is engaged to Joey Aulino with plans to wed this fall. If you have any updates — new degree, job, city, sport or an engagement or wedding — please send it my way! I look forward to hearing from you! — Caroline Hills; chills1@alumni.nd.edu

20MBA Class Secretary — Audrey Walker; awalke10@alumni.nd.edu

20JD Class Secretary — Elizabeth (Lombard) Eckert ’15, ’19MBA, ’20JD; 708-334-0213; elombard@nd.edu

21 Rings and Cats and Books, Oh My
As you no doubt know by now, football season is upon us. And let me be the first to say, this is the year! Surely they won’t break our fragile little hearts this time. I’m certain of it. Without further ado, the much anticipated and highly sought-after life updates! As always, we will start aboard the love train. Emily Torrente and Sean O’Brien ’19, ’20MSM were married May 16 in Stamford CT! Celine Castillo got engaged on the Fourth of July, because nothing says “I do” quite like fireworks. And Elizabeth (Zahorick) and Thomas Howe welcomed their first child in May, a boy named Andrew James. Congrats to the happy families! In academics and career moves, Jenna Lehn graduated from Creighton U School of Medicine in May and just started her residency in July. She’s very happy to be back in CA and near her family. Celine also leveled up professionally, becoming a licensed professional engineer in December 2025. Meanwhile, Devon Ngo finally escaped IN and moved to the greater Chicago area (Evanston) to start his MBA+MS program at Northwestern Kellogg. His orange cat made the journey with him. And Courtney VanHuffel is moving to Dublin to get her MSc in smart and sustainable cities from Trinity College Dublin! She studied abroad there in spring 2020 (RIP) and has already been in touch about getting involved at O’Connell House. Finally, in the category of “Ohhh, so that’s what he’s up to!” our very own jester Sam Cannova read Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Life really does imitate art, or something like that. Congrats, all, on some amazing life accomplishments and milestones! As always, for those of you reading along, don’t be shy! When we send out our quarterly emails asking for updates, let us know what you’ve been up to — the more details, the better. Or, if you’re too eager to wait for that, you can DM us 24/7 on Instagram @class21nd. We look forward to hearing from you and Go Irish! — Ryan Mullin; rmullin77@gmail.com

21MBA Class Notes Author Needed — This class is in search of a Class Notes author. If you would like to volunteer, please contact beth.thomas@nd.edu.

21JD Class Secretary — Graham Pilotte; gpilotte@alumni.nd.edu

22 Wedding Bells
As summer begins, it’s been wonderful to hear about the milestones our classmates are celebrating. Wedding bells rang for fellow Domers Katie Rose Blachowicz and Luke Phillips, who were married at the end of June in a beautiful ceremony at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame’s campus. Congratulations to the newlyweds as they begin this exciting new chapter together! Visit reunion.nd.edu to learn more about our five-year Reunion is June 3 - 6, 2027. Please spread the word and let me know if you’d like to join the Reunion planning committee. Whether you’re starting a new job, moving to a new city, pursuing graduate school, getting engaged, getting married, welcoming a new member to your family or celebrating another milestone, I’d love to hear from you. Please send any news you’d like included in the next issue. Share your updates, milestones and adventures by visiting tinyurl.com/nd22update, and don’t forget to follow and tag us on Instagram at @ndclassof2022 to stay connected. — PJ Brennan; pjbren@hotmail.com

22JD Major Moves
Big congratulations to Melat Kiros, who made history by securing the Democratic primary candidacy in CO’s District 1. We’re cheering you on from the sidelines! Warm wishes to classmates Samantha Contreras and Henry Lay on their recent wedding at Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Fittingly for an NDLS couple, I remember the two of them hitting it off in the front row of Mr. Velasco’s Contract Law class. Congratulations also to Michael Atkins on his marriage to Lauren Meyer, and to Wardah Bari on her continued wedding celebrations with her husband, Adrián Hernández. — Stephanie Wong; swong6@alumni.nd.edu

23 Irish Around the World
Happy fall! I’m looking forward to hearing about the many reunions this football season. Speaking of football, Dan Law has already booked a hotel in Las Vegas for the national championship game. This summer, many of our classmates toured the world! Jake Lowry and Bryce Brophy, former roommates in Keenan Hall, explored Iceland together. Mollie Griesedieck attended a three-day, live-in baking intensive taught by Chef Rachel Allen at Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland. While baking is more of a side gig (@molliegmade), she was thrilled to return to Ireland for the first time since Notre Dame’s Dublin Summer 2022 Program! Kelly Lain took a trip to Norway with Claire Kloska, and Annie Thompson joined them in Denmark. This summertime trip came before Kelly started medical school at Temple U this fall! She relocated from Indianapolis to Philadelphia, where she lives within a mile radius of Abby Urban and Payton Renz. In other academic news, Annabel Briody began an MBA at Harvard Business School! We wish Annabel and Kelly the best of luck! Please send any updates or DM us on Instagram @class2023nd. I’m looking forward to hearing from you! — Jill Borza; classof2023@alumni.nd.edu

23JD Class Secretary — Dillon Yang; 650-417-8428; dyang2@alumni.nd.edu

24 Safaris, Meetups, Graduations
Mason Marrone and Mark Laboe are taking their studies from the classroom to the real world with a South African safari! The two met as classmates in BIOS 34250: Animal Function and Structure. Ava Downey, Cameron Blanchard, Emileigh Yan and Valeria Guerrero all met in Chicago for a boat day in the Chicago playpen for a Walsh Hall reunion! Grace Haak finished up her first year of medical school at Creighton U School of Medicine. Finally, congratulations to all members of our class who graduated this summer from Notre Dame’s ACE and ECHO programs. Thank you for your dedicated service to communities across the country, and best of luck in your next chapter. Be sure to share what comes next for inclusion in the next issue! — Ryan Wachter; classof2024@alumni.nd.edu

25 Fire Island Reunion
Grace Rish, now Grace Zelis, got married! Ethan Lettich also got married. In July, a group of 10 Pyros had a reunion trip to Fire Island NY, coming together from Chicago, NYC, Dallas, Seattle, San Diego, OH and IN. A former environmental science major, Katiebelle Thompson, took a shark behavior course in the Bahamas this summer! If you haven’t yet, be sure to visit my.nd.edu and update your contact information to receive this free quarterly magazine — and make sure to tell your friends! To be featured in the next edition, please send us your updates to classof2025@alumni.nd.edu or send our Instagram, @ndclass25, a DM. We hope you had an amazing summer and are enjoying fall and football season. Go Irish! — Sabrina Takagishi; classof2025@alumni.nd.edu

26 New Chapter
Wow! I can’t believe how fast this summer is going and that we’re not returning to South Bend as students this fall. Some of us are moving to big cities and starting new jobs, others are tackling higher education, and some are still trying to figure out next steps. Regardless, new chapters can be scary! Whatever you are doing next, remember that nothing is permanent, we are young and resilient, and we have everything necessary (and more) to succeed! After graduation, Diego Pavez González, our senior class president, moved back to his hometown of Santiago, Chile. After hosting his Notre Dame friends for a two-week “hometown tour” following graduation, Diego has been focused on applying to medical schools in Chile. He plans to apply to 25 schools, all of which begin classes in March! Diego said, “It has been strange being back home speaking a different language and not seeing my Notre Dame friends every day, but I am excited to see everyone at our 2031 reunion!” I can’t wait to hear about all of the incredible things the members of our class will accomplish. Please continue to share any updates you have! I’m praying for and thinking of you all as we begin this next chapter of life. Go Irish!! — Claire Coffey; ccoffeynd3@gmail.com