Category Archives: Awards

2022 LGBTQ+ Leadership Award Weekend

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On April 8 -10, 2022, GALA ND/SMC and ARC ND hosted a weekend celebration on ND’s campus honoring the legacy of LGBTQ+ alums and the transition to a new chapter: “ND LGBTQ+ Alumni – Past, Present & Future – A Celebration of Our Community’s Journey”.

The weekend included a welcome reception, alumni panel and the weekend signature event: Thomas Dooley & LGBTQ+ Leadership Award Ceremony. Alums came from around the country to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Honored at the award ceremony were Marlo Thomas, Fr Joe Corpora ’76 C.S.C., Meghan Buell & Greg Bourke ’82.

For more information, and many images of the weekend, go to: 2022 LGBTQ+ Leadership Award Weekend.

Registration is Now Open for LGBTQ+ Awards Weekend

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Registration is now open for the weekend celebration honoring the legacy of LGBTQ+ alums and the transition to a new chapter: “ND LGBTQ+ Alumni – Past, Present & Future – A Celebration of Our Community’s Journey” April 8 – 10, 2022.

To register for all events including the Friday evening Alumni/Student Networking event, Saturday afternoon Alumni Panel, Saturday Night Dinner/Award Ceremony, go to:  LGBTQ+ Weekend Celebration. 

ND LGBTQ+ Alumni – Past, Present & Future: A Celebration of Our Community’s Journey

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REGISTER HERE

GALA ND/SMC and ARC ND are pleased to host a weekend of celebration honoring the legacy of LGBTQ+ alums and the transition to a new chapter: “ND LGBTQ+ Alumni – Past, Present & Future – A Celebration of Our Community’s Journey” April 8 – 10, 2022.

This weekend celebration will include the bi-annual Dooley Award ceremony (and other leadership awards) as well as several opportunities to engage with fellow alums, students and allies.  We encourage all everyone who has participated in this journey over the past 30+ years, as well as more recent alums, to join your fellow LGBTQ alums & friends for this fun and memorable celebration.

Weekend Events

Friday April 8th

  • Alumni/Student Networking Event – 7:00pm

Saturday April 9th

  • Academic Panel: “ND LGBTQ+ Alumni – Honoring Our Community’s Journey” – 12:00pm
  • Awards Dinner/Ceremony – 6:30pm
  • Alumni Social – 10:30pm

Sunday April 10th

  • Mass – 10:00am
  • Brunch – 11:30am

REGISTER HERE:  2022 LGBTQ Alumni Weekend

Tom Dooley & Other Award Recipients Announced

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GALA ND/SMC & ARC ND are proud to announce the 2022 LGBTQ Leadership Award recipients.

  • Thomas A. Dooley Award – Marlo Thomas
  • Distinguished Alumni Award – Greg Bourke ‘82
  • Larry Condren Distinguished Service Award – Meghan Buell
  • Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award in Support of the ND LGBTQ+ Campus Community – Rev. Joe Corpora ’76, C.S.C.

The awards event will be part of an overall weekend of activities Friday April 8th – Sunday April 10th.  For more information on each award recipient, go to: 2022 LGBTQ Awards.

LGBTQ Scholarship Goal Achieved in 2020

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$250,000 Five-Year Goal Achieved in 2020!

In 2015, GALA ND/SMC established a scholarship to support LGBTQ students attending Notre Dame & Saint Mary’s, now known as the The Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas LGBTQ Student Scholarship.  To date, 12 students have received assistance from this scholarship fund.

A goal was set to raise $250,000 by the end of 2020.  Congratulations!!!  Thanks to everyone who participated in our scholarship benefit events and donated to this important cause, we have achieved this major milestone!  

For more information on the scholarship, including the students who have benefited from the annual awards, go to LGBTQ Scholarship.  

GALA ND/SMC Names LGBTQ Scholarship For Iconic ND Grad Phil Donahue ’57 & His Wife, Actress & Social Activist, Marlo Thomas

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GALA ND/SMC, the LGBTQ alumni/ae group for Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s, is pleased to announce the naming of its LGBTQ Student Scholarship to The Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas LGBTQ Student Scholarship.  The naming of the scholarship reflects the enormous contribution Phil and Marlo have made over the years to the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s LGBTQ community, and is a way of continuing their legacy well into the future.  In addition, it also recognizes the life-long commitment each of them has made to helping others through their various professional and personal contributions. 

Mr. Donahue and Ms. Thomas accepted this honor while hosting the Fifth Annual LGBTQ Scholarship Benefit at their home in NYC on Sunday November 17th.  Presenting the renaming were GALA Board Member Jack Bergen ’77 and GALA NYC Chapter Chair John Flanagan ’93, along with a group of LGBTQ alumni, friends and allies from the local NYC ND Alumni club.

For more information, go to:  Student Scholarship Announcement. 

2019/2020 LGBTQ Scholarship Recipients Announced

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GALA ND/SMC is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019/2020 LGBTQ Student Scholarships.  This year’s recipients are César Moreno ND ’20 and Genesis Vasquez SMC ’20.  Congratulations to both winners!

César is a senior at Notre Dame majoring in Chemical Engineering, Neuroscience and Behavior, Pre-Med with a minor in Biomolecular Engineering.  They are a member of the Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program.

Genesis is a senior at Saint Mary’s College majoring in Global Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies and a minor in Spanish.  She will be the first person in her family to graduate from college. 

For more information about each, including their contributions to the LGBTQ community, go to Scholarship Recipients.

To donate to the scholarship fund, go to:  LGBTQ Scholarship.

2019 LGBTQ Leadership Award Weekend

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GALA ND/SMC hosted the 2019 LGBTQ Leadership Award Weekend to recognize and honor LGBTQ leaders in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s community. The celebration took place Friday March 29th through Sunday March 31st.

Included in the weekend’s events were an Alumni/Student Networking Event, an Academic Panel and the Tom Dooley/LGBTQ Leadership Award Dinner & Ceremony. 

For a complete weekend recap, including images press coverage and videos, go to 2019 LGBTQ Leadership Award Weekend.

2019 LGBTQ Leadership Awards Announced

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Award Dinner Registration Now Closed

GALA ND/SMC is pleased to announce the 2019 Thomas Dooley and LGBTQ Leadership Award recipients.  This year’s award recipients are:

  • Thomas A. Dooley Award – Father James Martin S.J.
  • Distinguished Service Award – Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend
  • Distinguished Alumni Award – John Sullivan ND Law ’83

The individuals will be recognized at a dinner and ceremony on the Notre Dame campus on Saturday March 30th starting at 6:30pm.  Registration is now closed.  Go to:  2019 LGBTQ Awards Dinner.

The award ceremony is just part of the overall LGBTQ Leadership Award Weekend Celebration taking place Friday March 29th through Sunday March 31st. 

In addition to the Awards Dinner and Ceremony, other activities taking place over the weekend include:

  • Alumni/Student Networking Event – Friday March 29 – 8:00pm
  • Academic Panel – Saturday March 30 – 1:00pm
  • Alumni Social – Saturday March 30 – 10:30pm
  • Mass – Sunday March 31 – 10:00am

2019 Tom Dooley Award Event Being Planned

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Every two years GALA ND/SMC recognizes individuals who have made contributions to the LGBTQ community.  Planning is now underway to announce the 2019 Thomas Dooley Award and LGBT Leadership Award recipients during a weekend in South Bend in Spring ’19. 

The weekend will include the awards ceremony and an academic panel related to the award recipient’s work.  Stay tuned for the “Save-The-Date” announcement!