A popular Notre Dame Human Resources (NDHR) program is getting a new name and an updated purpose. Beloved Community Gatherings, a partnership between the Office of Institutional Transformation and NDHR, represent an evolution of the Unity Summits that Notre Dame Human Resources first began in 2016.
While the Unity Summits focused on making connections between staff from different backgrounds and identifying commonalities as a basis for developing relationships, the Beloved Community Gatherings will highlight actions that can be taken to break down barriers and build bridges on campus, in the region, and in the world.
“Notre Dame is fortunate to be in a place where so many of us, as faculty and staff, have been engaged in events and development opportunities that have enhanced our understanding of ourselves as individuals as well as our connectedness and interdependence as colleagues,” said Eve Kelly, executive director for institutional transformation and staff belonging. “We now seek to build our capacity to live out Notre Dame’s mission of honoring the dignity of every human person and promoting a just society in which all who study, teach, work, and visit the University feel at home here and flourish.”
The first Beloved Community Gathering will take place during Walk the Walk Week 2025. The event will feature a welcome from University Executive Vice President Shannon Cullinan and a keynote by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, a spiritual writer, preacher, and community-cultivator. Wilson-Hartgrove serves as assistant director for partnerships and fellowships at Yale University’s Center for Public Theology and Public Policy and is the author, most recently, of White Poverty with Bishop William J. Barber, II.
Registration is open for the event, scheduled from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 29 at the Morris Inn’s William and Mary Ann Smith Ballroom.
"January offers a fitting opportunity to launch the Beloved Community Gatherings, as our students, faculty, and staff reflect on the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Walk the Walk Week invites each of us to consider how we can create a more welcoming and inclusive community," said Heather Christophersen, Vice President for NDHR. "Regardless of role or department, all staff can benefit from learning how to better support one another and enhance our work environment."