Alliance for Catholic Education Alliance for Catholic Education

As we wait in joyful hope, it’s time for our year-end gift to you, highlighting a few memorable moments from this year’s Think. Pair. Share. conversations, as we talked all things modern education with some of the best minds—and hearts—in the field. Thank you to our listeners, the team at the Institute for Educational Initiatives and the Alliance for Catholic Education, and of course to our guests: Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, Kati Macaluso, Alec Torigian, and Taylor Kelly. We look forward to continuing the conversations in 2024!

From following in Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C.’s clarinet playing footsteps, to leading others in the mission to educate by embracing one’s belovedness and radiating it out to a world in need



Taylor Kelly, an associate director of the Institute for Educational Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame, discusses her role walking alongside others as they discover their capacity for human flourishing and spreading joy to others, as well as the Laetare Medal, the Holy Half Marathon, and being a member of “The Oldest Band in the Land.”

From Fr. Ted Hesburgh hand-in-hand with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to providing radical accompaniment, opportunity, and formation to students, in order to help enable their fullest flourishing

Alec Torigian, national coordinator for ACE’s Pursuing Achievement Through Higher Education initiative, discusses his role walking with middle to high school aged students on their educational journey while working in concert with the Church to close the opportunity gap in this country, as well as ultimate frisbee, Larry Bird and the Intentionality Brothers, and regilding or “regoldenizing” the Golden Dome.

From the Grotto and St. Bernadette to Breen-Phillips Hall and Coach Leahy, envisioning a future for Catholic schools that fully integrates faith formation with the disciplines, increases academic rigor, and deepens clinical partnerships for the betterment of all students

Dr. Kati Macaluso, the academic director for ACE Teaching Fellows, discusses her new role working alongside faculty in service to teachers who said yes to bringing young students to wholeness in the image of a God who loved them into being, as well as dorm trivia and Notre Dame’s unofficial G.O.A.T. leprechaun.

From seminary life in Old College and full house Masses at Keough Hall, to leading team prayer in the storied locker room of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, director of the Alliance for Catholic Education’s Blended Learning Initiatives and faculty in the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program, discusses his vocation within a vocation, empowering Catholic school teachers and leaders to use the tools of technology for greatest impact, as well as hearing the Pope’s call in person, ND fun facts, and chatting with Delilah.

Our year-end compilation of a few fun and memorable moments from this year’s conversations, as we talked all things modern education with some of the best minds—and hearts—in the field. Thank you to our listeners, the team at the Institute for Educational Initiatives and the Alliance for Catholic Education, and of course to our guests: Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC, Nicole McNeil, Nikhit D'Sa, Katy Lichon, John Staud, Fr. Joe Carey, CSC, Kate Schuenke-Lucien, Matt Kloser, Andrea Christensen, Will Newkirk, and Gina Svarovsky. We look forward to continuing the conversations in 2023!