... from Notre Dame. A prefect sunset to close a perfect Sunday. Taken on the south side of the walnut grove on the north side of campus, just north of Holy Cross Cemetery, this sunset officially brought a prefect Sunday to a close. Indeed, it was remarkable beautiful day, and it's clear that God knows how to dazzle us. Enjoy the view, and enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!
On the summer, Fr. Ralph said, "We have entered into summer, and we shall use it to its fullest!"
... from Notre Dame. Today was Graduation Day. Not only did they tough it out in the classroom but also had a tussle with the Covid... and they came out on top! Congratulations to the Class of 2021! In front of the Main Building, some the Steds graduating seniors posed for a well deserved and most memorable graduation photo. From left to right, Haley, Travis, Olmanson, Michael, Merrick, Brannen, Donnelly, Viner, and Leyden are all smiles, and how could they not?! Enjoy the smiles, and enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!
... is on the horizon, but it happens, there is move out. Last year's move out was most unique with the Covid, but with the student population being ninety percent plus vaccinated, move out was a breeze. With no need to wear masks and distance, move out proceeded like a binging of your favorite Netflix series... unimpeded. Quiet, the hallways are devoid of the usual noises of laughter, conversation, and high jinx. Rest assured all of this will return next fall, but in the meantime, it's summertime! On move out day, Fr. Ralph said, "Don't rush back. Enjoy your summer... because I am!"
... done, and now, it's on to commencement exercises, or graduation. Yes, graduation is happening for the Class of 2021, and it will be in-person and with a speaker, Jimmy Dunne. Despite being allowed only two guests, students are ecstatic that graduation is actually happening. So, as students are busy moving out, the University is busy preparing the stadium for graduation on Sunday morning. Here is a picture of the flooring being assembled and moved into the stadium. On graduation happening- being in-person and with a limited numbers of guests, Johnny Welsch, Steds senior and soon to be graduate, said, "After beginning our tenure at Notre Dame on the field among strangers for an awkward photo, it’s only fitting that we conclude with a great celebration with my Steds brothers on that same field!"
... to be immortalized! This past Sunday, every Stedsman had a chance to be immortalized as the Hall photo was taken. Gathering outside the front door, all Stedsmen had their picture taken by none other than Fr. Terry Ehrman, CSC, theologian and botanist. Normally taken the dat after the Yacht Dance and from the 3rd floor of the Main Building, this year's photo was taken on Sunday Senior Send Off Day and from an extremely tall ladder, which Fr. Terry ascended gracefully and thankfully without falling. Over the summer the Hall photo will be edited, framed, and hung in the hallway of Hall photos. On taking the photo, Fr. Terry said, "Climbing that extremely tall ladder, I felt as if I was ascending Jacob's ladder, and any fear that I had disappeared thanks to the vision the smiling cherubic masses below."
... continue! After a break on Sunday, Finals continued on Monday. And besides studying, how does a gentleman prepare and ready himself for his finals? With a good breakfast of course! And that's exactly what the Lynch Administration delivered for their constituents on the third day of finals... a breakfast of various assorted bagels and coffee from Einsteins. With food for their mind, how could they fail their finals?! But never missing an opportunity to work the crowd, Lynch was front and center, passing bagels out like campaign promises. One person who received a bagel from the President was Sam Miller, Steds sophomore and now Floridan. On his encounter with the President at the breakfast, Miller said, "For a true gentleman, bribes aren’t allowed... they are encouraged!"
... from Notre Dame. Here is a picture of Fr. Corby with the setting sun in the background. Made famous by blessing the Irish Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg, Fr. Corby and the statue that commemorates the moment are once again located outside the newly renovated residence hall that bears his name- Corby Hall. But there's more! If you look closely, you can see the crescent moon by his hand. It looks as if he is grabbing the Moon. Enjoy, and enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!
BUT WAIT... THERE IS STILL MORE...
With our furry friends on a late spring hiatus, our campus friends can make an appearance. And here's an appearance by a rather skittish campus friend, wood ducks. Unlike most campus ducks, wood ducks prefer to keep a healthy distance between themselves and everyone else. So, it's is very difficult to close and photograph these campus friends. But coming around a corner of St. Mary's Lake, two wood ducks males (identified by their colorful heads) were surprised, and as they quickly swam out to the middle of the lake, they were photographed. On being caught by the camera, these two wood ducks cooly non-verbaled, "Tootles."
... chicken biscuits and doughnuts! While Marie Antoinette was rumored to have told the hungry masses of France to eat cake, there is no doubt what the Steds Vice-President, Jack O'Leary, told the studying masses of Steds. Let them eat Chick-Fil-A and Krispy Kreme! As the Stedsmen come down the main staircase it was like Christmas morning as they were greeting to chicken biscuit sandwiches, glazed and assorted doughnuts, AND orange and pineapple juice. This treat in the Flounge marked not only a departure from the regular dining hall fare but also the start of Finals. Indeed, what a stroke of genius on the part of the Vice President... lift spirits of the kids AND start their day off right with a healthy, wholesome breakfast of fried chicken and dough. On the feeding of the studying masses, O'Leary said, "I thought my time serving Chick-fil-A sandwiches were over, but it was my pleasure to help serve this great treat from Father Kevin."
BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...
Here's the next installment... In the Red Room... a Hall podcast bringing you the life and times of Notre Dame's oldest and most storied residence hall, St. Edward's, from, well, you guessed it... the Red Room at St. Ed's. To listen, click HERE.
… appointed rounds. The Steds mailman, Pete Nichols, is still making his appointed rounds delivering parcels, packages, letters, and a healthy amount of junk mail to mailboxes of his fellow Stedsmen. And while Nichols may not be dealing with snow, rain, heat nor gloom of night, he is dealing with something… finals. Maybe delivering the mail is a nice study break for our young mailman, but more likely than not, delivering the mail is a responsibility- a duty to Hall and King- that must be discharged. On seeing Nichols in the mailroom, Fr. Ralph said, "Nichols is a hall treasure that we cannot afford to lose. So, we're shutting the mailroom door and locking him in there!"
BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...
Here's the next installment... In the Red Room... a Hall podcast bringing you the life and times of Notre Dame's oldest and most storied residence hall, St. Edward's, from, well, you guessed it... the Red Room at St. Ed's. To listen, click HERE.
It’s official. They’re getting married! Stedsman Kyle Ripp ’12 and Erin Bergano are getting married. Kyle proposed to Erin, and she said yes. They look forward to their wedding in the fall of 2022. On their engagement and Erin joining the Steds family, Ripp shared, "I am beyond thrilled that Erin has agreed to marry me AND formally join the St. Ed’s Family. Although she has known many of the former residents for quite some time now, making the commitment to marry a Stedsman means you’re making the commitment to marry a piece of Steds itself! Erin has fully acknowledged and warmly embraced this notion, which has allowed her to fit seamlessly into the St. Ed’s family."
St Edward added, "There's no doubt. With Erin joining the fold, it's like we all won the lottery. Welcome Erin!"
BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...
Yes, they got married! Frank Soler ’14 and Gianina Alagia were married at the Cathedral of St. Agnus in Rockville Center, New York making a most beautiful day even more beautiful. With Fr. Ralph officiating and surrounded by their families and friends, Gianina and Frank were FINALLY able to exchange theirs vows with great emotion and happiness as Covid restrictions were lifted. On Gianina marrying into the Steds Family, Chris McKeon ’14 shared, "I couldn't be more excited about our newest Steds Sister, Gianina. She's already one of our most accomplished - making a man out of Francis Soler and hosting the wedding event of the year to boot. More short rib hors d'oeuvres please. Here's to even more fun in the name of Steds!"
Best wishes and congratulations and best wishes to Gianina and Frank!
BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...
...aweigh! While the Mystic Blue (the Steds cruise ship for the Yacht Dance) may not have left port this Yacht Dance Day, the Confessor, the Steds entry for the Fisher Regatta, did. Under the direction of the self-appointed "minister of the Steds Navy," Eoghan Fay, a boat was commissioned to race in the annual regatta on St. Mary's Lake. Assisting the minister was Vincent DiFilippo, Steds sophomore and aerospace engineer major, who used his aerospace engineering knowledge to design and construct a boat fitting for the oldest and most storied hall, giving it the Confessor. Built over a series of weekends on the Steds patio, the Confessor slowly came together and was finally ready to go on Regatta Day with a crack crew of sophomores at the helm, Michael Hendrickson, Danny Hincka, Ben Poag, and Josh Williams.
Since no one was allowed to be present-not even to watch- because of the Covid, Fay recounts the day: With great sunshine and little chop on the water, it was a prefect day for sailing. As the regatta got under way, the Confessor achieved victory in her Fisher Regatta heat against the boats of Alumni Hall and the Students for Child-oriented Policy with a time of 2:25. Although without official confirmation, I believe that places Steds in fourth place overall. Still, I believe it is accurate to declare this a resounding triumph and declare Steds a major naval power in Michiana area.”
But let's hear what the Confessor's crew had to say...
Josh Williams, lead oarsman, shared, “I appreciated the opportunity to serve our great hall as a member of her naval service. Through our gallant defeat of the U.S. Navy and Alumni Navy, we proved our tactical supremacy and struck fear in the hearts of our adversaries. May the sun never set on the St. Edward’s Empire.”
Fellow oarsman, Michael Hendrickson, added, "The oarsmen managed to keep The Confessor afloat and finish the race with a respectable time, but all the credit goes to Minister Fay for all of his coordination efforts and energy. Without him, the St. Ed's Navy wouldn't even exist."
Still, Ben Poag, declared, "As we expected, the Steds Navy has proven itself superior to the entire might of the U.S. Navy in both willpower and technology."
Finally, Danny Hincka chimed in saying, "The building team did a great job, the Confessor was tight as a drum and we could focus on speed. What we really proved that it is the Sted's Navy that controls these lakes!"
Congratulations to Minister Fay, Design Team DiFilippo, and our Stedsman Oarsmen! Fourth is better than last!
... and then, with Hendrickson, it was smooth sailing...
BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...
... from Notre Dame. Here's a view of Mary and the Dome at dawn. Taken from the northeast side of St. Ed's, Mary and the Dome are framed by a redbud tree. The contrast between the blue sky, gold Dome, and pink redbud tree makes for a most striking picture. Enjoy, and enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!
BUT THERE IS MORE...
BUT WAIT... THERE IS STILL MORE...
Sometimes you're simply surprised. Yes, sometimes as you walk a quad, listening to whatever music you like, thinking about something, daydreaming really, you are surprised to see a furry friend looking at you. What are they thinking? Probably nothing. But maybe, just maybe, they are daydreaming too. And perhaps that was the case with this furry friend spotting in a tree on South Quad by Lyons Hall. On possibly daydreaming, this squirrel non-verbaled, well, nothing... he was daydreaming!
BUT WAIT... THERE IS MORE...
BUT WAIT... THERE IS MORE...
... isn't easy. Just ask In The Red Room co-host Pete McKeon. If he's not at the ND Law School or on the links, McKeon is with Fr. Ralph in laugh factory that is the Red Room. Whether it's prepping guests in the Green Room or taping in Red Room, McKeon is present every week delivering the yucks and laughs on queue for the listeners. Never shy to share his opinion nor step into and stay in the lime light, McKeon was all to happy to answer a few questions and let us all know what it's like to be a part of campus' most favorite and popular podcast.
St Ed: Never at a loss for words and laughs automatic, you have rocketed to stardom in the Steds world with your appearance as the dependable, humorous, and effervescent, but yet sardonically reverent, co-host of the In The Red Room. But yet, at the same time, you’re a third year law student AND senior assistant rector at Steds. What’s your secret to wearing so many hats AND doing it so well?
McKeon: Still is. Well the obvious secret to being able to wear so many hats is big-headedness. But, in actuality, I think it all spawns from a deep-seeded sense of self-consciousness; I look terrible in actual hats. I am not a hat guy. I think I seek to make up for that by wearing many proverbial hats. Whether I wear those well or not is a matter of opinion, but if it seems like I do, I owe it all to my gracious co-host.
St Ed: Now, I hear that it gets a little rambunctious in the Red Room during the tapings of podcasts. Sometimes it’s so boisterous in there that it if we you were in another hall, it would need to be shut down immediately. How can so much mirth and levity be so concentrated? And is it even healthy to be so?
McKeon: For all you readers out there, Mirth and Levity is actually the name of a traveling show Fr. Ralph and I plan to put on this summer. It'll be a massive endeavor, spanning the entirety of the Mishawaka area.
In terms of how it can be so concentrated- I have no clue. I think sometimes you just capture lighting in a bottle. Or mirth. As regards health, if my general health is any indicator, we may want to dial the M&L back just a tad. Although I have a funny feeling my relative invalidity may have more to do with the inordinate amount of red meat I consume, in lieu of a personality.
St Ed: Saturday Night Live actors of the late 70’s and early 80’s often spoke of pre-show rituals to help set the mood for the show. In the production of the podcast, do you and the cast have any pre-taping rituals? Maybe a cup of tea, coffee, or something else? Maybe some take out from Ruby Tuesday’s or the Olive Garden?
McKeon: While takeout from Ruby Tuesday's or Olive Garden actually pairs remarkably well with mirth and levity, I think it can only have a negative effect on my aforementioned health troubles. However, I have been known to take a coffee into the Red Room for taping every now and then. I also like to keep the show feeling as natural as possible so I do as little prep work as I can prior to each recording- a skill I've mastered in my near 7 year career here at Notre Dame.
St Ed: I noticed FunTan is mentioned a lot in the tapings. What’s up with that?
McKeon: If you have to ask, no explanation will suffice. They simply know how to get you tan.
St Ed: Will you be going to Guam anytime soon?
McKeon: As soon as I win the next $500 travel voucher offered by the University.
St Ed: Other than the Law, what are you reading these days?
McKeon: Reading a lot of greens mostly- poorly, might I add. But I'll also find myself leafing through the warn pages of my Jane Austen collection on occasion. After all, "The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”
St Ed: If I took you to the Olive Garden, what would you order?
McKeon: Chicken and gnocchi soup, and the seafood alfredo. Accompanied by one of their famous Italian Margaritas- just like they make back in the old country.
St Ed: And Alexander wept for there were no more worlds to conquer. With you graduating at the end of the semester, there will be much weeping indeed! Do you have any advice for your brother, Nate, as he takes up the co-host chair?
McKeon: The only advice I can give him is to know that he is in the best of hands with his co-host. As long as he follows your lead, the show will continue on its meteoric rise to glory.
St Ed: I shan’t deny you an open mic... any parting shots for our readership and listenership?
McKeon: I generally prefer my parting shots to accompany my Italian Margaritas at Olive Garden. But, I would like to send a special shout out to all of my school teachers throughout the years who would tell me things like "you'll never be on a podcast with your Rector in your third year of law school" and "if you flunk gym again you won't graduate middle school". Look at me now.
BUT WAIT... LISTEN TO MCKEON NOW...
... at Ed's? As the favorite campus residence hall eatery, Ed's, remains closed for the year, it is now open to any and all the Gentlemen who would like to have the proverbial old college go. Throughout the day, various smells of culinary delights- as well as near delights- waff down the first floor corridor. Recently, ANOTHER curious but most delicious smell, was smelled as freshman Dan McGuire was in the midst of cooking up a feast. What's his secret? This man from Nashville isn't saying. On what he was doing, McGuire shared, "I’d be 'jambalaying' if I said I didn’t love the Steds kitchen.”
BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...
... ball rolling! But "who" is he? Yes, who got the ball rolling this ND Day? Who was the first to step forward for Hall and King? Indeed, who was first to give to our noble cause? Well, we know who it was... it was Keenan Lofton, Steds junior and native Hawaiian! Guess it wasn't special enough to be Steds only Hawaiian... so Keenan had go and became the FIRST Steds donor this ND Day. And Keenan didn't do it for the attention nor the praise. You see, that's not how our Hawaiian rolls. On being the first to donate on ND Day, Lofton said, "As a rising senior and member of St. Edward’s Hall for the past three years, I fully embraced the duty of giving back to both Hall and King. Over this past year it was imperative as ever to keep the kids in mind. Leading the charge was an honor, and we exceeded expectations in meeting our goals this ND Day.”
BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...
....AAAAAAAAAAL! The much anticipated Steds Derby did not disappoint. With Steds soccer teams, Steds A and Big Cats (Steds B), taking the pitch at Ricci Fields, the match saw gentleman against gentleman in what has to be the biggest campus intra-hall rivalry. No doubt, each side was playing for keeps with every possible advantage taken and exploited. Steds A, heavily favored, had a deep bench of talent with Conal Fagan, Steds senior, resident Irishman and one time walk on ND soccer player, at the helm. On the other side, the Pride, Big Cats, was lead by Ben Merrick, Steds senior and weekend pickup soccer player, and Josh Chapple, Steds senior and podcast star. While the Big Cats may not be A team material, what they lacked in technical skills they made up in spirit.
As the game unfolded, the two teams were evenly match in almost every respect. Steds A team pushed, and Big Cats scratched back. The Big Cats pounced, and Steds A side stepped. It was the proverbial seesaw. Finally, with regular play ending with 0, 0, the game moved to penalty kicks. In the end, Josh Gambradella, Steds senior, scored, securing both an upset win for Big Cats and his place as a Big Cats soccer legend forever.
On his winning goal, Gambardella said, “When I was called upon by my fellow cats to step up and make the final penalty kick, I knew I just had to make it happen. Celebrating that win with my brothers was a moment I’ll never forget. But all the credit goes to the entire team for setting me up with that opportunity, especially coaches Ben Merrick and Josh Chapple. It was a great way to cap off my time with the Big Cats in uniform. However, once a Big Cat, always a Big Cat. Rumpleteazer (his Pride name) out!”
On the Derby, Fagan shared, "“Another fantastic occasion. Some would say it was the highlight of the year, particularly getting to grace the field for one last time with Tommy Huber in the Steds colors. All credit to the Big Cats for making this the most difficult fixture in recent history. I don’t know if there’ll be many which will top this one.”
And thanks to MaryEllen Gambardella, here is the winning goal, a must see video. CLICK HERE
BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...
... from Notre Dame. Here's a view of the Mary, the Main Building, and the Basilica from the south lawn of Moreau Seminary. With the iconic sites of Notre Dame in the background, the springtime Redbuds flowers in the foreground frame this beautiful campus scene. Enjoy, and enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!
Some times our furry friends are just plain silly, and that was certainly the case with this squirrel spotted in a tree by the Grotto. Instead of begging for a hand out, this squirrel was up to something else... he was looking for a laugh. And in the hopes of getting a chuckle, this squirrel gave a most unique pose. On having his picture taken, this squirrel non-verbaled, "Look no paws!"