Best of...

... the Gentlemen's Monthly. Well, ELEVEN years ago this was the posting. Enjoy this blast from the very distant past.   

Where are...

Westminster Abbey: started by St. (King) Edward

...they now? Good question. Where are the Gentlemen of St. Edward's Hall? Indeed, you never know where they are until they drop you a note. While "summering" in London, Parker Mathes, Steds rising sophomore, decided to check in with H.Q. Of his time in London, Mathes said, "My time in London has been incredible! With two full weeks already in the books, I have made great friends in the program, seen stunning historical sites, and experienced the ‘amazing’ British culture. I would say that despite our fear of pigeons, rowdy USA apparel, and fiery and patriotic attitudes on Memorial Day, or ‘Bank Holiday’ as the locals call it, the locals LOVE us! I hope this trip doesn’t fly by!” On Mathes' quote, St. Ed responded, "Oh, to be a student..."

Memories from Graduation.

The golden and ever growing Mathes Family

With St. Ed's now empty for a good old fashioned airing out, we can share memories from graduation... and there are many. For our recent graduates, memories, without fail, swirl about and around "last this" or "last that." But for others, like parents, well, memories from this most special occasion are anchored elsewhere. And for one Steds mom, Amy Mathes '81, this graduation was most memorable. With this graduation, ALL THREE of Amy's sons were now Notre Dame graduates! 

On being the mother of three amazing sons, all graduates of the University of Notre Dame AND all residents of St. Edward’s Hall, Amy shared, "As the Fight Song says, 'What though the odds," and in my case HIGHLY FAVORED. I am forever grateful to be a Notre Dame graduate of the Class of ’81 and now have a TRIFECTA of true Gentlemen from the Classes of '12, '18, and '26. To receive a Notre Dame education, with all its wonder and awe, is truly priceless in today’s world... and to reside at St. Edward’s Hall, under the watchful eye of Fr. Ralph, well, let’s just say that is a true victory!"   

Memorial Day.

Enjoy and give thanks

Often thought of as the official start of summer, Memorial Day is much more than just that as it is the day for remembering those men and women who died while serving in our country's Armed Forces. So, while we go about our holiday, let us pause, remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and giving our thanks.

To read Fr. Ted Hesburgh's words at Notre Dame's Clarke War Memorial, click HERE. 

Enjoy this view of the Red, White, and Blue from the Inn of Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island, Michigan. And yes, that's the Mackinaw Bridge in the background.

During the summer, In the Red Room will be on hiatus until the start of the new school year. Still, there may be In the Red Room on the Road editions!

Saturday Squirrel.

Hey there neighbor!

With our campus squirrels on hiatus, another furry friend can have a moment in the limelight. While walking around St. Joseph's Lake, a hole in a tree was noticed, and upon a closer examination, something else was noticed... its occupant, a raccoon! Seen for a moment, this raccoon was shy, and being more nocturnal, he didn't stay at the window too long. On being spotted, this raccoon non-verbaled, "Come back later, please."

To hear this week's special installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

Best of...

... the Gentlemen's Monthly. Well, TWELVE years ago this was the posting. Enjoy this blast from the very distant past.  

Lake Michigan Calling.

Yes, but can you bring the water a little closer?

Partly because of having no where else to lay my head, I decided to head up to the Lake Michigan. Yes, a little R & R is exactly what was needed, and you know what? It’s busy work. So, during the summer, I will blog a little less, but don’t worry, the blog will continue!

To hear this week's special installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

Graduation...

Hill and Shaia: Sharing an experience

... was an experience more for some than others. It was a warm, sunny day, something that everyone, especially the families of graduates, hope for, but for those wearing black and in direct sunlight- our graduates, well, a cloudy day might not be so bad. Again, graduation was an experience. Still, the constant welcomes, speeches, reflections, doctorate conferrals, and other verbosity made the entire exercise, well, you guessed it, an experience. But what better way to share an experience than with a friend? And that's what Harry Shaia '26, Steds senior, RA, and resident Virginian did as he joined NOT his own college, Mendoza College of Business, but rather the college of his good friend, Kyle Hill '26, Steds senior, RA and resident New Jerseyan. Sitting with the College of Science, Shaia took in graduation. On his seating for graduation, Shaia shared, “I wanted to end my time at Notre Dame the way I started it- with some of my best friends, and with the college of science rather than Mendoza.”

To hear this week's special installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

Graduation...

Don't forget the sunscreen

... Day at Notre Dame. Today marked the 181th Commencement ceremonies at Notre Dame. It was a perfect day to have graduation outside and that’s exactly what happened in the Notre Dame Stadium this morning. A warm day, with an occasional cool breeze, and just the right amount of sunshine made for everyone’s dream graduation day. After commence ceremonies were concluded, it was time for photos. And everywhere you looked, it was perfect for a graduation photo or two. 

Congratulations to our Stedsmen of the Class of 2026!

To hear this week's special installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

They're...

Jenn and Jake Miller with Fr. Ralph...

... married! With Fr. Ralph witnessing and the Steds family present, Jennifer "Jenn" DiMarco and Jacob "Jake" Miller ’18 of Steds were married at St. Matthew's Church in Toronto, Canada. It was a beautiful and a very cool day, with showers always threatening, but nothing could put a damper on this special day nor the radiance of this bride and the beaming pride of the groom. On Jenn joining the Steds family, Eddy Brady '18, fellow Stedsman and best man, as was Chris Rho '18 too, shared, "Jake is now 2 for 2 on perfect matches, landing in St. Edward’s and marrying his wonderful wife, Jenn! It was a great weekend celebrating them. Congratulations to the happy couple!”

Best wishes and congratulations to Jenn and Jake!

To hear this week's special installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

... and the Stedsmen with their fiancées...

... and Fr. Ralph with the Steds moms...

... and Brady and Rho gave a great speech!

Move out...

Where's Oscar the Grouch?

... continues. While the students may have moved out, the trash they left behind is now moving out. On the third floor, trash got a bit out of control and spilled out into the hallway. With the help of Hall Staff and a small army of housekeepers the trash made an exit from the Hall. On the overflow of trash, Fr. Ralph Haag, CSC, said, "I have never seen anything like this before. Still, many hands make light work... thank you housekeepers!"

To hear this week's special installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

Time for...

Steds: Shifting into neutral

... a break. Even though graduation is later this week, everything is slowing down. Yes, the summer is starting and starting early.  During the summer, everyone's favorite blog, The Gentleman's Monthly, will be every other day, and everyone's favorite podcast, In the Red Room, is on hiatus. But don't be sad, for every now and then, there just might be an episode when on the road! 

To hear this week's special installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

And then...

Silence

... there was silence. With the vast majority of the Hall packed up and moved out, a silence has descended upon the Hall and campus. Once bustling sidewalks and parking lots are now empty. Gone is the music wafting out of residents' windows. Empty are the quads of sun worshippers. All that remain are plies of donated items for the local Goodwill. Still, enjoy the silence by imagining it and enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!

To hear this week's installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

Get out...

He's free!

... and go! Yesterday was the last day of finals and today is the last day for all undergraduates to move out of the Hall. As you can imagine, the hallways were full of activity, moving this or that thing out, throwing out a year's worth of trash, donating items to Goodwill, washing things that have never been washed, returning room keys and saying good bye.  Finished with everything, finals and now preparing for moving out, Robert Myler decided to take a break, walking out of the Hall and flashing the victory wave. On giving the sign of victory, Myler, Steds freshman and resident Michigander, declared, "Thank God for a great year. Now it’s summer!"

To hear this week's installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

Finals are...

The food arrives...

... continuing and so are the study breaks. Yes! Again, by executive order, following the precedent set by former President Tommy Kelly, President Michael Heffernan directed that everything been done throughout the week to provide the Gentlemen a break from their studying. So, again, at 9PM, there was a study break held in the Flounge, where the Gentlemen took a break, enjoying food and camaraderie... and certainly a buoying of spirits. From the first day of finals to the fourth, the Gentlemen were treated to Chipotle burritos, Rocco's pizza, Mission BBQ, and a breakfast by Chick Fil A. On the study breaks, Fr. Ralph said, "After ALL these study breaks, I think the 'freshman fifteen' is finally going to make an appearance!"

To hear this week's installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

... the President is happy...

... and everyone is patient...

... and frenzy commences...

... again with Chipotle...

... again with Mission BBQ...

... and they ate their fill.

Finals...

Bored genius: Robby Sommer

… Week is well underway, and the Stedsmen are pulling out all of the stops, redoubling their efforts, burning the midnight oil, etc., etc., etc. to make this Finals Week successful. So, all study spaces have been made quiet study spaces and hall quiet hours are in effect so that all can study. But some, well, don't need to study, and that's certainly the case with Robby Sommer. Spotted in the Flounge, Sommer was not studying but rather messing about with his phone. Playing a game? Updating his social media? Who knows, but what we do know is that Sommer was not studying. On Finals Week, Sommer, Steds freshman, rising member of the ND Cheer team, and resident Illinoisan, stated, "As my teacher, Sensei Wu, never said ‘always put off to tomorrow what could be done today!’”

To hear this week's installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

Something special...

We know what's fueling the A's this week

... for Finals Week. Yes, the Gentlemen have something very special to fuel their studying this Finals Week. This week, just in time for finals, Starbucks coffee is being served up in the Hall coffee machine in the Gregorian Lounge. From Sumatran to 1971 to sun-dried Ethiopian, Starbucks premium coffee is fueling premium results and grades of the Stedsmen. Another cup? Yes, please! On the premium beans fueling the late night studying, Brady Barrett, Steds sophomore and resident Connecticuter (yes, I had to look that up), said, "They say Voltaire drank 40 cups of coffee a day. This week, I may have come close, but instead of any philosophical breakthroughs, I only discovered how much I’d been procrastinating. Still, the Starbucks in Greg coffee machine got me through finals week, which might be the modern equivalent of enlightenment."

To hear this week's installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

The life of...

Shaia (left) with Klug, DeNooyer, and Thorn...

... our Seniors! While our Steds Seniors take their Study Days seriously, many Steds seniors decided to take a jaunt downstate and head to Churchill Downs before their studying started in earnest. Yes, to find motivation for their Finals Week, Steds seniors took in all the pageantry, charm and hospitality, and local fare and beverage that is the Kentucky Derby which, not doubt, inspired them into their final Finals Week. Still, the visit allowed some of our seniors to practice and/or brush up on their probability and statistics skills! Suffice it to say, it was the proverbial win win. On attending the 152nd Run for the Roses, Harry Shaia, Steds senior, RA, and resident Virginian, shared, "Suits, sun, and horses- the Gentlemen of St Edward’s Hall showed up and out at the Kentucky Derby.”

To hear this week's installment of In the Red Room, on:

iTunes, click HERE.

Spotify, click HERE.

... and his girlfriend Tess...

... with Kelly...

... Cook, Laufenburg, and Kurowski...

... and Kelly again, Davey, and Donovan...

... with Casey, Laufenburg, Cook, Robinett, and Cappuci...

... all enjoying a local beverages...