For Good: Stories from Notre Dame

Father Dowd on what Notre Dame’s mission asks of us (Ep. 48)

August 20, 2026·29 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Notre Dame students inspire University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., every day. In their curiosity and desire to lead lives of meaning and purpose, Father Dowd sees the heart of Notre Dame’s mission: forming students who seek truth, encounter new perspectives, and put their gifts in service to others.In this episode of For Good, Father Dowd reflects on Notre Dame’s distinctive role as a Catholic research university and how that mission shapes the University’s engagement with the defining issues of our time, while preparing students to help shape what comes next.Join us as Father Dowd reflects on what Notre Dame’s mission asks of the University today—and what it means to carry that mission forward.00:00 — New Academic Year at Notre Dame, with Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.02:50 — Lessons from East Africa04:34 — Becoming a More Global University07:58 — Building Bridges Across Differences09:01 — Lessons from the Presidency12:57 — Why Father Dowd Still Teaches at Notre Dame16:39 — Making Notre Dame More Accessible20:27 — How Notre Dame Is Facing Higher Education’s Challenges21:31 — Keeping the Human at the Center of AI24:04 — College Athletics Landscape: Putting Student-Athletes First25:04 — Holy Cross and Notre Dame’s Mission

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of For Good: Stories from Notre Dame and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.