THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S AND HOLY CROSS ESTABLISHED 1966
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2026 | VOL. LX, NO. 40
NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Notre Dame students attend March for Life
Liam Kelly Editor-in-Chief
As record snowfall blanketed most of the northern United States, a group of 350 Notre Dame students traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the annual March for Life. The trip was organized by the Notre Dame Right to Life club, which has led an annual trip to the nation’s capital since the event’s inception in 1974. The students’ trip began Thursday evening in the Stepan Center, where University President Fr. Robert Dowd, C.S.C., delivered a blessing and message of support for the group. The group then piled into eight buses, driving overnight to arrive in Washington for the protest on Friday. While organized by the Right to Life club, the trip is also funded in part by the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. However, according to junior club treasurer Jake Struby, the de Nicola
Center was unable to fund the trip to the extent that it had in previous years due to budget cuts. Reynaldo Guillén, a junior at Holy Cross College, who served as director for the pilgrimage this year, explained in a statement to The Observer that the club relied on other University sources of funding and initiated a private fundraising effort through alumni to finance the trip. “Despite internal budget cuts, many departments across the University did all they could to support us financially, and our alumni stepped forward generously to help make this pilgrimage possible,” Guillén wrote. “We worked pretty hard on getting the word out for private donations, and we had a lot of help from a lot of people,” Struby said. According to Struby, the club was able to raise tens of thousands of dollars, but still had to cut one see “March” on page 3
Courtesy of Jake Struby
Notre Dame students carry a banner reading “Irish fighting for life” in Washington, D.C. during the March for Life last Friday. 350 Notre Dame students attended the event, despite the cold and snowy weather.
Pete Buttigieg returns to South Bend
Two tickets qualify for ballot Observer Staff Report The Judicial Council released its list of qualified candidates for the student body presidency on Monday in an email to the Notre Dame student body. The announcement comes after a nine-day petitioning process, after which two presidential candidates qualified for the ballot. “We are pleased to announce that campaigning will start [Tuesday] for Student Body President and Vice President,” Judicial Council
Courtesy of Ryan Juszkiewicz/University of Notre Dame
Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg sits on stage with Mary Gallagher during the fireside chat. The event, titled “Leadership, Innovation and the Next Generation,” was sponsored by the Keough School of Global Affairs.
By Will Prisco
vice president of elections Madeline Hutson wrote. The Jones-Evers ticket is led by Alumni Hall junior Elijah Jones and Pasquerilla West Hall sophomore Riley Evers. They will face off against the McCart-Parikh ticket, headed by Mason McCart and Luke Parikh, a junior and sophomore from Dillon Hall, respectively. Both announced their intention to run on Instagram within 24 hours of petitions becoming available. see “Election” on page 4
Walk the Walk Week inspires service
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg returned to the city on Friday for a fireside chat at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center titled “Leadership, Innovation, and the Next Generation.” Buttigieg was joined by Mary Gallagher, the Marilyn Keough dean of the Keough School of Global Affairs. The former U.S. Secretary of Transportation
gave insight into his career in public service and how his experiences, from mayor of South Bend to member of a presidential cabinet, offer a unique perspective on how to navigate a rapidly changing world. The conversation began with a brief discussion on the rising prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on educational institutions. Buttigieg expressed a sense of optimism when pressed on the role of AI in modern-day society,
drawing on his experience with his own two children, while also acknowledging the uncertainty of the world that younger generations are set to inherit. “The world they’re coming into will obviously be so radically transformed, but I don’t think we have to be pessimistic about it. I don’t think it is written that AI will necessarily make us dumber, but it might, and
NEWS | PAGE 3
OPINION | PAGE 5
SCENE | PAGE 8
SPORTS | PAGE 9
SPORTS | PAGE 12
The 36-foot sculpture “Endless” was found broken outside the Raclin Murphy Art Museum.
Columnist Grayson Beckham questions the authenticity of Indiana Fans.
The 37th Annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival is celebrated this week.
Braeden Shrewsberry leads Notre Dame in a victory over Boston College.
Notre Dame earned its first conference win against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
News Writer
Sculpture destroyed
Indiana bandwagons
see “Mayor” on page 3
Our own Sundance
By Matthew Morin News Writer
Walk the Walk Week (WTWW) has returned to the University of Notre Dame for its 11th year, running from Jan. 24 to Jan. 31. According to a University press release, the event was designed with “more than 20 University,
Irish defeat Eagles
department, and student-sponsored events that invite members of the Notre Dame community to reflect on how to foster a deeper sense of belonging and inclusion, and build the Beloved Community — referencing the words of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. — on see “Service” on page 4
Hockey team wins