THE PRESIDENT'S CARREL
Notre Dame, IN
A warm welcome to all of NDLS from the Student Bar Association. For my fellow 3Ls, let's enjoy this final ride. 2Ls, welcome back home under the Dome. And to our 1Ls and international students, we are all excited to have you start your legal journey here at Notre Dame. My name is Dillon Yang, and for those whom I haven’t had the pleasure to meet yet, I will be serving as the President of the SBA this year.
To the 2L & 3Ls specifically, you all have shown great perseverance in the face of unprecedented circumstances. We have fought through multiple semesters of cold calling in masks, isolation, and seemingly random surveillance testing. Last year, we were able to restore many of our special law school traditions. For the first time in over two years, NDLS saw the return of Fall Ball, Spirit Week, Fr. Mike, Bowling League, and Barristers. While these events were glorious in their return, this year we are looking to pull out all the stops. With a year of experience under our belts, the best is ahead of us, and it starts now.
SBA is the student government of NDLS, and all students are considered members. While we do have an Executive Board and Cabinet of student leaders working to help plan and organize, we are looking forward to each law student being an active member in the SBA. There will be one large lunch meeting each month in which we invite all law students to attend and learn about what is going on in the school that month. Look for more information about this on our website or the Monday Morning Update (MMU) email.
This year, we have an amazing group of student leaders ready and eager to create a fun and community-focused atmosphere. We are all first and foremost here to receive our JDs, but here at NDLS, we have a little fun along the way. From studying for the bar on Thursdays and Fall Ball to intramural sports (and of course, the Fighting Irish football games), we hope to enhance each law student’s three years spent in South Bend. Additionally, our Merchandise Committee will ensure everyone is sporting the newest NDLS apparel.
Law school can be a stressful period for many students—we are looking forward to putting students’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being front and center this year. Fr. Bill Dailey and Stella Miller are both here to support us during this three-year journey, please do not hesitate to contact them. The SBA Mental Health and Wellness Committee also looks to provide law students with all the support they need.
This school year, we have the opportunity to set a winning precedent for years to come. The challenge ahead of us this semester is daunting, but I know Notre Dame is up to the task. I am beyond confident this year is going to be one of the best for NDLS yet. The collective ingenuity, foresight, and compassion in the Notre Dame community will see us through. As we begin this upcoming year, I have no doubt that Notre Dame Law School will be ready. And so will the SBA.
Please feel free to contact me (dyang2@nd.edu) or our Vice President, Mary Mancusi (mmancusi@nd.edu), should you ever have any questions or concerns.
Yours Faithfully,
Dillon B. Yang
