22 GA "Kid" Ashe - Archives - University of Notre Dame

Office of the President,
University of Notre Dame Alumni Association
Dear Fellow Aluninus:
Since this magazine wiU be received by )oii at or about year's end,
it seems appropriate that we review the progress of your Association
during the past year.
By any yardstick this was an exciting year. We received an unjjiecedcnted
three awards from the American Aliunni Council and College
Public Relations Assn., including A.\C"s Grand Award in Alumni Giving
and Incentive (a $5,000 cash piizc) for the outstanding alumni association
in the entire countiy. We saw the fruition of the Challenge I program,
the magnificent Memorial Libraiy, dedicated at the most significant
academic convocation ever held at an American imiversity. ^Ve have participated in the inaugural
year of Challenge II and have seen our long-awaited, urgently needed Athletic and Convocation
Center selected as tlie top goal. It is fitting that we, who understand the need for this new
facility in a greater and more personal way than any of the other jjublics of the University (save
the cmrcnt student body), should direct our efforts towaid the achie\'enient o! this goal.
This year saw our athletic fortunes "come back"' in dramatic fashion. We can have a deseiTed
pride in Coach Parseghian and his outstanding stall' for the leadership they provided our football
team. Johnny Dee seems to have the basketball situation well in hand and, with the veteran team
he inlierited from Johnny Jordan, is optimistic about this season's record.
With so many of the .•\luiiini Board programs moving smoothly toward their goals, oiu' nonpareil
executive secretary, Jim Armstrong, has scheduled an "Alumni Workshop" to be held at
the Ijni\ersiiy on Jan. 13-14. This workshop has the avowed intention of exploring and jjointing
the way toward the "'Second One Hundred Years" of alumni activity at Notre Dame. Needless
to say, your representatives on die Alumni Board and the members of the Universit)- staff who M-ill
be involved in the workshop will welcome any suggestions which you may wish to send us concerning
the toj^ic in question.
This will no doubt be my last message to you as your president, since it is almost time to tmn
over the gavel to a new and wiser leader. May 1 say that I have enjoyed evciy minute of my
term of service to you? It has been the most rewarding experience of my life, an experience
made possible only by your assistance and support.
With wannest regards to each of you and your families,
I remain
Phili]) J. Facccnda
President