"

Fall is the ideal season at Notre Dame. During this early stretch of the year, the weather is reasonably forgiving, unchartered classes and the football season begin, and there is a general renewed spirit across the student population that comes with the union of classmates and the pure unknown that comes with a new year.

For about half of the undergraduate population, this year is special because it marks either the start or the end of the Notre Dame experience. We welcome the class of 2019 to campus this year, an enthusiastic and talented group to say the least.

We also celebrate the farewell tour of the class of 2016, of which I am a proud member. When I anticipate my goals for my final year on campus, I am largely surrounded by question marks. What am I going to do with my life after graduation? How can I finish my final academic terms strongly? With whom do I want to spend precious free time with and what endeavors deserve my time most? These questions certainly drive my behavior and, since my arrival, twirl around my head almost on a daily basis.

I truly believe this is natural and healthy thought. How can you not consider your future? We all want to reach our potentials and live the best lives we possibly can in ways that are important to us as individuals. This pursuit causes foresight to sometimes trump the present.

The best strategic thinkers are always predicting future situations and actions and planning accordingly. I’ve found, however, that some of the most grounded and content people that I know are not worried about what lies ahead.

As students, we all have goals and are motivated to achieve those goals; but to be honest, no matter how hard we chase, knowledge of the future will always escape us. I believe the realm of the unknown is the beauty of our very fortunate position as students. Freedom lies in flexibility, and we all have the flexibility to pursue our greatest interests as students at Notre Dame.

We are young, energetic, passionate and committed to our interests. We also share a strong educational foundation at this pinnacle of learning. No matter what our passions are, we now have time and freedom to become as immersed as possible in those subjects. Beyond the opportunity to be a student at Notre Dame, nothing is guaranteed. Four years of college will come and go quickly. The experiences we have and the people we meet here will never detach from us.

As a senior, the special experiences I’ve had at Notre Dame are what I must rest my hat on. Notre Dame is not just a launching pad for my future. Notre Dame is a place that constitutes my very being, a place that will remain with me for the rest of my life.

Therefore, I invite everyone to join with me, making a commitment today to enjoy the ride. Together, we’ll roll with the winds of the unknown and let them take us wherever they may, as Notre Dame becomes the guiding force.

In this issue of Scholastic, we will traverse the intricate and expansive financial landscape of Notre Dame. Like its students, Notre Dame continues to grow in many different ways. The university now features an endowment in excess of $10 billion, 10 million square feet of campus space and an emphasis on a variety of research and learning opportunities. The heart of this financial base is Notre Dame’s stated intent, the university’s mission to help enhance the aspirations and development of students’ minds, bodies and spirits.

At Scholastic, we want to serve our readers as well. We are a magazine created by the students, for the students. Our goal is to produce content that will resonate most with you. In order to accomplish this, we must establish a strong relationship with our readers. We can do this by establishing an open line of communication with you to best understand your story preferences. We are continually investigating the most relevant and engaging topics that you will want to read. We have a budding online and social media presence to serve your desires to connect with us digitally.

Welcome to the Notre Dame of 2015. This school year, let’s all unite in our shared pursuits to grow in mind, body and spirit, and rally as sons and daughters of Notre Dame.

Carpe diem!

Rich Hidy