Mendoza School of Business

An unexpected dream

Author: Perry Hohman (BBA '84)

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The Notre Dame Experience:

  • Is it Intellectual?
  • Is it Spiritual?
  • Is it devotion/commitment to the University and its Athletic programs?

It may be all those portrayals, but when you depart with a Notre Dame degree from the Mendoza College of Business the path that awaits includes expansive business opportunities, a devoted alumni network, and a spiritual awakening to make a difference in the community you live.

After graduating from Notre Dame in ’84 with a business degree, I began my career in New York City working for Price Waterhouse. Throughout my business experience, I found a Notre Dame degree opened doors, inspired a drive to provide services to the needy/ help charities, and stimulated reflection of spiritual questions to enhance my faith. Notre Dame blessed me with a wife, also a ND grad, our five children, and a mission to make a difference in the lives around me.

A Notre Dame experience causes one to pause along life’s journey, seeking not only financial stability but seeking an expansion of faith, and social and spiritual responsibility. My path ultimately led me to a CFO position of a large, highly successful family office invested heavily in real estate. While helping navigate through the real estate crash of 2008 and raising five young children, I awoke from a dream to write a book.  As I was not a writer nor a theologian, I asked God for a stronger sign. After another dream receiving the book title, “Trust God,” I engaged my spiritual assignment incorporating learned financial skills of straightforwardness and simple clarity.

I utilized experience and skills acquired from Notre Dame to open my awareness of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and guidance to hopefully convey meaningful thoughts, and moments of reflection for readers to ponder. Trust God is a reawakening of how we can live our lives trusting God with our daily decisions, whether they be professionally, spiritually, or socially. Our society is facing many challenges and is yearning for more awareness of God’s involvement in our lives. God is present, we just need to open our minds to see how He communicates with us and seek His answers versus the ones we want.

I have found and believe a Notre Dame experience prepares you to respond to God’s calling. God has a plan for each of us and seeks us to be His conduit in our own environments, be it the office, home, church, social setting or a social ministry need. Whether it’s leading or participating on a financial team seeking ethical success, inspiring your children and their friends to be good leaders and socially responsible, or motivating a charitable cause to elevate its service, God calls each of us to use our talents, our education, and our Notre Dame identity to make a positive difference in our communities.

In a world going astray and lessening acknowledgment of God’s presence, now more than ever a Notre Dame spirit is needed to inspire others through one’s words and actions encouraging folks to become more aware of how God interacts with them and guides everyday decisions. A Mendoza business education will prepare you to excel in the business world along with encouragement to share your spirituality by demonstrating faithfulness to God and respect of one another particularly when interacting with opposing viewpoints.  Elevating our Lord’s voice and actions in your lifestyle will make for a more respectful, appreciative, and responsible environment, providing an opportune venue to attain meaningful financial results while responding to God’s calling to always honor Him and treat others as you want to be treated.


Topics: BBA