Notre Dame Student Club Sponsors Black History Week to Showcase Black Excellence

The Black Graduates in Management Club (BGM) at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business is sponsoring a weeklong series of events to celebrate Black History Month. Black History Week 2023: “Building for Tomorrow,” includes opportunities for showcasing Pan African heritage, professional development and networking, and a unique way to showcase the excellence of Notre Dame Black students on campus in a historic and unified way.

Notre Dame collaborators include African Students Association, Black Student Association, National Society of Black Engineers, Black Graduates Student Association, Black Law Students Association, Black Business Association of Notre Dame, Black Faculty and Staff Association, and the Multicultural Student Programs and Studies.

“It is the goal of all of the clubs and organizations involved to achieve inseparable unity across Black students, faculty, staff and allies,” said Temitayo Ade-Oshifogun (MBA ‘23), BGM president. “We want people to leave with a sense of belonging, an empowering sense of being seen. We want people to have an immense amount of practical resources to successfully navigate their career aspirations emotionally, mentally, professionally and even spiritually.”

While Black History Week events are intended to provide spaces for development, empowerment and unity amongst Black students, the events are open to all Notre Dame students, faculty and staff.
The schedule is as follows:

February 19: Sunday Service, 5-7 p.m., Stayer Center Commons B. The Sunday Service will be led by Father Arthur Ssembajja and feature gospel choir Voices of Faith. The event showcases the spiritual heritage of Black people in a welcoming and uplifting way to introduce guests to Black History Week 2023.

February 20: Pan Africa Day. Students are invited to wear attire that showcases Black heritage. BGM Club will be selling specially designed clothing items in the Mendoza atrium.

February 21: Hot Chocolate and Bake Sale Fundraising Event, noon-5 p.m., Mendoza atrium. Hosted by BGM, Mendoza Graduate Career Development and the Black Student Association Club, the sale will feature baked goods and other items to raise money for student clubs and the Charles Martin Youth Center to support the advancement of Black youth in the South Bend community.

February 22: Black History Week “Secret Event,” 12-1 p.m. The event is intended to have a spontaneous element to it, so while it will be held in a public space on campus, advance details are provided only to those directly participating. “It will be a public forum aimed at shifting the narrative of Black students on campus in a legendary way,” said Ade-Oshifogun.

February 23: Networking Banquet, 6-8 p.m., Dahnke Ballroom. The banquet celebrates the heritage and culture of Africans and African-Americans while enabling students, alumni, faculty, and staff to network with each other in an organized and interest-based manner. Registration is required for all attendees. Students may attend by invitation only; the event is open to all faculty, staff and alumni.

Black Graduates in Management (BGM) strives to elevate the voices, talent and experiences of graduate students of African descent in the Mendoza College of Business and across the University. Visit the club’s website for more information.