Building a Legacy
of Empowerment
Opening the Doors to Notre Dame
Once considered Notre Dame’s best-kept secret, the Hesburgh Women of Impact community is now at the forefront of lesson-based mentoring, leadership development, and highlighting the funding priorities of Our Lady’s University.
Notre Dame Archives
Anne Thompson from NBC speaks during the Academic Event, “Fact, Fiction and the Newsfeed.”
Two Trailblazers
In 1972, Father Ted Hesburgh made history by opening Notre Dame’s doors to female undergraduate students. Among the early graduates were Cindy Parseghian ’77 and Anne Thompson ’79, two trailblazing women who would go on to leave an indelible mark on the University and the world.
When Cindy and Anne first arrived on campus, the ratio of male to female students was 4:1. Anne recalls being the only woman in a lecture hall full of men. Encouraged by her father to speak up, she embraced this challenge, eventually becoming NBC News’ Chief Environmental Affairs Correspondent—reporting on critical stories like the Deepwater Oil Spill, Vatican events, and cancer research.
"It seemed only right that if Father Ted could open the doors of Notre Dame to women, then we could come together as philanthropists to support a renovation that would open the doors of the Hesburgh Library to honor Father Ted."
The Parseghian family in 1996
Cindy Parseghian’s story is equally compelling. After stepping away from Notre Dame, a family tragedy drew her back when three of her children were diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Type C disease. This heartbreak led to the founding of the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, now based at Notre Dame.
Cindy shares, “We needed Notre Dame. The community was there for us and held us together.”
A Legacy of Collaboration
In 2015, Cindy, Anne, and Micki Kidder came together to honor Father Ted Hesburgh’s legacy by creating the Women’s Initiative Steering Committee. Initially, 35 women joined forces to support the renovation of the Hesburgh Library Entrance, symbolizing the doors that Father Ted opened for women. The success of that effort then transformed into Hesburgh Women of Impact in 2017, and now includes thousands of women.
Our Objectives
Named in honor of the transformational legacy of Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, the Hesburgh Women of Impact was created to recognize and celebrate the positive impact that women have had on the University of Notre Dame and support their continued contributions going forward.
Since 2019, the group has prioritized financial aid initiatives to make Notre Dame accessible to merit-based, first-generation, Pell-eligible, and middle-class students. By reducing student debt, they ensure every person can fully benefit from a Notre Dame education.
Building a Brighter Future
The Hesburgh Women of Impact community is committed to making Notre Dame stronger—one person at a time. By building pathways for philanthropy, fostering meaningful connections, and funding transformative programs, they are creating a lasting legacy of empowerment.
Together, we are shaping the future of Notre Dame and ensuring it remains a place where all of us can thrive as leaders, innovators, and forces for good.
2024 Women For Good Weekend Session with Christine Swanson ’94 and Aunjanue Ellis, actress.
Join the Community
“Our table is long, and it has many places set at it. There is plenty of space at the table for you.” -Cathy David ’85