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Advancing and 

Empowering Notre Dame

Empowering All to Give ​

Hesburgh Women of Impact is dedicated to supporting, educating, and empowering those in the Notre Dame community to philanthropically advance University priorities that matter most to them. With this mission in mind, HWOI has embraced one key priority, financial aid.

Read below to learn more. 

Olivia Schmitt

Olivia Schmitt ‘26 Hesburgh Women of Impact Scholarship Recipient

A group photo of current students whoe were Hesburgh Women of Impact Mentees.

Hesburgh Women of Impact Scholarship Endowment

The Hesburgh Women of Impact Fund provides critical financial support to students at Notre Dame. Financial aid is often a decisive factor in attracting exceptional students, particularly those who are:

    • Merit-based applicants
      Pell-eligible students
    • First-generation college attendees
    • Middle-class students who face financial gaps

By working together, we can ensure that more students have access to the life-changing gift of a Notre Dame education—regardless of their financial background.

 Notre Dame has a proud legacy of admitting students from all socioeconomic backgrounds, ensuring that financial limitations never stand in the way of their potential. The University is one of the few schools in the nation to uphold both:

    • Need-blind admissions: Students are evaluated for admission without consideration of their family’s ability to pay.
    • Full demonstrated need met: Every admitted student’s full financial need is met annually.

Even with these commitments, Notre Dame continues to strive for more. While the average financial aid package exceeds $45,000 per year, many students still face significant loan debt—especially first-generation and low-income students.

This debt can be particularly burdensome, forcing students to choose between attending their dream school and graduating with financial freedom. The Hesburgh Women of Impact Scholarship Endowment aims to bridge this gap by offering more competitive financial aid packages, ensuring every qualified student can achieve their dreams at Notre Dame.

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