Fr. Robert Dowd, C.S.C., was inaugurated on September 13, 2024, as the 18th President of the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana. His appointment to succeed Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., who served in that role for 19 years, had been announced on December 4, 2023.
The morning of the inauguration began with the blaring of trumpets and the full voice of the University choir accompanying the opening procession of the Inaugural Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The Most Rev. Bishop Patrick Neary, C.S.C., Bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud, presided and preached.
Bishop Neary, a classmate and personal friend of Fr. Dowd, focused on the gospel of the Visitation and the prevailing joy and wisdom of Mary. Highlighting Fr. Dowd’s faith and missionary zeal, Bishop Neary assured him that with Mary’s intercession, he would continue the Holy Cross legacy of making “God known, loved, and served.”
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After a lunch at the Morris Inn, the formal Investiture Ceremony began with a procession of dignitaries from the steps of the Administration Building to a packed Joyce Center, where Fr. Dowd was welcomed with a rousing standing ovation.
As part of the program, Fr. William M. Lies, C.S.C., Superior of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers, offered words of congratulations to Fr. Dowd.
"Fr. Robert Dowd will be a wonderful president for the University of Notre Dame, one of Holy Cross's most formidable apostolates. His passion for service and his devotion to the mission of Holy Cross will inform his tenure as president. We are blessed to have such a capable academic, administrator, and priest to serve the university in this way,” said Fr. Lies.
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In his inaugural address, Fr. Dowd spoke about how the University is well-positioned to be a “bridge-builder” in today’s polarized world. He also announced to the audience’s great enthusiasm that Notre Dame will “go loan-free and need-blind” for both domestic and international students. In Fr. Dowd’s words, this means that if students “are admitted to Notre Dame, no matter how much money your family makes, you will not have to worry about student loans, and no matter where in the world you call home, you will be eligible for financial aid.” Notre Dame is the first faith-based University in the U.S. to provide such a subsidy.
At the conclusion of his inaugural address, Fr. Dowd poignantly knelt down to receive the blessing of his two predecessors, Fr. Edward “Monk” Malloy, C.S.C., and Fr. Jenkins.
The day concluded with a concert by acclaimed American singer and songwriter, Jon Batiste, which was followed by an aerial drone show highlighting some of the iconic images of the University and Holy Cross.
In his congratulatory remarks at the Inaugural Gala dinner, Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross, concluded with the following: “I am confident, that like his 17 predecessors, and with the intercession of Our Lady of Holy Cross, as President, Fr. Bob will lead this University into the future with the same competence and courage that has always been a hallmark of Holy Cross leadership... Bob, know that you can count on our love, prayers, and support.
”Fr. Dowd joined the Congregation of Holy Cross after completing his studies at Notre Dame in 1987. As part of his initial formation, he spent 18 months serving in the Congregation’s missions in East Africa, beginning a long-standing relationship with Holy Cross and the Church in that region. He made his Final Profession in Holy Cross on August 28, 1993, and was ordained a priest the following Easter Season on April 9, 1994.
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Fr. Dowd’s first assignment was as Associate Rector of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the university’s campus and Assistant Rector in a residence hall. After graduating in 2003 with a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, Fr. Dowd returned to Notre Dame in 2004 where he joined the Political Science Department. His research focus has been on how Christian and Islamic religious communities affect support for democratic institutions, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
As an educator in the faith, seeking to form minds and hearts, Fr. Dowd has been active in the university community, especially on issues relating to Catholic Social Teaching and internationality. In this spirit, among other initiatives, he founded Notre Dame’s Ford Program in Human Development Studies and Solidarity at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, which finds its inspiration in Catholic social teaching and is dedicated to forging community-engaged research partnerships in the Global South.
Fr. Dowd was serving as the Vice President and Associate Provost for Interdisciplinary Initiatives at Notre Dame and as the Superior of Corby Hall, which is the residence of the Holy Cross community at the university, when he was appointed as President.
“I am deeply humbled and honored by the Board’s decision,” Fr. Dowd said in a press release. “We can all be grateful for Fr. Jenkins’ selfless and courageous leadership for almost two decades. Working together with others, his efforts have positioned the University extremely well in every way. We will build on those efforts. Informed by our Catholic mission, we will work together so that Notre Dame is an ever-greater engine of insight, innovation, and impact, addressing society’s greatest challenges and helping young people to realize their potential for good.”