Feb. 27, 2005
The Monogram Club board of directors held its annual winter meeting in Phoenix prior to the Insight Bowl. Here are excerpts from the meeting and committee reports (look for similar recaps from future board meetings and forthcoming details on projects mentioned below):
* Assistant athletic director Mike Danch presented a thank-you letter from the Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team, showing their appreciation to the Monogram Club for helping sponsor its recent training trip to Ireland (note that a member of the team will be writing a personalized thank you and summary of the trip that will appear on the swimming and Monogram Club websites).
* The Brennan-Boland-Riehle Scholarship Fund – which provides need-based financial assistance to sons and daughters of Monogram Club members who attend Notre Dame – remains a truly unique program among the nation’s letterwinner organizations, In 2004-05 alone, the fund awarded $322,000 in scholarship grants to 45 students who otherwise may not have been able to attend Notre Dame. The fund currently provides up to 50% in tuition assistance.
* A similar $5,000 gift also was approved to the men’s golf team to help assist with various costs involved with hosting a top intercollegiate event at the Warren Golf Course this spring.
* The membership committee – which continues to try to increase the number and stature of the benefits offered to the membership – announced that a new Monogram Club seating option is available for the 2005 football season. Those wishing to sit with fellow monogram winners need to simply write “Monogram Seating” in the box in the upper righthand corner of the application and indicate the games for which you would like to participate. Please note that these seats most likely will be in the endzone section and that you cannot choose whom you will be seated next to when choosing this option. (Also please note, if requesting Monogram Club seating, you CANNOT group with other applications).
* The Monogram Club’s pregame receptions again will be held this fall prior to each home football game (with possible receptions for select away games as well).
* A celebrity golf tournament was approved and this event will correspond with the Monogram Club’s fall meeting, which has been expanded to two days. The golf tournament will generate proceeds for the Monogram Club’s Brennan-Boland-Riehle scholarship fund and will be held at the Warren Golf Course on the Thursday (Sept. 15) before the first home football game (vs. Michigan State). Details of this event are forthcoming via mailing (also see the Monogram Club website, at www.ndmonogramclub.com).
Former Notre Dame soccer player Marvin Lett (left) and fencing alum Liz Bathon Brown (right) are members of the Monogram Club board’s student welfare committee.
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* A Monogram Club video promotional piece is being prepared that will be included with the athletic department’s annual highlight video. This video is shown at the “O.S.C.A.R.S” event (the year-end awards banquet for all 26 varsity teams) and copies are provided to the current student-athletes. The inclusion of the promotional piece will help educate student-athletes about the Monogram Club’s mission and its various programs. Costs for the highlight video are shared by the Monogram Club, the Alumni Association and adidas.
* The official Monogram Club website (www.ndmonogramclub.com, also linked on left sidebar at und.com) continues to provide a wide variety of information for the club’s members, with upcoming offerings to include job networking opportunities, student-athlete resumes and Monogram Club member testimonials.
* A Monogram Club benefits brochure is being produced that will be mailed to all student-athletes at different intervals over the next two years.
* The marketing committee continues to pursue various programs that provide new revenue sources for the Brennan-Boland-Riehle scholarship fund while also providing expanded offerings to the membership, including the aforementioned golf tournament and the following:
* A select number of Ara Parseghian bobblehead dolls remained available and may be ordered by calling (574) 631-8219 (a PDF order form can be downloaded at http://und.collegesports.com/sports/monogramclub/spec-rel/011705aaa.html).
* The Notre Dame Adult Tennis Camp again will be sponsored by the Monogram Club and will be held this summer on June 24-26, 2005. The camp is open to adults of all abilities and will be held on the 14 outdoor courts at Notre Dame’s Courtney Tennis Center and the six indoor courts at the on-campus Eck Tennis Center, with staff providing quality instruction on all 20 courts. The staff is expected to include current members of the Notre Dame varsity men’s tennis team, previous Notre Dame tennis monogram winners and an assortment of other current college coaches and players. Highlights include 11 hours of tennis instruction, match play in a spirited team competition, personal evaluation for future improvement and an awards ceremony. Players are grouped by their present ability. The camp is limited to the first 60 adults (18 and over) who register and submit all charges due. Accommodation options are available to the Adult Tennis Camp participants on-campus (at St. Edward’s Hall, $30 per night; call 574-631-8807) or at the nearby Jamison Inn (special rate of $70 per night, with daily breakfast included; call 574-277-6500). Room reservations must be made by May 27 and campers are responsible to reserve and pay for their own rooms. When calling to reserve a room, please be sure to mention that you are with the Notre Dame Monogram Club Tennis Camp. To receive a brochure or for more information, call the Notre Dame Summer Camp Office at (574) 631-8788 or the Monogram Club office at (574) 631-5450 (or write to Monogram Club Adult Tennis Camp, University of Notre Dame, 101-C Joyce Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556).
* The third annual Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp again is scheduled for this summer. The popular third-year event provides a unique experience for participants while serving as a growing revenue source for the Brennan-Boland Riehle Scholarship Fund. The Fantasy Camp is organized by former Notre Dame quarterback Pat Steenberge and his company Global Football. A limited number of spots remained for the 2005 event – see www.ndfootballfantasycamp.com for more information.