From the President

Catholic social teaching recognizes the dignity and worth of the individual, the promotion of peace and the interconnection of people as God’s creations. The Tolerance Resource Center at Notre Dame blends seamlessly with our identity as a Catholic college as it provides educators, researchers, teachers and students with resources to promote tolerance and social justice.

The impetus for the Center came from the vision of the late Margaret Kocevar ‘90, an adjunct professor at the College. “Maggie,” as she was known, was keenly interested in the Holocaust. She directed her passion toward preserving the memory of this human tragedy by serving as a lead interviewer for the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, an organization founded by Hollywood director Steven Spielberg. In this role she interviewed survivors of the Holocaust, videotaping their stories for posterity.

Maggie envisioned creating a center at the College that would promote understanding and awareness of issues pertaining to religious, racial and cultural diversity. Upon her sudden and unexpected death in 1996, four women who cared deeply about Maggie assumed her vision and were determined to see it come to fruition. Through the efforts of Sr. Mary Louise Trivison, professor emerita of theology and Spanish, Rachel Morris, associate professor of fine arts, Karen Zoller, the director of the Clara Fritzsche Library, and Maggie’s mother Eleanor Kocevar ‘52, the Tolerance Resource Center opened its doors on November 16, 1997, a day recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Tolerance.

This year, Notre Dame College is marking the tenth anniversary of the Tolerance Resource Center with a year-long celebration. The Center has planned a number of programs exploring race relations, the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. There will be original theatrical performances by award-winning playwright Faye Sholiton, a photography exhibit by Herbert Ascherman, Jr., and presentations by noted speakers including Dr. James Waller and Sr. Gemma Del Duca.

We also plan to make significant announcements regarding the future of the Tolerance Resource Center, including the creation of an advisory board tasked with strategic planning for the Center.

We are proud to have the Tolerance Resource Center at Notre Dame College. As it enters its second decade, we are committed to seeing it reach its full potential, promoting peace and social justice in a community desperate for this message of hope.

Andrew P. Roth, Ph.D.
President

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