One of the snowiest Januaries on record had left its mark on South Bend—38.6 inches of snowfall blanketing campus in white.
Against that backdrop, 55 aspiring graduate students from 45 colleges and universities across the country gathered at Notre Dame for Our Futures Weekend. For one student, it was the first time she had seen snow. For others, it was the first time they had seen this much of it. But as temperatures dipped below zero the weekend of January 30, 2026, the welcome these students received was anything but cold.
By the time the weekend ended, the snow was not the only thing that left an impression.
At the start of the weekend, Joseph Engelking, a mechanical engineering student who traveled from Rice University in Texas to Notre Dame, said, “I have been emailing professors, and trying to talk to them, and I am really excited to meet them in person and tour their labs and see what Notre Dame is all about. I want to understand if I want to go to graduate school. Right now, I am very convinced that I do. But I think this weekend will be an extra push to confirm that I do.”
For Joseph and his cohort, Our Futures Weekend was far more than a campus visit. Hosted by the Graduate School, the immersive program invited highly achieving undergraduate juniors from across the United States and Puerto Rico to Notre Dame for an all-expenses-paid introduction to graduate study under the Dome.
Now in its third year, the initiative offers an inside look at the University’s advanced degree programs, history, culture, and mission—along with practical guidance on preparing for and applying to graduate school.
“Our Futures Weekend is all about discovery,” explains Jamila Lee-Johnson, assistant dean of inclusive excellence. “I believe that Notre Dame graduate programs are a hidden gem, and this event is our way of inviting talented students to come see for themselves. By exposing them to our unique research and campus culture early on, we help them turn their interest in graduate school into a clear path forward at Notre Dame.”
Our Futures Weekend is packed with talks from Notre Dame leaders and inspirational speakers like Rev. Pete McCormick, C.S.C., assistant vice president of campus ministry. Father McCormick shared the University’s belief that education must cultivate both mind and heart.
Ron Metoyer, vice president and associate provost for teaching and learning, reflected on why he came to Notre Dame and what makes it so special. “You don’t have to be Catholic to belong here,” Metoyer emphasized. “What matters is a commitment to excellence and the shared commitment to the mission—to do good in the world through your work.”
The group also heard from current members of the Notre Dame community—a graduate student, two postdoctoral scholars, and two professors—who shared their experiences during a panel discussion titled “My Journey to Notre Dame.” They attended networking lunches with faculty, which offered more personal conversations, while breakout sessions with offices such as Grants and Fellowships and Graduate Career Services provided practical advice. Additionally, students had the opportunity to visit their academic departments of interest for a firsthand look at where their future research could unfold.
For Bryson Hannah, a mechanical engineering student at Alabama A&M University, that firsthand look came in the form of Professor Ed Kinzel’s Laser Precision Manufacturing Laboratory. “This was amazing,” Hannah said. “It was really great to actually go into the engineering department and just see what it’s really like to come to ND and be a part of Notre Dame in my field. The tours of the campus are amazing, but it’s even more meaningful to see where I would actually be working.”
Kinzel spoke candidly with Hannah’s group about the rigor of a Ph.D. program—the timing, the expectations, and how to decide whether that path is the right one. It’s that kind of interaction, says Jim Schmiedeler, professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering, that is essential. “This gives students the clearest insight as to what their experiences as Ph.D. students would entail. So much of the Ph.D. experience hinges on students working on a project that excites them with a faculty mentor whose advising approach is the right fit.”
Moments like these are critical when evaluating fit and recruiting top talent.
“I’m certainly focused on recruiting the best engineering graduate students to Notre Dame,” Schmiedeler says, “but maintaining a culture of excellence across all programs on campus is just as important. Engineering students thrive when they’re surrounded by outstanding peers from other disciplines who enrich their broader academic experience.”
Students shared that connecting with other like-minded, driven peers from other institutions across the country was another meaningful—and fun—part of the experience. Between sessions, they explored campus and South Bend together, including an evening of ice skating at Howard Park.
Throughout the weekend as a whole, Our Futures Weekend participants didn’t just learn about graduate school—they began to see themselves in it.
“What stood out most was the level of intention behind the weekend,” Hannah explained. “This was not a passive visit to South Bend. Every session, conversation, and interaction was purposeful and helped remove uncertainty around graduate school, replacing it with clarity and direction. The experience reframed graduate school from a checkbox into a deliberate stage of personal and professional growth.”
“You will leave the program with questions answered and resources to help you start,” added Eduarda Frizzo Pereira, who came from the University of Kentucky. “And if you still have questions, now you have the people that you can ask for help.”
Spelman College’s Savanah Carrasquillo echoed that sentiment. “Getting valuable information from the faculty, staff, and grad students here made me super excited about my future,” she said.
Those reflections capture exactly what Lee-Johnson and the Graduate School staff hope the students take away. “More than anything, I want these students to leave knowing they are now part of our family,” Lee-Johnson emphasized. “Whether they ultimately wear the blue and gold or choose another path, I hope they walk away with the conviction that they matter and their research matters. Beyond academics, my hope is that the bonds formed this weekend turn into lifelong connections with a peer group that will support them throughout their entire careers.”
Our Futures Weekend sends these scholars forward with clarity, confidence, and the conviction that their work in the world truly matters. See more pictures from the weekend in this picture gallery.
Originally posted at graduateschool.nd.edu by Tracy DuVal on March 2, 2026.