The Hallmarks developed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and their learning communities are the heart and soul of the NDNU experience. In this ongoing series, members of our community – including faculty, staff, alumni, volunteer leaders, and supporters – share personal reflections on the Hallmarks and the ways these values continue to shape their lives.
In this issue, we explore a simple yet meaningful question:
Which Hallmarks resonate most deeply with you, and why?
Bobby Vaughn
NDNU Director of Mission, Diversity, and Inclusion, Former Faculty Member
“The Hallmarks give the NDNU community a shared vocabulary that helps define what kind of institution we want to be, and what we owe the people who study and work here. The one that resonates most with me right now focuses on honoring the dignity and sacredness of each person. Immigrants, LGBTQ (particularly trans people), and people of color are facing real challenges, and this Hallmark is part of what animates my own support for them. In my personal life, that shows up as backing causes and organizations doing this work directly, and staying engaged in civic action that protects people whose safety and standing are under threat. Professionally, it's what my office exists to do: making sure that the way we serve our community reflects the dignity of everyone in it, whatever their background.”
Hanna Malak
Alumnus
“Several Hallmarks have had a profound influence on my personal and professional journey, particularly:
- We honor the dignity and sacredness of each person.
- We educate for and act on behalf of justice, peace, and care for all creation.
- We embrace the gift of diversity.
- We create community among those with whom we work and with those we serve
These Hallmarks resonate deeply because they reflect my belief that leadership is fundamentally about creating environments where people feel valued, included, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique gifts.”
Liz Hawley
Alumna, NDNU Senior Accountant
“The Hallmark that resonates most deeply with me is We create community among those with whom we work and those we serve. This value shapes both my professional work and my volunteer commitments because it reminds me that meaningful relationships are built through compassion, service, and a genuine commitment to others. My family and I have volunteered with Table of Plenty, a weekly community supper program that serves struggling families, seniors, and unhoused neighbors in Half Moon Bay. Through that experience, I have seen firsthand the power of community to bring people together, foster dignity, and create a sense of belonging.
My connection to this Hallmark is also deeply rooted in my NDNU experience. As a graduate student, I not only found an outstanding education but also a welcoming and supportive community that inspired me to give back. That sense of belonging led me to join NDNU in 2006 and, after a brief time away, return in 2026. Throughout my years here, I have felt valued, supported, and appreciated, and I continue to see this Hallmark lived out every day in the relationships we build with one another and in our shared commitment to serving others.”
John Hofmann
Executive Director, NDNU Institutional Effectiveness
“We embrace the gift of diversity” is the Hallmark that I find most compelling and energizing. It is also one of the most challenging because it calls us to continually expand our capacity to care for and understand people whose experiences differ from our own. It invites us to seek common ground across differences, whether they are socio-economic, political, religious, cultural, or personal. For me, this is also the most expansive Hallmark because it touches every aspect of how we relate to one another and reminds us that genuine community is built through openness, respect, and connection across our differences.”
Niki Rodrigues Nielsen
Alumna, NDNU Trustee, and Former Staff Member
"We develop holistic learning communities which educate for life is the Hallmark that resonates most deeply with me because when I think about my four years as a student at NDNU, I know I received so much more than an academic education. Those four years shaped who I became as a person.
During my time at NDNU, I probably had at least five different jobs, sometimes juggling several at once while going to school. I had incredible professors, supervisors, and mentors who coached me through my education, and also through work, relationships, mistakes, challenges, and those moments when I simply felt stuck. They taught me about work ethic, responsibility, leadership, and resilience in ways a classroom never could. I was surrounded by a community that allowed me to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep moving forward. I was challenged, supported, and continually encouraged to be better.
I am incredibly grateful to NDNU because it truly did what this Hallmark says: it educated me for life. My education wasn't confined to a classroom or a degree. It was the people, the jobs, the challenges, the mistakes, the opportunities, and the relationships. It gave me a place where I could grow into myself, and then, eventually, the opportunity to help create that same kind of community for others. That's what holistic education means to me. You don't simply leave with an education; you leave changed by the community that helped shape you.”
Niki Dow
Writing, Speaking, and Academic Skills Specialist, NDNU Academic Success Center
“We honor the dignity and sacredness of each person is a Hallmark that I have the pleasure of experiencing consistently in my work at the Academic Success Center. Because I work closely 1:1 with students, I get to know them quickly as unique individuals with goals, life circumstances, and ways of learning that are all their own. From there, we build a trusting relationship, working on whatever they need, always honoring who they are. This is what I experienced myself immediately upon returning to work following a major medical event. My confidence was down, but my supervisor was willing to work with me, appreciating where I was. Fast forward to today: we work well together, and I’m not worried about my capabilities anymore. It was the perfect introduction to the Hallmarks at NDNU.”
Amelia Ramos
Alumna
“The Hallmarks contribute to the values that guide my moral compass. They have supported me by grounding who I am internally and within my communities. We create community among those with whom we work and with those we serve is the Hallmark that resonates most deeply with me because in my opinion, working with individuals of diverse backgrounds increases our collective capital, and serving others through acts of kindness promotes joy and life fulfillment. For 22 years, I have tried to instill these same sentiments in all of my students.