Undergraduate students at Notre Dame have a new central hub where they can access learning and academic resources under one roof: the Center for Academic Transformation and Excellence (CATE).
Located in newly renovated Bond Hall, CATE brings together academic services and student support that previously existed in separate offices across the Office of Undergraduate Education and serves students from every college and school. As a central hub for learning resources and academic engagement, CATE was created to help students become more active and intentional learners. CATE’s staff guide students throughout their academic journeys through individualized academic accompaniment, scholarly engagement, and learning resources, while also offering communities through peer-facilitated study groups and cohort-based scholars programs.
“CATE allows us to provide integrated academic support to better inform the minds and form the hearts of our undergraduate students,” said the Rev. Daniel Groody, C.S.C., vice president and associate provost for undergraduate education. “It creates a clearer path to discover the academic resources Notre Dame offers and a place where students can find support as their needs and aspirations evolve.”
The center is organized into three pillars: Undergraduate Learning and Academic Engagement Services, which includes the Learning Resource Center, the Academic Discernment and Exploration Office and the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement; undergraduate scholars programs, cohort-based programs including AnBryce, Balfour-Hesburgh, Corde, Hesburgh-Yusko, Scott, Stamps Scholars and the Transformational Leaders Program; and Academic Services for Student-Athletes, which is housed in the nearby Coleman-Morse Center.
Bringing those services together allows a student to come to CATE with a question about today's coursework or a much bigger question about where their education might take them and access the support they need.
CATE does not replace the academic advising or other learning resources already available within Notre Dame's colleges and schools. Rather, its University-wide programs supplement those resources and make additional forms of academic support and engagement available to undergraduates across disciplines. Funding for the center was made possible by a generous gift from Brian Brady, ‘74, and Jeannelle Brady, ‘74 SMC.
“We want all students to see Bond Hall as a place they can return to throughout their undergraduate experience, whether they need help navigating a course, are discerning their academic direction, or are ready to pursue an ambitious new learning opportunity outside of the classroom,” said Andrew Hoyt, CATE’s newly appointed executive director.
The Office of Undergraduate Education will formally launch CATE with a campus-wide celebration from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, in Bond Hall and on Bond Quad. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to explore the center, meet the staff, and learn more about CATE’s programs and services.
Originally published by at provost.nd.edu on September 04, 2026.
