Notre Dame Alumnus, Trustee and Former Irish Football Player Tracy Graham to Deliver Keynote at ACE Commencement

Notre Dame, IN — The Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at the University of Notre Dame will host its 2025 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, July 12th, at 3:30 p.m. on the University’s campus, celebrating the graduates of its ACE Teaching Fellows and Mary Ann Remick Leadership programs. The keynote address will be delivered by Tracy Graham, a University of Notre Dame alumnus and trustee, former Irish football player under Coach Lou Holtz, and founder and CEO of Graham Allen Partners.

Graham is a respected technology entrepreneur, private equity investor, and philanthropist whose work is rooted in a belief that opportunity and education can transform lives. He is the founder and managing principal of Graham Allen Partners, a South Bend-based private equity firm focused on investing in technology and tech-enabled businesses across the U.S. The firm supports companies leading innovation in analytics, AI, and digital transformation.

After graduating from Notre Dame, Graham began his career by founding Internet Services Management Group (ISMG), which became one of the largest privately held internet service providers in the Midwest. He went on to co-found GramTel, a leading regional data center company, which he successfully sold to Cincinnati Bell in 2007.

In addition to his business leadership, Graham is a dedicated public servant and community advocate. He serves on the University of Notre Dame Board of Trustees, Beacon Health System, 1st Source Bank, and the South Bend - Elkhart Regional Development Authority, among others. In 2024, Graham and his wife Kerie made a lead gift to name Notre Dame’s newest men’s residence hall—Graham Family Hall—a testament to their longstanding commitment to student life and holistic development.

“Tracy Graham is a powerful example of how faith, leadership, and a commitment to service can shape lives and communities,” said John Staud, Executive Director of the Alliance for Catholic Education. “We are honored to welcome him as our Commencement speaker and grateful for the wisdom and inspiration he will share with our graduates.”

The ceremony will also feature the conferral of the Michael Pressley Awards, honoring the inaugural academic director of Notre Dame's Master of Education degree program. This year’s Michael Pressley Award for Excellence in Catholic Education recipients are:

• Eric Harper (ACE 20), whose steadfast leadership and long-term dedication to Catholic schools have deeply impacted the communities he serves.
   
• Emily Lazor-Rodgers (ACE 18), recognized for her outstanding service at Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep and her vibrant witness to the mission of Catholic education.

ACE will also present the Michael Pressley Award for a Promising Scholar in the Education Field to:

• Dr. Kathleen Schenkel (ACE 18), a former middle school science teacher and current educational researcher and teacher educator. Dr. Schenkel’s scholarship, deeply rooted in her classroom experience, advances the kind of engaged, community-centered learning so important to Pressley’s scholarship.

Awardees will be honored during the ACE Commencement Luncheon at 1:30 p.m., joined by class speakers Tyler Johnson (ACE 30) and Emily Roman (Remick Leadership Program 22), as well as Clíona Galvin, recipient of the Remick Program’s “Lead with Zeal” Award.

Since its founding in 1993, ACE has formed more than 2,200 teachers through the ACE Teaching Fellows program and more than 500 school leaders through the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program. Guided by a formation model rooted in professional preparation, community, and spiritual growth, ACE equips Catholic school educators to be agents of hope—bringing life and excellence to under-resourced communities across the country. Over 75 percent of ACE graduates remain in education, while others serve the common good across fields such as medicine, law, business, and academia.

Join the Celebration via Livestream

The full Commencement Ceremony will be available to watch live at ace.nd.edu/livestream.

About the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE)

Founded in 1993, the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE), part of the Institute for Educational Initiatives (IEI) at the University of Notre Dame, works to sustain, strengthen, and transform Catholic schools. ACE forms teachers and leaders; develops and disseminates innovative tools and research to integrate academic excellence and spiritual growth; and enhances financial accessibility and operational vitality to ensure that all children—especially those in historically marginalized communities—have the opportunity to experience the gift of an excellent Catholic education. ACE annually serves more than 300 schools and 250,000 students in over 40 states.

To learn more, visit https://ace.nd.edu.

About the Institute for Educational Initiatives (IEI)

Founded in 1996, the Institute for Educational Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame is home to over two dozen programs that advance the IEI mission: improving education for all youth, particularly the disadvantaged, with a special—but not exclusive—focus on Catholic schools. Through research, teaching, and outreach, the Institute works to make God known, loved, and served by helping children flourish through excellent education.

To learn more, visit https://iei.nd.edu