The University of Notre Dame received the Larry A. Conrad Civic Service Award from the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns at a luncheon ceremony this week at the Hilton Convention Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Timothy D. Sexton, Notre Dame’s associate vice president for public affairs; Frances L. Shavers, chief of staff and special assistant to Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.; and Gregory Hakanen, director of asset management and real estate at Notre Dame, received the award on behalf of the University.
The Conrad Award recognizes a private citizen, company or civic organization for private sector service to municipal government.
Notre Dame had been nominated for the award by South Bend Mayor Steve Luecke, who cited, among many other things, the University’s recent 10-year commitment of more than $3 million in unrestricted funds to the city government to help the city meet its budget, fully staff police and fire departments and keep park facilities open; the Notre Dame community’s 2009 contribution of more than 420,000 hours of community service; and the benefits of the Eddy Street Commons development project.
Notre Dame is “a highly valued and engaged partner with municipal government in enhancing the economic, educational, environmental and social-service life of the community,” Luecke said. “The city of South Bend and the University of Notre Dame are inextricably bound together. The relationship between the two entities is better than it has ever been, even as it continues to improve.”