What is the GRC?

An office in the Division of Student Affairs, the Gender Relations Center (GRC) designs and implements educational programming and workshops in the areas of gender equity and intersectionality, healthy relationships, LGBTQ inclusion, and masculinities and authenticity. The GRC seeks to create dialogue on campus by collaborating with student groups, other departments at Notre Dame, and cross-campus partners at Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. It was the first office of its kind within collegiate student affairs nationwide.

Mission Statement

The GRC promotes moral formation consistent with our Catholic identity, mission and values in an effort to create a healthy culture at the University of Notre Dame. Committed to the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual development of all students, the GRC seeks to engage the campus in respectful dialogue and seeks to build a community that fully honors the human dignity of each person as a child of God.

Fall 1972: Notre Dame admits the first class of women 

Spring 2002: Brooke Norton, first female student body president, calls for creation of University-sponsored Center for Women and Men 

Fall 2003: Student Senate Gender Issues Committee produces a detailed report proposing a University Gender Center 

Spring 2004: Gender Center proposal passes in the Student Senate and Campus Life Council; accepted by Fr. Mike Poorman, C.S.C, Vice President of Student Affairs 

Spring 2004: Fr. Poorman announces the creation of the Gender Relations Center and names Heather Rakoczy, Rector of Pangborn Hall, the founding Director 

Fall 2004: Gender Relations Center opens on a half-time basis 

Fall 2005: Gender Relations Center becomes newest department in Student Affairs, supervised by Ann Firth, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs 

Fall 2010: Gender Relations Center begins its seventh year, having more than quadrupled initial office space, budget, and programming 

Summer 2012: Gender Relations Center expands, hiring an Assistant Director to expand programming and initiatives on men & masculinity

Summer 2013: Gender Relations Center further expands, hiring Assistant Director for LGBTQ Student Concerns, a position created out of the Pastoral Plan

2014-2015: Gender Relations Center celebrates 10 years, with five full-time staff members, a graduate student intern, and over 70 student leaders serving as FIRE Starters, Event Facilitators, Dorm Commissioners, and student workers

Summer 2023: Gender Relations Center relocates into a renovated space on the 2nd floor of LaFortune Student Center

About the logo

The Gender Relations Center logo incorporates the triquetra, or Celtic Trinity knot as symbol of our mission. Traditionally, the knot represents the Blessed Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We also see the three parts of the knot representing the Holy Cross vision to educate students in mind, body, and spirit.  The GRC adds another layer of meaning to this tripartite symbol by seeking to guide students as they develop healthy relationships with God, self, and others. By integrating all three types of relationships in our lives, we are better able to become people of faith, hope, and love.

Image of the old and new GRC logosImage of GRC logo