Reflection on "Giving N.D. A Chance to Make you a 'Hound'" Sean Hope-Ross '90 - 2000/10/19 It was about this time, October of '87, during my first year at Notre Dame that I phoned home and told my dad that I was coming home at Christmas to stay. I was a scrawny kid (some may find that hard to believe today) and I didn't make the hockey team of my choice. My dad told me that we'd look at it again at Christmas, yet give it a chance. He wanted me to be happy too. If it couldn't work out, I could come home. There was adversity then, as now, and a little more 'old boy' go for this or that, stuff like 'blue whales' at the restaurant when it was 30 below. Today, it is different, but the adversity is still tough. Being away from home with its friends and family is always difficult; getting used to a community routine and all its needs is a challenge and, of course, the weather on the prairies is rarely kind. However, I saw it through and, in my last year, I was a house leader and chosen to be the Master of Ceremonies at graduation. Now, here I am back working at the college that I grew to love.
In my last year, in May, I was on 'work list' for 'certain things' and I was called into Barry MacKenzie's office. He told me that some staff felt that I did not deserve to be the Master of Ceremonies at graduation because of my conduct and should be removed. However, Barry asked me to write an essay or poem on my experience at Notre Dame and he would consider the staff request again when I submitted it. I wrote a poem (hard to believe too) and it is this I want to share with you today because I know how difficult things are for many of you at this time.
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