For many, a Notre Dame education is a lifelong dream. For Michael Method ’82, it was a calling. Michael was born in Chicago and raised in Marion, Indiana. Even before Michael came to Notre Dame, he demonstrated academic excellence. Graduating as salutatorian of his high school class of nearly 800 students, he was endorsed by Senator Richard Lugar as an alternate for the Air Force Academy and applied to elite institutions such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. His heart, however, belonged under the Golden Dome.
Growing up, Michael’s best friend was the son of a local judge who, along with his father, was a proud Notre Dame alumnus. They introduced Michael to the magic of South Bend. He spent countless Saturdays with them, cheering on the Fighting Irish on TV and traveling to home games, where they shared a favorite tailgate spot right by the Leahy gate.
When his acceptance letter from Notre Dame finally arrived, it was a profoundly spiritual moment. It felt as though an angel spoke to him, saying this was exactly where he needed to be. Overwhelmed with emotion, he immediately withdrew his applications from all other universities—and even declined a subsequent acceptance from the Air Force Academy. He was going to be a Domer.
While his family was not in a position to fund his education, Michael was determined. He worked in steel mills in the summer and, during the school year, bought and renovated houses, which he then rented to fellow students. By the time he graduated, Michael owned 11 houses, which he sold to fund his first year of medical school.
That same resolve defined his approach to academics. Michael, enrolled in the pre-professional program, was advised during his freshman year not to take physics and biology simultaneously due to the difficulty. Unfazed, he took biology, physics, and organic chemistry all at once in his sophomore year. His defiance led to his being dropped from the pre-professional track, but after Michael earned straight As in those daunting classes, the program's head quickly reinstated him.
Michael describes his time at Notre Dame as “fantastic,” largely due to his role as a service commissioner in the Student Union. He was a natural problem-solver who never shied away from responsibility and always looked out for his peers. During move-in week, for example, he arranged for local vendors to set up shop at the Stepan Center, allowing students easy access to essentials for outfitting their rooms. And during the 1981 Sugar Bowl, Michael and his friend, who was the Social Commissioner, organized four buses to New Orleans so students could watch the Irish take on Georgia. They coordinated all hotels and tailgates and even acted as trip chaperones, ensuring everyone made it to the game and back safely.
He also used his position to champion equality for female students, who at the time did not receive laundry service like their male counterparts. Michael started a petition and took it directly to Fr. Hesburgh, who ensured that the women had laundry service starting the very next day.
The spiritual, philosophical, and theological foundations Michael received at Notre Dame continue to shape his life today. Because the University taught him to think critically and gave him so much, he has made it a priority to ensure that future generations receive the same world-class education. Michael’s giving history is nothing short of remarkable. He began donating to Notre Dame while in medical school, though he was making almost no money. In fact, he has made a gift to the University every single year since his 1982 graduation, with the sole exception of a two-year period when his service as a flight surgeon during the Iraq War kept him from receiving the usual mailed solicitations.
“I feel that every success I have had in life is due to Notre Dame,” he says, “and I owe it to Notre Dame to give back.”
To solidify this lifelong commitment, Michael has established a Charitable Remainder Trust with Our Lady’s University that will support undergraduate financial aid. Through his generosity and membership in the Badin Guild, Michael ensures that the angel’s whisper he heard as a high school senior will echo for generations of future students.
Thank you, Michael, for all you have done and continue to do for Notre Dame.