Alumni News

Moore '14 leaves lasting impact at UConn

In April of 2018, just weeks before William Corey Moore ‘14 delivered the commencement address to his fellow classmates at UConn, he held a powerful TED Talk entitled, Black Boys: Passing the Blueprint. In this informative and inspiring talk, Moore raised awareness of alarming statistics within the African American male community. In January, Moore returned to Notre Dame to address ND’s Black Student Union and challenge them to seek answers to their questions and to give back what they have received from their mentors.

This TED Talk is just one of the many ways Moore is leaving his mark at UConn, giving back to those who have given to him, and inspiring others. As he enters the penultimate weeks of his graduate coursework in education at UConn, Moore can be proud of not only his academic achievements but also the lasting impacts he has made throughout the 4,400-acre campus.

Moore organized and planned one of the first black male leadership conferences at UConn, Dear Young Brother, and worked to facilitate important conversations. As the President of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and a member of the leadership team for ScHOLA2RS House Learning Community, Moore serves as a dedicated mentor and advocate for the success of black males at UConn. 

Moore explained that his TED Talk was his way of saying “thank you” to those who have helped him along his journey -- a thank you to his ‘village’. It was a cumulative act of gratitude for those who have impacted his life, opened doors, and paved ways.

“I want to encourage others, particularly African American males, black boys, to seek to have their questions answered and go beyond their circumstances. Get information. Recognize that someone who opened doors for them continues to open doors for others.”

At ND, Moore served as a Peer Counselor, was a member of the basketball team, and a National Honors Society and Spanish Honors Society inductee. He wants to challenge today’s ND students to keep opening doors for others.

 “Continue the ND tradition of giving back to your community and to your school. ND does a great job of giving students these opportunities. ‘To whom much is given, much will be required’ [(Luke 12:48)], which was a message emphasized throughout my time at ND and in my life.”

Moore will earn his M.A. in Education from UConn in May 2020. In the spring of 2018, he graduated within UConn’s honors program with his B.S. in Finance. Following his 2020 commencement, Moore will begin his professional career within United Technology’s Financial Leadership Program. 

Cuevas '02 finds success in higher ed

When Alexander Cuevas ‘02 was a junior at Notre Dame, he elected to take his first business course. Little did he know at the time, taking this class would spark his interest in the field and eventually lead to a successful and rewarding career.

After Notre Dame, Cuevas spent four years at Bryant University in Rhode Island where he earned his B.A. in Business Management and minored in Political Science. Having a passion for education, he found his way into higher-ed when he accepted his first position as an Admissions Representative working first with Stone Academy and eventually with Albertus Magnus College.

The day-to-day responsibilities of working with incoming students were extremely rewarding to Cuevas.  “I was inspired by the students I met with. The population I worked with faced many challenges and they were able to prevail. Their stories and success compelled me to go back to school and earn my MBA at Albertus Magnus College,” he said.

Upon the completion of this MBA, Cuevas returned to Stone Academy as Community Outreach Coordinator at Stone Academy and eventually was promoted to Campus Director. Upon the acquisition of Paier College of Art in 2018, Cuevas was asked to oversee recruitment and enrollment for the Art School. Today, Cuevas is the Director of Admissions and Director of Enrollment at Paier College of Art and Stone Academy, respectively. 

Cuevas found that earning his Master’s degree opened the doors for his professional growth. From 2016 to 2019, he served as the President of the West Haven Chamber of Commerce. Working closely with the Department of Motor Vehicles and Mayor Rossi, he assisted in coordinating the opening of the DMV Express located in City Hall.

“One of the best parts of my job is just seeing the growth and development of the students while they’re in school. Often times they’re a completely different person when they walk across the stage at graduation,” explained Cuevas.

When Cuevas walked the halls of One Notre Dame Way, he ran Cross Country, was a Spanish Honors Society member, and had a devastating serve with the Ping Pong club. When reminiscing about his high school days, he offered heartfelt advice to today’s Notre Dame students:

“Have faith in yourself and have faith in the process of what it’s like to be a student at Notre Dame. For me, those were very formative years. I was born in New Haven but became the man I am today on the ‘Hill’. There may be times where you doubt yourself or where you’re going, but put faith in the institution, your teachers, family, and friends, and you’ll do great things.”

Five alumni return to 'The Hill'

Over the past few months, we welcomed five alumni (in person and via video conference) to address our students about their careers!

(Left to Right) Lt. Col. (US Army Retired) Friedrich Wherli ’78 addressed students from our Technology/Engineering/Design Program and our Robotics Club about his work with the U.S. Army on the development of autonomous vehicles and drones. 

George Costanzo ’74 met with students in the Sports Medicine Program and some of our athletes about his 30-year career as a chiropractor and his new career as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Costanzo spent considerable time addressing the opioid crisis.  

Denis Garvey ’65 and Bill Bruno ’82 were guest speakers in Joe DeCaprio’s Entrepreneurship class. Garvey, who has started several enterprises, spoke about the qualities needed to be a successful entrepreneur. Bruno, Senior VP Portfolio Manager at Peoples United Bank, spoke about the financing of a new business. 

A few weeks after video calling with faculty and students during the week of the Super Bowl, San Francisco 49er Vice President Rob Alberino ’88 visited the Entrepreneurship class and toured ND. 

Coach Iovene's strides continue off the ice

When Head JV Hockey Coach Anthony Iovene ‘14 isn’t on the ice, you can find him in the research lab across the street at the University of New Haven (UNH).

Iovene is currently in pursuit of an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from UNH. He is continuing the biomedical engineering coursework he began during his undergrad years at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA.

Specifically, Iovene is interested in the engineering side of the biomaterials field. “I enjoy working with blood-contacting devices and seeing what kinds of things you can do to the polymers so blood doesn’t stick. For example, figuring out a solution so blood doesn’t stick to catheters and cause blockages,” said Iovene.

In addition to his demanding coursework, Iovene is also a research assistant with Dr. Kagya Amoako, Graduate Coordinator for Biomedical Engineering and Director of Biomaterials and Medical Device Innovation Laboratory at UNH. 

“I was pretty excited when he asked me to join the research team. He primarily works with artificial lungs and blood-contacting devices like stents and vascular grafts,” he explained. 

Upon graduation in 2021, Iovene plans to pursue a career in research and development with a large medical device company, excited for the discovery and innovation that lies ahead.

While at Notre Dame, Iovene learned a lot about what means to be a man of character and compassion. He explains he still keeps those lessons with him today.

“Everything about Notre Dame helps you be a better person. Following the Code and just doing the right things. Being that person helps you build friendships and relationships in work and in life.”

Iovene's father, Michael Iovene, is a member of the Class of 1976.  Be sure to check GoGreenKnights.com for full athletic schedules and results.

Stathis '07 takes on software design project with Boston Dynamics

With a master's degree in engineering and a minor in music, you might expect to see Chris Stathis' name connected with a pyrotechnic halftime spectacular.  His work is spectacular, but it's not on a stage, at least not a stadium performance stage. While Stathis is a talented clarinetist, his most recent works can be found walking around on four legs. In November, Stathis video conferenced with Notre Dame's Robotics Club to share his latest endeavors with Boston Dynamics' robot, Spot. 

Chris Stathis '07 earned his B.S. in Physics and minor in music from Ithaca College, and went on to attend Columbia University to complete his M.S. in Electrical Engineering. Following graduation, Stathis landed a job with Sikorsky Aircraft as an Autonomy and Electric Flight Controls Engineer, where he was the lead perception software engineer for their autonomous helicopter.

When Stathis joined Boston Dynamics as a Roboticist in 2015, he joined a team of 75 people. Over the course of the past four years, he has been able to see the company grow in staffing and in public recognition. 

“Boston Dynamics makes the coolest robots in the world,” Stathis enthused. “But what is cool is that I get to work at the intersection of hardware and software design. I get to see the effect of that software in the real world,” he explained. 

Stathis specifically works with Boston Dynamics’ robots named Spot and SpotMini, which are dog-like robots that can climb stairs and navigate diverse terrain.

“I deal with different types of vision sensors that go on the robot and all of the software the sensors utilize.” Stathis’ software allows the robot to map the environment, avoid obstacles, and plan the robot’s footsteps.

Robotics is still an industry that is in its infancy. “One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to make a robot useful to somebody.” Stathis’ position at Boston Dynamics affords him the opportunity to discover, innovate, and create, but also presents the opportunity to make a lasting impact on software design.

Construction companies, in particular, can benefit from Boston Dynamics. Robots like Spot can enter the hazardous work zones so humans don’t have to. The companies go through a lot of trouble to take photos of the build and renovation processes, putting themselves in harm’s way while collecting data. With Boston Dynamics robots, construction workers do not have to face the extra hazards.

“We can make it easier and better for construction companies if we put a laser scanner or fancy camera on the robot and have it walk around the site collecting data,” Stathis explained.

Stathis’ advice to current Notre Dame students is simple: be persistent and persevere. “Don’t let yourself believe you aren’t smart enough or don’t have the background to figure it out. If someone tasks you with something, there is a natural reaction to say ‘well I don’t know if I took enough classes to know how to do that or have the right experience.’ The right answer is to just go and figure it out.”

See Spot in action here