Like so many, my love of Notre Dame (…and thoughts on USC) started at a young age. I came from one of those families that taught the Fight Song before the ABCs.

My grandmother Marva R. Blais received her Catholic teachings from Father Hesburgh. My grandfathers Robert L. Blais (ND '50) and Richard A. Smullen (ND Baseball '49) inspired my mom, Cindy Smullen Blais (ND ROTC '79), and dad, Robert H. Blais (ND Law '80), to attend ND — where they met in none other than South Dining Hall before a night out at Senior Bar.

My mom (a Vermonter) and dad (a Michigander) settled in Seattle, Washington, where they raised my older brother, Chris, and I in a 100% GO IRISH household.

Disclaimer: Chris ended up playing soccer for the University of Michigan. While it took many years, we now sometimes say GO BLUE (…except when they play the Irish, of course)

I was lucky enough to attend Notre Dame from 2009-2013, majoring in Political Science and living in Welsh Family Hall. These were the days of Recker’s Pizza, Club Fever, that football game against Alabama and $3 cash only cab rides. My time in South Bend was everything I could have dreamt and more. Notre Dame introduced me to lifelong friends and my husband Devon Hipp Dobson (ND Lacrosse ‘12).