Fr. Ted Said… Cultivating Hope: Jennifer Burke Lefever ‘98 M.A., ‘00 Ph.D.

In his inaugural address, University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., called us to be “sustainers of hope and builders of bridges.” But in a world where optimism often feels in short supply, where do we find the inspiration to keep nurturing the good? Plant those seeds through a revitalizing experience where you can pause, exhale, and allow your spirit to blossom. Come hear this calling echo in powerful, personal stories from Notre Dame alumni and faculty who are living examples of what it means to cultivate hope—just like Fr. Ted.

Jennifer Burke Lefever ‘98 M.A., ‘00 Ph.D. is the managing director of the Wilma and Peter Veldman Family Psychology Clinic at the University of Notre Dame. She has over 20 years of hands-on experience in research with families. Her early research documented the developmental consequences of non-optimal parenting on children. More recent research has focused on home-based interventions and other program evaluations (e.g. bullying prevention, prison nursery). She also held a leadership position at the Shaw Center for Children and Families, supervising shared laboratories, consulting on projects, and supporting grant writing.