The Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society has received an endowment gift to enhance education, research, and engagement opportunities for undergraduate students in its Interdisciplinary Traineeship for Socially Responsible and Engaged Data Scientists (iTREDS) program. The generous contribution was given to the Institute by Barbara Rapchak ’76 and Kevin Keiper.
“We are so grateful for Barbara and Kevin’s benefaction, which comes at such a pivotal, exciting time as data science and artificial intelligence technologies accelerate at an unprecedented rate,” said Nitesh Chawla, founding director of the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society. “As a guiding principle for iTREDS, we believe that a university education should not only develop students who can create and impact the future through their work but also help them see the implications for society of the future they will contribute to, which is paramount in this fast-moving world of data science and AI.”
The iTREDS program trains undergraduate students at the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) through the lens of ethics, social responsibility and engagement. Additionally, the iTREDS program was one of the first scholar’s programs at the University to implement a “T-shaped”, holistic approach—focused on a breadth of skills including creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and design.
The experiential learning component of iTREDS offers students a unique opportunity to apply the data science skills that they acquire in the classroom to real-world challenges. Through a summer internship and a capstone project, students are supported by University mentors and engage with external stakeholders to solve problems within the local community and globally.
Past cohorts have used their data science skills to address various societal concerns including foster care challenges and environmental risks in the South Bend community and evaluating health-monitoring tools that have been developed to improve health outcomes for resource-limited populations in Mexico.
The program also attracts students with diverse backgrounds and degree programs. “Over the past five years, our program has been a melting pot of ideas, bringing together students from engineering, sciences, arts and letters, business, and global affairs,” explained Sugana Chawla, associate professor of the practice and data science education program director at the Lucy Family Institute. “Each student arrives with their own perspective, yet they leave connected by a shared experience of growth, discovery, and collaboration. Watching them learn from one another, challenge boundaries, and create something greater than the sum of their disciplines has been nothing short of inspiring. This diversity isn’t just a strength—it’s the heart of what makes this program so impactful.”
Rapchak, who graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1976, is an entrepreneur, inventor, and the founder of a digital health company. She envisions that the gift from her and Keiper will help expand undergraduate involvement in data science education, fostering a data-driven approach that benefits the community and promotes data as a force for good.
Applications for the 2025-2027 iTREDS Cohort will open in Spring 2025.
To learn more about the iTREDS program, please visit the Lucy Family Institute website.
Contact:
Christine Grashorn, Program Director, Engagement and Strategic Storytelling
Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society / University of Notre Dame
cgrashor@nd.edu / 574.631.4856
lucyinstitute.nd.edu / @lucy_institute
About the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society
Guided by Notre Dame’s Mission, the Lucy Family Institute adventurously collaborates on advancing data-driven and artificial intelligence (AI) convergence research, translational solutions, and education to ethically address society’s vexing problems. As an innovative nexus of academia, industry, and the public, the Institute also fosters data science and AI access to strengthen diverse and inclusive capacity building within communities.