Natalie Sargent has been appointed to the newly created role of faculty awards and recognition program director at the University of Notre Dame, effective June 1.
Sargent will develop a comprehensive strategy to position Notre Dame faculty for awards in every academic discipline; provide workshops, training, and advising to faculty; and manage the awards process from pipeline development to submission.
“We have superb faculty at Notre Dame, and we want to be more intentional about putting them forward for them for preeminent awards and fellowships that will honor their work and advance our reputation and influence as a global research university,” said Charles and Jill Fischer Provost John T. McGreevy. “Natalie’s work in his new role will do just that. I am also grateful to Associate Provost Maura Ryan for leading the successful search.”
Sargent will work with the provost, the provost's office team, and senior leaders across the academy — including deans, associate deans, chairs, and the vice president for research — to lead strategy, facilitate collaboration, and build a stronger culture of faculty recognition. This includes identifying opportunities, reducing barriers to award application, and emphasizing a pipeline of award development across the faculty career progression.
Most recently, Sargent was academic advancement director for the Mendoza College of Business, where she engaged academic leaders and internal and external stakeholders and facilitated record success in major gifts to the college. Prior to that, she served as fellowships consultant and interim assistant program director for the Graduate School’s Office of Grants and Fellowships.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and an alumna of Smith College, Sargent holds an M.A. in Early Christian Studies and a Ph.D. in History from Notre Dame.