Notre Dame clubs in Latin America have been celebrating their latest students to attend the University and holding events for prospective Domers.

The clubs in Guatemala and Ecuador both hosted gatherings to welcome incoming students and reunite alumni, parents, and friends, and the ND Club of El Salvador had an information night for potential applicants.

In August, the ND Club of Guatemala had a cocktail party for Isabella Grazioso ’16. Grazioso and her father were able to interact with current students, parents, and graduates, with young alumni sharing their Notre Dame experiences and providing valuable insights on campus life.

The ND Club of Ecuador had its first 2012 reunion, with a gathering of more than 45 guests that included admitted students, alumni, parents, high school students interested in learning more about Notre Dame, and friends. Among the guests were the oldest living Ecuador alum, Antonio Mortensen ’49, and the youngest, Marimar Iturralde ’04.

All four admitted students from Ecuador this year decided to attend Notre Dame, including Daniel Hidalgo ’16, who recently said Notre Dame “has exceeded my expectations.”

“Getting in to Notre Dame has been one of the best things that has happened to me in my life. After getting to know the students, faculty, staff, and getting a feel of the sense of community that this University has, you know for sure that it is different than other places,” he said. “Besides the outstanding academic programs that this school offers, I have found my experience here to be fascinating due to the combination of athletics, Catholic environment, and sense of community that make this place so unique.”

The ND Club of El Salvador was also looking to the future and hosted Julie Denkler, an assistant director of Notre Dame admissions, who met and interviewed potential candidates. A reception, attended by more than 100 guests, was held at the Hotel Princess Hilton in San Salvador for students and parents interested in learning more about the University.