IRVING, Texas (May 4, 2025) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) and Notre Dame Athletics jointly honored
Patricia Bellia, the University's Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), with a celebratory NFF Faculty Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during a special reception April 12 in South Bend.
The event featured remarks from Norte Dame President Rev.
Robert A. Dowd, Notre Dame Vice President & Athletics Director
Pete Bevacqua, Fidelity Investments Vice President
Brandon Colley, and NFF COO
Matthew Sign.
Bellia, a professor at Notre Dame Law School since 2000, teaches and conducts research in constitutional law, administrative law, cyberlaw, electronic surveillance law, and copyright law. She joined the University's Faculty Board on Athletics in 2005 and was appointed as the Faculty Athletics Representative in 2009. A former collegiate tennis player, Bellia has been a dedicated advocate for student-athletes for more than two decades. In recognition of her efforts to strengthen the integration of academics and athletics at Notre Dame, the National Football Foundation honored her for her exemplary service.
In November, the NFF announced Bellia would be honored as part of the 2024 NFF Faculty Salutes Presented by Fidelity Investments®, which highlights the significant contributions of faculty athletics representatives across the nation. As part of the initiative, each school with a member of the
2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments® receives recognition for their faculty athletics representative, and a $5,000 donation per school (a total of $80,000 this year) from Fidelity is made to support the academic support services for student-athletes at the schools.
Notre Dame linebacker
Jack Kiser, who carried a 3.82 GPA as a business analytics major, was a member of this year's NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class. He became the 20th Fighting Irish player to earn the honor, joining
James Lynch (1966),
George Kunz (1968),
Michael Oriard (1969),
Larry DiNardo (1970),
Thomas Gatewood (1971),
Gregory Marx (1972),
David Casper (1973),
Peter Demmerle (1974),
David Vinson (1977),
Joseph Restic (1978),
Robert Burger (1980),
Michael Favorite (1983),
Gregory Dingens (1985),
Timothy Ruddy (1993),
John Carlson (2007),
Chris Stewart (2010),
Manti Te'o (2012),
Drue Tranquill (2018), and
JD Bertrand (2023).
Launched in 2011 by the NFF and Fidelity Investments, the NFF Faculty Salute program is an extension of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, which provide postgraduate scholarships for college football's most accomplished student-athletes. Fidelity, the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, has taken on a leadership role with the NFF Faculty Salutes as a natural extension of its ongoing support of the scholar-athlete ideal and commitment to higher education nationwide. Including this year's honorees, the salutes have recognized 198 FARs since the program's inception, and Fidelity has made a total of $990,000 in support of academic services at college and universities nationwide.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the criteria, selection and induction of members of the NFF College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame museum in Atlanta; Future For Football; I Played; the William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation & the Hatchell Cup presented by Bob's Steak & Chop House; and a series of programs and initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Bruin Capital, CAA Executive Search, Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hampshire Companies, Jostens, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, SideQuests and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.
