Brian Monson of Adams, a 2007 Southland graduate and marketing major in the Mendoza School of Business at the University of Notre Dame, recently received a monogram at the Letter Jacket Ceremony held March 31.

According to the emcee at the event, only about 8,000 of Notre Dame’s 120,000 graduates have received this honor.

Brian earned the award through his participation in the Student Manager Organization, specifically for his work as a junior manager with the Fighting Irish football team this past fall. Following the football season, Brian worked as an assistant manager with the women’s basketball team during their season and accompanied the team to the Sweet Sixteen held in Kansas City near the end of March. As a senior, Brian will be the head equipment manager for the women’s basketball team. He will receive a partial scholarship for this assignment.

Receiving the award is the culmination of several years of work in the athletic department.

As freshmen, students volunteer and work at a variety of sporting events throughout the school year. Some continue in this volunteer role as sophomores, and about 60 students from Brian’s class were involved.

Near the end of that year, the student managers are ranked by their supervisors and their peers, and only 21 are selected to remain with the program.

All 21 work exclusively with the football program the fall of their junior year. At the end of the football season, the managers are again ranked.

Then those students are each assigned to serve as a head manager for a varsity sport at Notre Dame based on their rank in the group and the preferences they submit for sport choices.

Coincidentally, Brian’s roommate since his freshman year, Ryan Bahniuk, was the top ranked manager and will serve as the head football manager for new coach, Brian Kelly.