The NDB community reflects on Hegarty’s legacy

Page Krensavage, Victoria Buick, and Cadence Goblirsch • March 25, 2026

The Catalyst / Photo Courtesy of NDB Marketing and Communications

NDB’s beloved science teacher: Elizabeth Hegarty.

“She’s just a very cherished friend. I think … one of the most important things is just knowing that she cared. She really had always the sense of caring for other people, wanting to bring her best and expecting the best out of others, and being willing to support her students and her colleagues at all times.” – Rebecca Girard, Science teacher

“She was such an amazing teacher. She just had … such a great understanding of material, but also just such a

passion for it, which made everyone else really want to understand it and explore chem[istry] and physics. And then, she was also just so caring and would always look out for everyone and make sure they were doing well.” – Maggie Blanchard, Class of 2026

“I think what makes her a special part of the community is that she’s truly community: She is a parent, she is a teacher, she is a friend. She invests in everyone. When she’s talking about a student’s placement or the next level, it is not just about what class is next on the checklist. It’s really a conversation like, ‘What are your goals? What are

your plans? What’s your future about?’ She takes that responsibility very seriously, and looks at it as a parent – Her daughters went here, so she has a real anchor of what Notre Dame can be for students … So, I think that’s what makes her a community member … that she’s literally every part of the community.” – Jolanda Breazeale, Dean of Science, Engineering, Math and Schoolwide Technology

“Dr. Hegarty is not just the reason I feel prepared to pursue science as a major and career, but also my love and passion for the subject as a whole. She has a love both for the coursework that she covers and for the act of

education as a whole that creates a uniquely constructive, motivating and supportive environment that truly leaves a lifelong impact far beyond a semester or class year.” – Maggie Templeton, Class of 2025

“She’s very encouraging and positive, but she is also matter-of-fact, which I think is a huge help to students, because she tells them what is doable and what is not. Especially when all this selection for Chem and Chem Honors and everything happened, she was a really good one to help with that.” –Dr. Mallika Srinivasan, Science teacher

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About the Contributors

Page Krensavage, Editor in Chief

Page Krensavage is a Senior at NDB. She has been in the Catalyst club since her freshman year and has a passion for writing. She was a Co-News Editor her Junior Year. Some of her hobbies include playing tennis, baking with her sister, and volunteering.

Victoria Buick, Managing Editor, The Catalyst (Print)

Victoria Buick is a senior at NDB and serves as the Managing Editor (Print) of the Catalyst. She enjoys shaping print issues through editorial planning, layout design, and collaboration with staff writers. At school, Victoria enjoys math and English courses, playing tennis, and working with the Hallmarks in Action Board. Outside of NDB, she values spending time with friends and family.

Cadence Goblirsch, Senior Writer

Cadence Goblirsch is a freshman in the class of 2027 at NDB, and this is her first year in Journalism. She hopes to continue the class in her coming high school years, and is excited to learn more about this subject. Outside of school, Cadence enjoys art, creative writing, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, baking, going to Lake Tahoe, and cleaning. She also loves to spend time with family, friends, and her two dogs!