Belmont, CA, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) is delighted to honor alumna Kris Crowe Zavoli (’68, ’73) with this year’s Indefatigable Award. The annual award, named for the vessel that carried six Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from Belgium to the United States in 1844, is given to an individual whose body of work exemplifies the Sisters’ “unflagging, inexhaustible determination to make the world a better place.”
This year’s award will be presented to Kris Zavoli at a private event on the Notre Dame de Namur University Belmont campus.
“We are delighted to present this award to Kris—she is truly a force for change,” said NDNU President Beth Martin, Ph.D. “In the spirit of the Sisters of Notre Dame, Kris embodies leadership, courage, and an unwavering passion for education—qualities that both inspire others and drive meaningful action. As a former Director of Admissions, she connected hundreds of students to NDNU, and through her work with the College Board and beyond, she has been a steadfast champion for equity and access in education.”
“We are so appreciative of Kris’ past service on the NDNU Board of Trustees, her current participation on the Alumni Advisory Council, and as a Trustee Emerita,” Martin continued.
Zavoli’s deep connection to NDNU goes back to the mid-sixties during her undergraduate days at the then all-women’s school known as College of Notre Dame (CND). Said Zavoli, who served as CND student body president in ’67 and ’68, “Being president at that time of great cultural and geo-political change was pivotal. I developed leadership skills and got to know a lot of student leaders from different universities, many of whom had diverse and divergent views about what was happening in the world. These early experiences helped shape my priorities of promoting diversity and accessibility.”
During her 15 years of full-time admissions work at NDNU, she was able to earn two teaching credentials and a master’s degree in teaching English at night tuition-free.
Zavoli’s also worked in a variety of leadership positions at the College Board for 28 years. Her experiences provided a platform to educate teachers, district administrators, and legislators to the staggering differences in academic preparation. During her tenure with the College Board, Kris fought strongly to implement advanced placement courses into low-income schools.
Kris currently volunteers teaching English as a Second Language to adult learners participating in Sequoia District Adult Education, while giving time to other educational associations committed to access to higher education.
“I would like to think I inspired change,” said Zavoli. “That is why I do what I do.”
Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) is a Catholic, not-for-profit, coeducational institution serving adult learners from diverse backgrounds. Established in 1851 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, NDNU is the third-oldest college in California and the first authorized to grant women a baccalaureate degree. The university is WSCUC accredited and offers master’s degree programs in business, education, and psychology, as well as teacher credentials and degree completion programs. NDNU maintains a strong commitment to academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement. For more information, visit www.ndnu.edu.
CONTACT: Aric Agresti, Vice President for Advancement Notre Dame de Namur University (650) 508-3652 aagresti@ndnu.edu
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