Arnel Bulaoro

Arnel Bulaoro began his tenure as director in July 2021 after serving as interim director for two years and as an assistant director for fourteen years.  He worked closely with colleagues to establish the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion which opened in the fall of 2023 and in the same year received the University's Presidential Award.

Arnel's work brought a Notre Dame Presidential Team Irish award and a NASPA award to MSPS while developing pipelines for students to PhD programs, professional schools, industry, and the business sector. His research interest focuses on purposeful academic interactions between students and faculty and he has presented at several national in international conferences.

Prior to Notre Dame, Mr. Bulaoro chaired the Theology Department at Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth, Texas. During his fourteen-year tenure on faculty, Arnel collaborated closely with the Society of Mary as a member of their Mission Effectiveness Team, Lay Marianist Advisory Council, and the Marianist Living in Faith Experience. He co-authored two Biblical workbooks for Harcourt Publishing which were part of their high school religion curriculum.

He coached the Nolan Catholic High School boys soccer team to three Texas State Championships and in 2007 he was named Adidas/NSCAA Texas Coach of the Year, Southwest Regional Coach of the Year, and finalist for National Coach of the Year. Twenty-three of his players were recruited to play at the collegiate level and one became a professional player.

Mr. Bulaoro earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Religions from the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington and a Master of Arts degree in Theology from the University of Notre Dame.