Director
University of Notre Dame, Indiana, United States
Sarah Besse was appointed the Director of the McDonald Center for Student Well-Being in August 2024. In this role, Besse works with professional staff and student leaders to implement health promotion, harm reduction, and prevention education strategies to empower all members of the Notre Dame community to make healthy choices and create a campus-wide culture of well-being.
Prior to Notre Dame, Besse served as the Associate Director of Prevention and Mental Health Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she implemented a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Mental Health Grant and developed a Health Education Leadership and Prevention certification program.
Besse earned her master’s degree in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University and an additional master’s degree in public health from Wright State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science from Roanoke College. She is certified in Mental Health First Aid and is also certified as a Health Education Specialist, a Green Dot Bystander, and as a Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Instructor.
Building a Culture of Data Literacy: Equipping Partners for Informed Action
Thursday, May 28, 2026
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM East Coast USA Time