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1955–2009 · University of Notre Dame (boundary)
The hundred-book author, with the mystery count stated — and its conflict printed whole. Ralph McInerny taught at the University of Notre Dame from 1955 to 2009 as Grace Professor of Medieval Studies, and wrote, by his own count given to Notre Dame News in 2007, "over 100" novels. The Father Dowling mysteries are the centre of the count, and the count itself is in conflict in the sources reached: Notre Dame News counts the Father Dowling series at 27 titles; book-series listings count 29, including Stained Glass (2009). The audit floor for this row states "thirty of them mysteries." All three figures stand as their sources give them; none is merged into another, and the floor's thirty is recorded as the floor's figure, not adopted. Around Dowling stand the Andrew Broom mysteries, the Notre Dame / Knight series, and the Sister Mary Teresa mysteries written as Monica Quill. His memoir is I Alone Have Escaped to Tell You (2006). Tie grade: faculty — formed by, and forming, the university for fifty-four years.
The famous alumnus at an alumnus's strength, no more. Nicholas Sparks was born 31 December 1965 at Omaha, Nebraska, raised in Minnesota and California, and came to the University of Notre Dame on a full track-and-field scholarship; he majored in business finance and graduated with honours in 1988 (B.B.A.). He wrote his first novel, the unpublished The Passing, in 1985 while a Notre Dame student, and set a school relay record the same year that still stands. His published career — The Notebook and the long popular line after it — was built after graduation, in other states. His Notre Dame tie is therefore printed at exactly an alumnus's strength: formed here as a student and athlete, a benefactor of the Creative Writing Program since, and not a local author by birth, residence, or subject. No Osceola tie of any grade exists.
Sources: Notre Dame News (2007) for McInerny's count and tenure; book-series listings for the 29-title Dowling count; Encyclopedia.com and Notre Dame's Mendoza Business Magazine for Sparks's scholarship, degree, and first novel.