Dan Harshman came to Notre Dame in the fall of 1964 as a football standout from Toledo, Ohio, recruited by newly hired head coach Ara Parseghian. He played defensive back and halfback on the 1965, ’66 and ’67 teams; he broke free on a pass route to score ND’s first touchdown in the 51-0 thrashing of Southern Cal that secured the 1966 national championship for the Irish.

But it was a route he took a decade later that made him a valuable asset and beloved figure in the South Bend community.

In 1976, Dan began working at the Logan Center, the organization dedicated to supporting people with disabilities in Michiana. He became CEO in 1978, and over the next 33 years, guided the Logan Center to extensive growth in the scope of its services.

“So many parts have been rewarding,” Dan said of the job upon retiring in 2011. “Working with so many different people, from parents and children to the great staff I work with every day—add up all of these people, and it’s been a great job.”

A great job from an outstanding individual. Said the Logan Center’s board chair at the time: “It is important to recognize the valuable contributions that Dan has made to this community. There are many families, individuals and business leaders who will tell you that our community is a better place because Dan Harshman has been such an effective leader for Logan.”

Under Harshman’s leadership, Notre Dame and the Logan Center have collaborated on many projects, including the National Center for Law and the Handicapped, the first such legal advocacy center in the country. “We’ve always had support from Notre Dame for what we’ve done,” he said.

Another historic collaboration was the 1987 International Special Olympics, held at Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s. “We had more than 4,000 athletes and 20,000 volunteers. It took a whole week,” Dan recalled. “It was a great sporting event and a great event for the community. Many say it was the greatest event involving Notre Dame and the community.”

Parents of special needs children—parents who did not want their children institutionalized—founded the Logan Center. “This group of parents said, ‘We’re not going to do that, we’re going to figure this out, have our kids home with us,’” Harshman said. Under Dan’s stewardship, the Logan Center built its current facility in South Bend.

With Dan playing an instrumental part, an organization with humble beginnings is now a leader in advocating for the disabled.