Collaboration
Anna McKeever embodies collaboration. As the adviser to the vice president and associate provost for undergraduate education, she coordinates across departments, divisions, and disciplines at the University. Recently, McKeever and others in the Office of the Provost hosted an advisory council, convening students and faculty to showcase new tutoring initiatives benefiting all areas of the academy. A key part of her position is daily collaboration, and she finds joy in working alongside other employees across campus.
“I love working at Notre Dame. The people are great,” McKeever said.
She emphasized honesty and relationship-building as essential elements of productive partnerships.
“Collaboration means a couple of things to me. One, it means knowing what gifts you have and being very honest about those, and then being aware of the gifts that other people bring. I believe that we each have different talents, different superpowers that we’ve been endowed with. We can do some things just ourselves, but the power of collaboration is bringing out the best in everyone else and in yourself to get something done. It involves self-awareness, awareness of others’ gifts, awareness of the goals of a project, and knowing how to mix the potion to make the magic.
“Establishing a good relationship with people and trust enables that collaboration.”
McKeever realizes that effective collaboration involves acknowledging your strengths and limits. She stays humble in group situations by knowing where her faults may lie and where she can step up to lead.
“I know for a fact that with all the beautiful, wonderful things that we’re trying to get done at the University, there’s no way that one person can do it. So I just try to stay very cognizant of the fact that others bring so many more gifts that I don’t have, and that if we are able to bring those out in each other in a positive way versus trying to compete . . . we’re going to make it so much cooler if we are able to work together on this.”
Additional features
Gracie Gallagher, Catholic Mission
Originally published by at ndworks.nd.edu on February 20, 2026.