The Shield Foundation was founded in April 2022, by two Notre Dame graduates and former football players, Jack Shields, Sr. (ND ’83) and Pat Eilers (ND ’89). Our overarching goal for this foundation is to empower former student-athlete success beyond sports, while creating a sense of community and a dynamic network for all to come together and work as one. 

Often when leaving for college, we think about the experiences we will have over our time as student-athletes. Throughout the 4-year commitment college athletes often face, the next 40 years are not always discussed. However, our founders and CEO of The Shield Foundation have lived by the “4-for-40 promise” they learned throughout their football careers. Collectively, they want nothing more than to put this promise into effect for the future generations of individuals who could benefit in their transitional phase following their sport. Help us help you, and let’s continue to build this community together!

The Shield continues to establish a diverse network of experts across a variety of industries who we believe can add value to the personal and professional growth and development of student-athletes.