Notre Dame Student Tackling World Hunger Overcomes Obstacles to Advance to ‘American Ninja Warrior’ National Finals Stage

In a world where ambition often walks a narrow path, one University of Notre Dame student is sprinting, swinging, and leaping toward two very different—but equally towering—goals. Meet Alex Monroe, a junior majoring in Global Affairs and minoring in Peace Studies, who’s not just building a future on campus but blazing a trail on national television. Monroe, a passionate activist working to combat food insecurity, has defied the odds and captured the country’s attention by advancing to the national finals of American Ninja Warrior, NBC’s adrenaline-fueled obstacle course competition.

The journey to the bright lights of Las Vegas has been nothing short of extraordinary for Monroe, who balances the rigors of academic life, nonprofit work, and elite physical training with a quiet humility that belies his drive. At just 20 years old, he’s become a symbol of what it means to merge purpose with passion.

The night he qualified for the finals was electric. Viewers across the country watched as Monroe faced the 10-obstacle course in the Minneapolis semifinals—an unforgiving gauntlet that included such intimidating challenges as the Slingshot, the Flying Shelf Grab, and the infamous Spider Trap. Despite fierce competition and a grueling course that eliminated seasoned veterans of the show, Monroe completed it with a time fast enough to punch his ticket to Las Vegas.

But for Monroe, the triumph wasn’t just personal—it was symbolic.

“This isn’t just about competing,” he said in a post-run interview. “Every obstacle I overcome here is a metaphor for the fight against global hunger. It’s tough, it demands everything you’ve got, and sometimes you fall—but you get back up. You keep going.”

Monroe’s journey to the American Ninja Warrior finals began in an unexpected place: a soup kitchen in Chicago. As a high school sophomore, he volunteered every weekend, serving meals and learning firsthand how systemic hunger devastates families. That experience planted a seed of purpose. He arrived at Notre Dame determined to do more than hand out meals—he wanted to change the entire equation.

In his freshman year, Monroe co-founded “Climb for Change,” a student-led initiative aimed at developing sustainable agriculture systems in underserved communities around the world. With support from the university’s Kellogg Institute for International Studies, the organization now partners with local farmers in Kenya, Honduras, and parts of Appalachia to introduce low-cost, high-efficiency farming tools and community-run food programs.

“I didn’t want to just study solutions in a classroom—I wanted to be part of them,” Monroe explained.

When he’s not coordinating food equity summits or conducting Zoom calls with NGOs, Monroe can be found training at a local ninja gym just outside South Bend. His coach, former Ninja Warrior finalist Bryan Curtis, said Monroe’s mental tenacity stands out even more than his physical prowess.

“Alex has this rare fire—he’s always looking for the next challenge,” Curtis said. “He doesn’t care about fame or flexing. He sees this platform as a way to elevate others.”

And elevate, he has. Monroe has already raised over $50,000 for hunger relief through his climbing-themed online fundraiser, “Obstacles for Others,” which gains traction every time he competes. During commercial breaks of the show, his teammates and friends at Notre Dame flood social media with donation links, inspiring thousands of viewers to give.

“I think what gets people isn’t just that he’s strong,” said Emily Zhang, a fellow Notre Dame student and co-founder of Climb for Change. “It’s that he cares deeply, and it shows. Every grip, every swing, every finish line—it’s for someone else.”

Monroe’s passion for justice is also evident in the classroom. His academic advisor, Professor Tomás Rivera, described him as “a force of nature,” one who bridges theory and action seamlessly.

“He’ll be in a seminar discussing Amartya Sen’s theories on famine and then email me later that night from a train because he’s headed to a community farm initiative in Detroit,” Rivera said. “His ability to live out his values is something special.”

The American Ninja Warrior stage has served as an unexpected but powerful extension of Monroe’s mission. During his runs, his jersey bears two simple words: “End Hunger.” And while many athletes choose family or motivational phrases as their walk-on songs, Monroe enters the arena to the rhythmic beat of “Rise Up” by Andra Day—a nod to those in the global fight for survival.

His ascent to the finals has not only inspired his university community but also galvanized a new generation of changemakers. Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., issued a campus-wide message of support following Monroe’s semifinal performance.

“In Alex Monroe, we see the heart of a servant leader and the spirit of Notre Dame,” Jenkins wrote. “He reminds us that faith, intellect, and courage are not separate pursuits—but rather, ingredients of a life that changes the world.”

Monroe himself remains characteristically modest. While he admits the national spotlight has been “surreal,” he insists it’s not about him.

“I’m just using what I’ve been given to make a difference,” he said. “That’s what my faith teaches me. That’s what Notre Dame stands for.”

As the national finals approach, Monroe is spending extra hours refining his technique on some of the course’s most feared obstacles—like the Cane Lane and Power Tower—but he’s also doubling down on outreach. A week before leaving for Las Vegas, he’s scheduled to speak at a national youth conference on food insecurity, encouraging students to “find their own course” in the fight for justice.

His story has now caught the attention of multiple national media outlets, including CNN, The Today Show, and The Washington Post, all eager to profile a college student who’s turning athletic feats into social impact. NBC has even teased Monroe’s run in promotional ads, spotlighting his dual identity as a humanitarian and athlete.

Social media is buzzing with support. “The Ninja with a Mission,” “The Hunger Fighter,” and “Real-Life Hero” are just some of the nicknames that fans have bestowed on Monroe. His TikTok clips regularly go viral, often blending training montages with messages about hunger, sustainability, and compassion.

It’s clear that Monroe is more than just a competitor. He’s a connector—someone using a global stage not to elevate himself, but to elevate the world’s most urgent cause.

In Las Vegas, the obstacles will be fiercer, the lights brighter, and the stakes higher. But for Alex Monroe, the true challenge has always been off the course—in the hungry eyes of a child in Nairobi, the quiet dignity of a mother waiting in a food pantry in Indiana, the global systems that leave millions without a meal.

If he wins American Ninja Warrior, he’s promised to donate the $1 million grand prize to food relief organizations and youth-led farming cooperatives. But even if he doesn’t claim the title, Monroe has already earned something far greater: a legacy of service, sweat, and selflessness.

As he said after his latest qualifying run, breathless but smiling: “This isn’t just about climbing walls—it’s about tearing them down for someone else.”

And in that spirit, Alex Monroe continues to rise.