YoungND Initiatives

Sara Abdel-Rahim ’17

Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton

Co-Founder, Tables Without Borders

MAJORS: POLITICAL SCIENCE AND ARABIC

Sara Abdel-Rahim ’17 is the co-founder of Tables Without Borders, which provides opportunities for refugee chefs and those with interests in the culinary arts. In 2015, while living among Egyptian immigrants in northern Italy through a Notre Dame research grant, she studied how available services affected economic and educational integration outcomes. Later, as a Fulbright Fellow, she studied Greece’s approach to integrating young refugees into its preparatory educational system, finding that a lack of social ties between the refugees and policymakers had a negative impact on integration outcomes.

Abdel-Rahim and co-founder Sam Sgroi created Tables Without Borders as an answer to the systemic challenges of the resettlement process. The organization’s training program pairs refugee chefs with notable restaurants in Washington, D.C., where they are able to develop their culinary talents, build networks, and receive reliable pay. Tables Without Borders goes on to support these chefs by helping them find a job or open their own restaurant. Tables Without Borders seeks integration by celebrating each chef’s heritage and highlighting the traditions and tastes of their home countries.

Abdel-Rahim earned her Notre Dame degree in political science and served as president of the Muslim Student Association as a senior. She is currently an Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton in Washington, D.C.

Nate Alexander ’17

Head of Operations, Blade

MAJOR: FINANCE

Nate Alexander ’17 founded BLADE Medical Mobility Organ Procurement Program, which provides end-to-end organ transplant services via air and ground travel. After graduating from Notre Dame with a bachelor’s in finance and working in investment banking, Alexander left the financial industry to pursue his passion for aviation. In March 2018, he began work for BLADE Urban Air Mobility and then started his program the next year.

Expeditious transportation is critical for organ transplantation; for every hour an organ is outside of the human body, surgical success rates decrease materially. When every minute counts, Alexander uses his business and aviation knowledge to improve lives and give second chances. His organ procurement program has completed over 700 successful organ procurement flights, which not only saves lives but also reduces hospital costs by millions of dollars and cuts critical travel times down by one-third vs. traditional medevac providers. He continues to expand the life-saving transplant operations for BLADE and extend the reach of the program nationwide, with organ transplants being successfully delivered from donors throughout the United States.  

In 2019, Alexander also helped design the Urban Air Mobility New York City Airport Transfer Program, which moves more people in and out of the city centers than any air travel provider in the world.

Jessica Binzoni ’15 J.D.

Founder and Executive Director, HOPE + FUTURE International

NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL

In 2017, Jessica Binzoni ’15 J.D. founded HOPE + FUTURE International, a non-profit organization based in Northern Iraq that aims to equip displaced people with the necessary tools to thrive, not just survive.

The traditional response to existing and emerging displaced populations involves overcrowded displacement camps and the ongoing provision of emergency assistance, which prevents displaced people from rebuilding their lives. In response, HOPE + FUTURE International seeks to recognize and uphold the dignity of displaced people by empowering them to achieve long-term self-sustainability. They work together with program participants to identify their greatest obstacles to self-sufficiency and provide educational and economic development projects designed to address them holistically. 

Upon graduating from Notre Dame Law School, Binzoni received the Thomas L. Shaffer Fellowship and worked as an attorney for the National Immigrant Justice Center in Chicago where she represented asylum seekers in asylum interviews and before the immigration court.

Dr. Glynnis Garry ’11

Cardiology Fellow, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

MAJORS: PRE-PROFESSIONAL AND AMERICAN STUDIES

Dr. Glynnis Garry ’11 is a cardiovascular physician-scientist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center who is researching the regeneration of the injured heart, while treating patients suffering from heart disease. 

Heart failure is the leading cause of mortality, morbidity, and healthcare expenditure worldwide. Currently, the only cure for heart failure is heart transplantation, and as such, novel heart failure therapies are desperately needed. Garry studies a process called cardiac reprogramming, whereby scientists can force scar cells into functional heart cells in an attempt to therapeutically cure heart failure. Working in the laboratory of her mentor, Dr. Eric Olson, Garry discovered a protein that potently increases the conversion of human scar cells to functional heart cells. Her studies not only provide new understandings of the mechanisms regulating adult cardiac reprogramming, but provide the basis for development of a novel therapeutic factor for the treatment of heart disease. 

Beyond her work in the laboratory, Garry is committed to the advancement of women and minorities in STEM, promotion of medical trainees in science through the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation, and support of local Catholic education through her work as outreach director for the Notre Dame Club of Dallas.

Katarina Goitz ’16, ’18 M.A.

Posthumous Recognition

MAJOR: CHINESE; MASTER OF ARTS IN THEOLOGY (ECHO GRADUATE SERVICE PROGRAM)

After receiving her masters in theology from Notre Dame’s Echo program, Katarina Goitz ’16, ’18 M.A. worked as a youth minister for six churches in Galveston, Texas, for 10 months, before she was tragically killed by a hit and run driver while leaving Notre Dame after an Echo reunion in June 2019. Although humble, her acts of compassion — such as giving the shoes on her feet to a homeless woman — moved many throughout her life. Father Jude Ezuma of Galveston said “she infused vigor in the program through her gentleness, piety, kindness, hard work, dedication, and love of God.” One of her 16-year-old confirmation candidates wrote, “Her grace was like a burning flame. She passed it along to everyone she met, and her kindness and gentleness inspired those she touched to spread it further.” She turned a failing program into one with a wait list. 

Her virtues of speaking gently, living humbly, giving freely, and greeting the world with joy began long before attending Notre Dame and remained with her until her last breath. Her last act of kindness was to put a letter of encouragement under the door of every Echo student while they were sleeping on the morning of her accident. 

Her work continues in the form of a blog, Katarina Lives On, which includes daily Bible readings, and through a nonprofit foundation, the Katarina Goitz Foundation for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, to support the work and education of youth ministers.

Maria Hinson Tobin ’14 M.S.

Director of Development, CARE

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN GLOBAL HEALTH

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Tennessee, Maria Hinson Tobin ’14 M.S. chose to focus her education on population health and inequity, earning a master’s in global health from Notre Dame. As part of this degree, she interned in Uganda with The Carter Center’s River Blindness Elimination Program, assisting with the development and testing of a model used to evaluate the program’s effectiveness and improve ongoing programming.

In 2015, Tobin joined CARE, an international humanitarian organization committed to saving lives, defeating poverty, and advancing social justice. At CARE, she applied her analytic and program management skills within the international development sector, managing and providing technical expertise for food security, nutrition, and health programs. She supported marginalized, disenfranchised, and impoverished agricultural communities, including but not limited to, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, and Indonesia. At the center of this work, Tobin oversaw the implementation quality of an initiative committed to transforming the lives of women farmers, empowering them with the resources, skills, and knowledge to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

Since 2019, Tobin has also spearheaded fundraising efforts, raising more than $12 million for humanitarian aid to address crises around the world. In 2020, she was honored for her leadership in the nonprofit sector with the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta’s 30 Under 30 Award. Tobin is currently a Director of Development at CARE while also pursuing her doctorate in public health at the University of Georgia.

Terrell Hunt ’19 MBA

U.S. Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Terrell Hunt ’19 MBA currently serves as Vice Consul at the Consulate General of the United States in Shanghai, China. As a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, he works to strengthen global security, protect American citizens, and promote values that advance peace and universal human rights.

Dedicated to public service, Hunt works to not only strengthen U.S. diplomatic relations, but is an advocate for constructive dissent, servant leadership, and diversity within the U.S. Diplomatic Corps. At the conclusion of his orientation into the Foreign Service, he earned the Glenn Munro Award, presented to the new foreign service officer who best exemplifies the values and leadership principles of America’s diplomatic service.

His current diplomatic assignment is informed by nearly a decade of experience in international affairs and corporate social responsibility roles. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Hunt was a senior consultant in Booz Allen Hamilton’s Defense and Intelligence practice, specialist on Nike’s global community impact team, and foreign policy advisor at the United States Congress. Notre Dame’s first Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellow, he proudly became a Domer in 2017 and earned his MBA in 2019.

Ashley Kalinauskas ’13 M.S.

Chief Executive Officer, Torigen Pharmaceuticals

ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP EXCELLENCE MASTERS PROGRAM (ESTEEM)

Ashley Kalinauskas ’13 M.S. is the founder and CEO of Torigen Pharmaceuticals, a startup that resulted from her graduate thesis project at Notre Dame. Kalinauskas graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2012 with an undergraduate degree in pathobiology and chose to continue her education in South Bend, earning a master’s in engineering, science, and technology entrepreneurship (ESTEEM). Torigen and its first product, VetiVax, are based upon the research of former Notre Dame professor Dr. Mark Suckow. 

Through her work with Torigen — located at the Technology Incubation Program at the University of Connecticut — Kalinauskas focuses on providing veterinary cancer care solutions for companion animals. Torigen’s first product, VetiVax, is an autologous cancer immunotherapy that uses the patient’s own tumor cells to create a personalized treatment to fight the cancer. With over 50 percent of companion animals over the age of 10 dying from cancer and with other treatment modalities being both expensive and potentially having negative side effects, VetiVax is an innovative new treatment that is quickly gaining traction with veterinarians across the country.

William Kennedy ’17

Aerospace Systems Engineer, NASA/Booz Allen Hamilton

MAJOR: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Bill Kennedy ’17 holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Notre Dame and a master’s in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University. He is a lead engineer for Booz Allen Hamilton and an employee of the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. As a part of the NASA Artemis program, he manages the Configuration Analysis Modeling and Mass Properties team in the Systems Engineering and Integration Office for the Lunar Gateway space station program. An international effort between NASA and the European, Canadian, and Japanese space agencies, the Lunar Gateway will begin assembly in orbit around the moon in 2023 and serve as a staging point for the next crewed missions to land the first woman and next man on the moon and support a sustained human presence on the lunar surface. 

Previously, Kennedy served as a systems engineer for 11 expeditions to the International Space Station, having also worked on the ISS integration efforts of the SpaceX crewed Dragon and Falcon 9 mission that returned crewed launch capability to America for the first time since the retirement of the Space Shuttle. He received the NASA Avionic Systems Division award for his work on cis-lunar antenna line-of-sight communication optimization, published work through the International Astronautical Federation, is a board-licensed Professional Engineer, and an associate member of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He has mentored high school students in the Houston area through independent study mentorship programs, by serving as a judge at Houston science fairs, and as a catechist at St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church of Houston.

Alexandria Kristensen-Cabrera ’16

MD/PhD Student, University of Minnesota

MAJOR: SCIENCE BUSINESS

Alexandria Kristensen-Cabrera ’16 is a third-year medical student and health policy PhD student at the University of Minnesota. Her work is focused on reducing disparities, with a specific focus on the impact of racism, on maternal and infant birth outcomes.

She has dedicated her studies to understand how the intersections of class, immigration, disability, race, and ethnicity impact health outcomes. Her dissertation research follows her previous work on maternal and child health, including research on breastfeeding practices, medical education, and improving the safety and quality of perinatal care.

After becoming an executive board member of White Coats for Black Lives, Kristensen-Cabrera co-organized and spoke at the Twin Cities Health Care for Black Lives Protest, which was attended by over 1,000 health care workers. As part of the Medical Education Reform Student Coalition, she is helping to increase community involvement in the medical school, remove race-based medicine, and advocate for an anti-racist curriculum. She also serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and mentors several pre-medical students to increase the number of physicians and physician-scientists from underrepresented backgrounds. Through the Minnesota Medical Association, she is a Suicide Prevention Training Instructor and is engaged in health policy advocacy as a Twin Cities Medical Association Public Health Advocacy Fellow.

Kara Strass ’11

Director of Miami Tribe Relations, Miami University

MAJOR: BIOLOGY

In 2016, Kara Strass ’11 joined the Myaamia Center as a graduate assistant while pursuing her master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE) at Miami University. After graduating in 2018, Kara joined the Myaamia Center staff. In January 2020, Strass formally transitioned into the role of Director of Miami Tribe Relations, where she is responsible for strengthening the relationship between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University, as well as for providing advising and support to Myaamia students.

Originally from Huntington, Indiana, Strass attended the University of Notre Dame and graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s in biological sciences. After graduation, she joined the Orr Fellowship, which places recent graduates in start-up companies in Indiana. In her time in the fellowship, she worked at BioConvergence (now Singota Solutions) as a Project Manager for clients working on pharmaceutical development.

Strass’ involvement in the Native American Student Association at Notre Dame impacted how she thought about support for Native American students on college campuses, eventually leading her to the SAHE program at Miami. Her graduate studies focused on Student Development Theory and how to apply these theories to make Myaamia students successful in their college endeavors. Her work at the Myaamia Center includes serving as a liaison between the Miami Tribe and Miami University, providing education and outreach to the broader Miami University community, and planning for programs including National Breath of Life Workshops and the Myaamiaki Conference.

Jasmin (Simmons) Tow ’11

Assistant Principal of Instruction TK-2, Aspire Public Schools

MAJORS: SPANISH AND PSYCHOLOGY

After graduating from Notre Dame summa cum laude with a double major in Spanish and psychology, Jasmin (Simmons) Tow ’11 joined Teach for America as a corps member and moved to California, where she has spent the majority of her career serving low-income, predominantly Black and Hispanic populations in East Oakland.

After four years as a TFA educator, she joined TFA staff as an Elementary Specialist for almost two years, working directly with teachers to improve outcomes for ESL students and their families across the San Francisco Bay Area. After stints in the REALITY Revolve program took her to classrooms in Israel, Tow returned to California, where she is an Assistant Principal of Instruction (and the only bilingual administrator) at Monarch Aspire Public School in East Oakland. 

She is frequently consulted by educators throughout California, and sometimes nationally, for her insight and knowledge of culturally relevant instruction, educating English learners and newcomers, interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline, dismantling systemic oppression in schools, and providing high-quality education during a pandemic. Tow was one of the first educators in the Aspire Public School system to recognize the need for a sustainable distance learning model during the pandemic and developed plans for educator and site leader training and collaboration.

Mary Kate Battle ’10

Business Development Specialist, Catholic Relief Services

MAJORS: POLITICAL SCIENCE, PEACE STUDIES, AND SPANISH

After graduating from Notre Dame, Battle served at Farm of the Child, a Catholic home for orphaned and abandoned children in Honduras. There, she taught math and served students with special needs, co-managed an after-school support program, and provided tutoring.

During her second year in Honduras, she took over as manager of the adolescent girl program, managing the overall program and serving as the primary caretaker for three Honduran teenage girls attending high school. When the program faced fundraising gaps, Battle started a local baking business to assure full funding.

After earning a graduate international economics and international relations degree from Johns Hopkins, Battle joined Catholic Relief Services (CRS). At CRS, she has supported programming in Uganda, Jordan, Egypt, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone. Her work ranges from village microfinance initiatives and supporting refugees from the Rohingya and Syrian crises, to supporting vulnerable children and youth and inter-religious and inter-ethnic peacebuilding projects. Battle’s work has allowed her to help build a brighter future for some of the world’s most vulnerable people, including refugees.

Scott Coppa ’15

Executive Director and Co-Founder, Puente Desarrollo Internacional

MAJOR: AMERICAN STUDIES

Following graduation, Coppa moved to the Dominican Republic for a volunteer stint with the Peace Corps, an experience that has led to a life-changing partnership to promote sustainable community development.

Inspired by the needs he came to know so well throughout his service with the Peace Corps, Coppa co-founded Puente Desarrollo Internacional, a nonprofit organization that connects international development organizations and local institutions with underserved communities more efficiently to make development work more collaborative, impactful, and sustainable. He has partnered with friend and classmate Paul Anthony ’15 on the groundbreaking initiative.

Puente, which means “bridge” in Spanish, addresses the lack of reliable health and socioeconomic data than too often proves challenging to development by using cutting-edge technology and data services. In addition to employing a data-driven approach, Coppa, working with Anthony and other colleagues, continues to empower local residents so they can serve as advocates for sustainable development that will improve and uplift their communities.

Adebola Giwa ’09

Pediatric Endocrinologist, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

MAJORS: SCIENCE PREPROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND SPANISH

Dr. Giwa, a pediatric endocrinologist at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, works as part of a team that is researching a potential cure for type 1 diabetes.

Currently, Giwa and the team are working to identify targets in the immune system that are involved in the development of type 1 diabetes, a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. The team has discovered a new immune cell that is significantly elevated in people with type 1 diabetes, and is studying such cells to determine whether targeting them will interrupt the progression of the disease, protect high-risk individuals, and potentially stop the disease at its outset.

Through collaborative medical research with his colleagues at Johns Hopkins and beyond, he is working to deliver a substantial medical advance that would yield a lasting impact on public health. The research is a natural fit for Giwa, a longtime volunteer who has worked on behalf of his local Notre Dame club, earning a club service award and helping the club to better serve the less fortunate in Baltimore. He has volunteered in an Adopt A Class program where he mentors inner city 4th and 6th graders, and is a member of the Board of Trustees for Loyola Early Learning Center, which provides free Early Start education to the children of single parents. He currently serves as diversity chair of the ND Club of Maryland and previously served as club president.

Ngor “Majak” Anyieth ’18

Founder and CEO, Education Bridge

MAJOR: SCIENCE PREPROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Born in a war-torn region, Anyieth lost his father at a young age in Sudan’s civil war and was raised by his mother, who emphasized the importance of education. Anyieth took her guidance to heart, embarking on a life-changing journey that now allows him to give back.

As a child, he walked an hour each day in order to attend school. His dedication enabled him to excel at his studies, including in the Kakuma refugee camp, and later at the African Leadership Academy, South Africa. There, he learned about Notre Dame and was inspired to apply.

Once on campus, Anyieth began work on his dream: To build a school back home in Bor, South Sudan. With the support of his classmates, professors, and University administrators, he turned this vision into reality. In 2016, he founded Education Bridge, a nonprofit dedicated to providing schools for South Sudanese youth with a focus on peacemaking, entrepreneurship, and access to education for girls. After taking a leave of absence to open the first school, Anyieth graduated from Notre Dame in 2018.

Lucy Driscoll ’13, ’14 M.S.

Senior Mechanical Engineer, iRobot Corporation

MAJOR: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP EXCELLENCE MASTERS PROGRAM (ESTEEM)

Drawing on her experiences in technology development, Driscoll, a senior mechanical engineer at the Bedford, Mass. company iRobot Corporation, has become an influential advocate for STEM education aimed at empowering young women.

Driscoll, who holds two patents with the U.S. Patent Office, has developed and presented educational programs at more than a dozen schools, ranging from the elementary to college levels. She has partnered with her alma mater, Notre Dame Academy, a women’s Catholic high school in Hingham, Mass., as well as several Catholic elementary schools that are part of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education. In addition, she has been selected to represent iRobot at an influential women’s leadership forum and leads the company’s employee women’s group, organized to support and empower women in the workplace.

Through her work, Driscoll leverages her education and professional expertise to encourage young women to pursue meaningful STEM careers. In so doing, she helps to influence and inspire a rising generation of women scientists and engineers who will use their skills for the betterment of society.

Alex Jones ’15

CEO and Co-Founder, Hallow

MAJOR: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

In 2018, working with a team of young Catholics that included fellow ND graduates Erich Kerekes ’15, Alessandro DiSanto ’15, Abby Fredrickson ’15, and Bryan Enriquez ’15, Jones launched Hallow, a mobile app that helps users nourish their spiritual life through guided Catholic contemplative prayer and meditation.

The app aims to help users grow closer to God by guiding them through different ways to pray and meditate. Users can meditate on daily Gospel passages, pray the daily mysteries of the Rosary, and experience a variety of other prayers. Through “praylists” and challenges, they can explore topics like humility and discover the meaning behind traditional prayers such as the Stations of the Cross, as well as the lives of the Saints.

Jones left his job as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company to pursue this project, motivated by a desire to deepen his own spiritual life and a longtime interest in meditation. Now, he and his colleagues at Hallow are helping others harness the power of technology to discover new and enriching ways to grow deeper in their relationship with God.

Jane Lee ’09

Assistant Professor, University of Washington

MAJORS: SPANISH AND SOCIOLOGY

Through her research, teaching, and service work, Lee, the daughter of immigrant parents, focuses on helping underserved immigrant groups who lack access to health care.

After graduating from Notre Dame, Lee earned a Master of Social Work degree from Columbia University in 2011. During her studies, she started her work with immigrant and refugee populations and saw their health needs firsthand. While working toward her Ph.D. at New York University, Lee learned she would need open-heart surgery to replace a valve. The experience further strengthened her resolve to make sure everyone receives access to critical health services. After earning her Ph.D. in 2017, she became an assistant professor at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work.

Lee’s publications in scholarly journals have attracted media coverage, and she continues to pursue innovative research and volunteer work that helps improve health outcomes for immigrant communities. Her scholarship in service of marginalized and underserved people truly makes her a powerful force for good.

Mikey Maurer ’11

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

MAJOR: SCIENCE PREPROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Dr. Maurer, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, provides health care to uninsured and underserved teens, ensuring that they have access to the medical services they need.

Maurer works with the University of Miami School Health Initiative, a health care program that serves area schools, coordinating clinical care, program development, and health education activities. He assists schools in the medically underserved area of North Miami, treating a significant number of significant Haitian patients, many of whom lack health insurance. He also works with a mobile pediatric clinic that serves uninsured children and families throughout Miami-Dade County. In addition, Maurer advocates for children as a member of several committees and is building an international partnership between the University of Miami and a Brazilian institution to help create a clinical and cultural exchange for medical students and residents. He remains involved with GALA-ND/SMC as it provides support for other LGBTQ alumni as well students within the Notre Dame family.

Maurer has made a conscious decision to serve marginalized and vulnerable patients, using his medical training on behalf of those who most need it.

Will Miller ’14

Consultant, Bain & Company

MAJOR: POLITICAL SCIENCE

Leveraging both his faith and professional expertise, Miller has focused on solving problems in the non-profit sector.

As a Bain Consulting extern for the Office of Catholic Schools in Chicago, Miller helped lead the creation of a five-year strategic plan for the Archdiocese’s approximately 175 Catholic elementary schools, which serve some 55,000 students. He worked with school leaders and Cardinal Blase Cupich to develop and publish a turnaround plan for the school system, developing approximately 40 initiatives to improve schools while identifying millions in incremental revenue to help pay for the plan.

Miller has also used his consulting expertise to assist on major projects for Habitat for Humanity and the Boys and Girls Clubs. While pursuing two graduate degrees at Stanford, he helped lead both the Catholic Student Association and Christians in Business, successfully bringing both groups together to strengthen the Stanford faith community. His deep faith and his impressive skills as a consultant have allowed him to make a significant impact in service to the Church.

Jay Rowley ’11

Captain, U.S. Army

MAJORS: HISTORY AND ARABIC

A double major in Arabic and History and a graduate of the ROTC program, Captain Rowley currently serves in the U.S. Army. Immediately after graduation, he volunteered as an after-school care manager for AIDS orphans in Canzibe, South Africa, immersing himself in Afrikaans and Xhosa, the languages of the local region. The experience reinforced that the true window into another culture is through the language of its people, a principle Rowley employs time and again in his career.

Having completed Ranger School, Rowley has served as a platoon leader and detachment commander and has twice deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. There, he used his knowledge of Arabic and Islamic culture to provide daily insights that assisted Coalition efforts to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The Coalition recognized his impact by awarding him with the Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal.

Rowley has been selected as one of five Army officers for the Olmsted Scholar Class of 2020, a rare opportunity as part of a leadership development program for exceptional young officers. The program provides him with a year of language training in Hebrew at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., where he and his wife, Maddie, currently reside. Next year they will relocate to Jerusalem where he will begin a two-year master’s degree taught in Hebrew. During their time in the Middle East, Rowley intends to use the opportunity to better understand the challenges of peace and security throughout the region.

Nicole Sganga ’15

Campaign Reporter, CBS News

MAJORS: POLITICAL SCIENCE AND FILM, TELEVISION & THEATRE

Sganga makes a difference as a journalist, covering the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign as a reporter for CBS News.

Sganga worked as a broadcast associate and as a video journalist before her promotion to her current role, a rare and distinct honor, especially for a young journalist. Her passion for journalism was evident during her time at Notre Dame. In 2014, she won a national competition to accompany the New York Times’ Nicholas Kristoff, a Pulitzer Prize winner, on a reporting trip to raise awareness about poverty in the developing world. Kristoff called her “a terrific journalist-in-the-making,” and she worked hard to listen to powerful personal stories and communicate them in meaningful narratives. As a student journalist, she reported from Myanmar, Thailand, and Norway, as well as Alaska.

Now, as a member of a free press that asks crucial questions, Sganga uses her reporting and storytelling skills to inform voters during an important U.S. election campaign.

Laura Wolk ’16 J.D.

Law Clerk, Supreme Court of the United States

NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL

Wolk, an accomplished graduate of Notre Dame Law School who has been blind since she lost her eyesight to retinal cancer at 15 months old, serves as a tireless advocate for people with disabilities.

Wolk believes people with disabilities suffer unduly because of a lack of technological resources, social stigma, and other structural inequities, and she advocates for the dismantling of these structures and for full inclusion for people with disabilities.

She excelled at Notre Dame Law School, where she was a member of the Notre Dame Law Review, served as president of the St. Thomas More Society, received a scholarship award, and at graduation earned the Dean Joseph O’Meara Award for outstanding academic excellence. After graduating, she clerked for two federal judges and now serves as a clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas during the 2019 term, making her the third Notre Dame Law School graduate to clerk for Justice Thomas, and the first blind person to clerk for an active justice on the Supreme Court. Drawing on her deep faith and knowledge of the law, she serves as a powerful advocate for the dignity of all human beings.