Stories

The NDMU Business Program set me up for success and has impacted me in so many ways. As a senior preparing to enter the workforce, I attended the First Impressions event organized by the Business Program. This proved helpful—I met some Alums who shared about their journey and transition into the workforce, learned how to make a good first impression, and learned the dos and don'ts of resume writing that I still carry with me. Also, the professors of the Business program continuously challenged me and other students to step outside our comfort zone and believed in us. I am grateful for the preparation I got from Notre Dame of Maryland University’s Business Program. I currently work as a U.S. Bank Oversight & Operations Analyst at Morgan Stanley.

The business program at NDMU provided me with the opportunity to learn under professors with relevant experience. The communication, networking, and technical skills I learned in the business classes all have proven to be invaluable to achieving my career goals. I'm currently a Senior Asset Management Analyst at American Electric Power.

Participating in the Risk Management certificate program has helped me in all areas of my job. Not only have I learned risk management principles, but I have greatly sharpened my professional skills. I was recently promoted to the Chief of Technical Support Branch in Operations Division in New Orleans, and I attribute some of that success to my completion of this program, and the confidence that it gave me in approaching various Corps assignments which involve risk. I was also recently selected as the District Risk Management Champion, which will allow me to evaluate New Orleans District risk assessments and provide support.

"The two biggest things I appreciate from my time at Notre Dame are the people/colleagues I met while there and the focus on compassion. Compassionate nursing in my opinion is what differentiates a good nurse from a great one. It provides a safe space for dialogue and a deeper level of care that makes a difference to the patients and their families. Notre Dame spent a large amount of time on compassion throughout my courses, and I appreciate that to this day." - Jennifer Dickensheets '20, a graduate of Notre Dame's first ABSN cohort who was recognized as her hospital's Rookie of the Year in 2021.

I was considering eight jobs after graduating from Notre Dame. People were really excited about having an art therapist. I think it led to a level of interest in hiring me that wouldn’t have been there if I only had a LCPC [Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor] or social work counseling degree.

All of the professors are so dedicated to helping you achieve your goals, The program is interesting, it’s hands-on, and I absolutely loved it. I would encourage anybody interested in art therapy to give it a try because it will give you all the resources and knowledge you need to be successful in your career.

I teach American Literature and AP Language & Composition at a private secondary school in Potomac, MD. Prior to my becoming a teacher, I practiced corporate and securities law as a partner in the DC office of one of the world’s leading law firms. When I decided to become a teacher, I wanted to continue to practice law while establishing my credentials for “Career 2.0.” I investigated many M.A. literature programs, but none offered the combination of quality and flexibility that NDMU offered. More importantly, once I began the program, I found myself connected to classmates who loved literature and professors who loved to teach literature. My classmates and professors became more than colleagues, they became friends. To this day, we gather (virtually) to talk about books. I received my undergraduate and law degrees at schools that are considered among the nation’s best. Yet, my most rewarding educational experience—the one that will stay with me for the rest of my life—was at NDMU.

At the time I entered MA in English Literature program, I was a public school English teacher looking to get a Masters in my field for professional development. This program gave me a breadth and depth of understanding of literary criticism and the cannon of English literature that I did not receive quite so fully in my teaching program. It helped me to contextualize readings for students in a way that better prepared them for their college experiences. Currently, I work in Higher Education, and in many ways my current role is an extension of the college preparatory work I was engaged in with my students in the past. I can speak to them from a place of knowledge about their collegiate and post-graduate options in the Humanities thanks to this program.

“You don’t join this organization if you don’t like service. That’s one of the first things we always tell new members and people that are interested. It doesn’t feel like work when you’re doing it with a great bunch of people. It’s just fun and good memories, which I’m going to remember forever once I leave Notre Dame." - Francesca Circosta '22, president of the Omega Phi Alpha service sorority for the 2021-22 academic year.

“I think Catholic social teaching is a value that is world renowned. Notre Dame is my mom’s alma mater, and once I saw the academic rigor I knew I wanted to apply as well. I got into the honors program, received a presidential scholarship and there’s been a world of opportunities ever since.”