We Develop Women of Impact
As the Class of 2022 finish the last few weeks of their high school experience, we are proud to feature them below. New stories will be added daily, so please check back throughout the month of May. You can read all of the stories HERE.
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Lauren
Baylor University - Distinction Award
Finance
Coming from Notre Dame, I was able to grow in all aspects individually and spiritually. ND’s religious commitment helped influence my decision in choosing Baylor University to further my growth as a spiritual seeker. I plan on contributing to conversations of faith and I can’t wait to continue my journey as a lifelong learner at Baylor. Sic ‘em bears!
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Ameera
Purdue University
Engineering
These last four years at Notre Dame have truly gone by in the blink of an eye. My time here has allowed me to explore my passions in a rich, nurturing environment. I'm grateful for the bright, diverse classmates and teachers I've had the opportunity to learn alongside of. Purdue offers opportunities and a community like that of ND, and I'm excited to pursue my love of learning in Indiana.
Sofia
Muhlenberg College - Presidential Merit Scholarship, Theater Talent Scholarship
Theater
Notre Dame has taught me about how important it is to have a strong community at school and throughout my four years here, I have been encouraged to pursue my interests and step outside of my comfort zone. I chose Muhlenberg because their community is just as strong and welcoming as ours is here at Notre Dame and I felt right at home the second I stepped onto campus. Additionally, I love how flexible their program is and how I will have the opportunity to take many classes that aren't related to my major but really interest me.
April
Santa Clara University
Ethnic Studies
When writing my common app essay, I chose to write about my experiences as the child of Vietnamese immigrant parents, and how their experiences – their ‘American Dream’ – shaped me into the person I am today. ND has always been big on identity, reminding us to ‘unmute,’ show ‘confidence,’ and to be ‘superheroes’ in our own story. I hope that even after I graduate, I can uphold these values as a person, a student, and a daughter. What drew me to Santa Clara University was their inclusivity. After reading Francisco Jimenez’s book Reaching Out for ND Reads my sophomore year, I aspired to attend, hoping that I could find the same community that celebrated diversity, love, and ambition.
Roxanne
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
General Engineering
The high quality education that I received at Notre Dame has fostered my growth as a student. I will forever cherish the friendships I have formed with other students, as well as the support toward my success I have received from teachers and mentors. At Cal Poly, I will continue the hands-on education I have received at Notre Dame on my path toward becoming an engineer, and I will do so in the beautiful peaks of San Luis Obispo! I am so excited to see what the future holds.
Juman
UC Davis
Biology
I am so grateful for all the opportunities I have been involved in at ND and the support I have found along the way. My experience was filled with important life lessons that I hope to take with me to UCD and beyond! Go Aggies!
Sophia
University of Washington, Seattle - Purple & Gold Scholarship
Political Science/Engineering
When I started high school, I didn't know who I was, wanted to be, or what I wanted to do. As I transition to college I am still left with many questions about what I wish for my future to look like, but nevertheless, I will continue to persevere and push myself to be the best woman I can be. Thank you, ND, for giving me a welcoming environment and a competitive community to thrive.
Emma
Scripps College, James E. Scripps Scholarship
Molecular Biology & Music
As an ND ambassador, I have always taken great pride in sharing that our students are as supportive and uplifting of peers as they are individually ambitious. I knew that this kind of community mindset was a characteristic that I would want in my college. With Scripps College, I felt an instant sense of familiarity with this community's genuineness. Pushing myself to step up in completely voluntary ways, from taking electives out of pure interest and being a leader in co-curriculars, is a mode of action that has made my ND experience feel especially fulfilling. That's why I'm so excited to have the flexibility to craft my journey and the opportunities to explore my immunology and music passions at a liberal arts institution!
Alana
Johns Hopkins University
Biomedical Engineering
Notre Dame has enabled me to build my confidence and truly discover my passions. The caring faculty, welcoming student body, and opportunities at ND have allowed me to grow and learn in so many distinct ways. I am excited to continue my educational journey at Johns Hopkins. Go Blue Jays!
Tia
Barnard College
Political Ecology
With my experiences in journalism, Facing History Student Leadership, and AAPI Coalition at ND, I’ve learned to utilize my voice as a means of resistance and advocacy. Thus, I was immediately drawn to Barnard when I learned they were founded as a response to Columbia’s refusal to admit women. I can’t wait to continue to challenge myself as a lifelong learner and justice advocate at Barnard.
Thien-An
San Jose State University
Management Information Systems
I will forever be grateful for all the friendships, support, and opportunities I've had these past four years. The community at Notre Dame has empowered me to becoming a better student and leader with perspective for the world. I can't wait to carry on the skills and lessons I've learned to college and beyond. Go Spartans!
Alexandra
Seattle University
Cell & Molecular Biology
Notre Dame has elevated my values of community, education, and spirituality. With a unique learning experience, I was able to grow alongside my classmates and teachers both in and out of the classroom. I chose Seattle University for the same reasons I chose Notre Dame as I saw the same diverse, close knit, and welcoming community right in the middle of the city. Although I am starting this new part of my life, I will always remember my Notre Dame memories and experiences.
Nina
University of California, Riverside
Bioengineering
My four years at Notre Dame have been a unique learning experience, and I am grateful for the environment and the resources I was given to cultivate my academic and extracurricular interests. The rigorous curriculum has taught me valuable time management and problem-solving skills, preparing me for both the engineering and research field. I am excited to continue using what I learned from ND and pursue my studies in biomedical engineering and robotics at UCR!
Sneha
New York University
Computer Engineering
When I visited ND before my freshman year, I knew that this school was the perfect fit for me. I'm extremely grateful for the teachers, clubs, and extracurriculars that have shaped me into the person that I am today. Now that I look back on my four years, I can confidently say that I have become a woman of impact. I'm ecstatic to begin my new journey across the country to study computer engineering! Go violets!
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Abigail
University of San Francisco - University Scholar Award
Nursing
My four years at Notre Dame have shaped me into the woman I proudly am today - a strong, confident leader with a love for service and advocacy. I am thankful for this community of diverse, driven, talented and supportive people where I have developed long-lasting friendships, memories, and experiences! I chose the University of San Francisco because of its strong nursing program, the opportunities they offer, and its similar principles to ND. I am beyond excited to start this new chapter in my life to pursue my passions and continue my growth as a student and an individual at USFCA! Go Dons!
Amelia
Northeastern
Undecided
The ND community has given me more than an education. The lifelong connections and meaningful relationships have sustained me through it all. The raptors are an amazing class and though I am heartbroken to say goodbye I am so excited to see what they achieve. At Northeastern I am excited to continue exploring the world and have unique opportunities.
Jocelyn
Barnard College
Biochemistry & Computational Biology
My four years at Notre Dame have been an incredible experience, and I would not be the young woman I am today without the life-long lessons ND has taught me. Not only will I be graduating with an incredible education, I will be leaving Notre Dame confident and competent as I continue my educational journey in New York City. Notre Dame has fostered my interest in science, and I look forward to continue growing as a scientist at Barnard College. Go bears!
Kiya
University of California, Santa Cruz
Business Management Economics
From ND, I'm taking away the constant support and kind words that the teachers and students give. I chose my college because of the environment and the social justice activism portrayed on campus.
Clare
Salve Regina
Elementary Education
Notre Dame has allowed me to really enjoy learning, not only in the classroom but also teaching me knowledge for the real world. I choose Salve Regina because I want to broaden my horizons and because it reminds me of Notre Dame. All the experiences I have had at Notre Dame will help me throughout my whole life, because I am a life-long learner.
Ayla
University of Oregon - Apex Scholarship
Photography
Throughout the past four years at ND, I have grown immensely in confidence and have created life-long friendships. I have been able to find my voice and use it to fight for change in our world. I chose the University of Oregon because of the welcoming environment and the drive they have for students to make a difference. I felt a sense of belonging on campus, just like Notre Dame. I am so grateful for the impactful experience I had during my time at Notre Dame and am excited to see what the future holds for me.
Rupali
Caltech - National Merit Scholarship
Computer Science & Applied Math
I'm eternally grateful for my time at Notre Dame, from the lifelong friendships I've made to the confidence and maturity I've gained. Through my four years here, I've been able to explore my scientific research interests, stretch my academic boundaries, and develop my voice as a global activist. I'm beyond excited to further my education at Caltech, whose close-knit student body and collaborative atmosphere resembles so much of ND. Go Beavers!
Samantha
University of Southern California
World Bachelor in Business
I'm so thankful for all of the memories and opportunities I've had at ND. The strong community of our class and school really made the past four years so fun and pushed me to be a better student, leader, and person. I'm excited to continue learning hands-on in the world around me at USC, HKUST, and Bocconi in the WBB program. Fight on!
Faye
University of Colorado, Boulder - Society of Women Engineers Scholarship
Biomedical Engineering
Notre Dame has enabled me to pursue my passions in engineering and robotics and to develop myself as an advocate for social justice. I strive to build a surgical robot or other medical devices that can help many people and I know that CU Boulder can assist me with this goal. I will surround myself with a community that is diverse, inclusive, and innovative, and that will stretch me to try new things in this next chapter of my life.
Eleanor
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Architecture
I will miss the Notre Dame community!! ND taught me the importance of having a hands-on and collaborative education, furthering my education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo made sense because of their “Learn by Doing” outlook.
Alisa
Parsons School of Design - Merit Scholarship
Interior Design
At ND, I've learned the importance of a tight-knit community, and taken many valuable steps out of my comfort zone. ND allowed my passion for the arts to flourish and gave me room to focus on academics and social justice themes in-depth. I've chosen to further my passions at Parsons School of Design, where I'll be in an urban environment surrounded by other like-minded and future-oriented artists. I am grateful to Notre Dame for giving me a chance to be a leader and shaping me into the confident and multi-faceted person I am today.
Emma
University of Washington - Purple & Gold Scholarship
Psychology
Notre Dame has shown me that with any initiative, I can make something happen, whether that’s with forming lifelong relationships or raising awareness for issues I deeply care about. That I can be a powerful voice of change without letting sight of kindness and empathy. When I first visited UW, I was immediately welcomed by the exact same environment, but on a larger scale. I am so excited to spend my next four years continuing my work and initiating ideas through dance, psychology, and research. Go Huskies!
Miranda
Seattle University
Communications & Media
When I toured SU I fell in love with the city and the inclusive environment on campus. I was drawn to the university's values which line up closely with ND's values of justice advocacy and diversity. This was important to me because my last four years showed me the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Notre Dame prepared me to be a woman of impact in and out of the classroom. I hope to use the tools ND gave me to be a justice advocate in my new college community and the city surrounding it.
Jalyn
University of San Francisco - Global Award, University Scholar
Psychology
Throughout my four years at Notre Dame, I am grateful to have been given the opportunities, support, and close environment to thrive. My experience allowed me to develop as a student, friend, community leader, and as a whole person. I chose to attend University of San Francisco because of its likeness to Notre Dame as I hope to continue growing in a close community campus with a big city to explore.
Imaan
Santa Clara University - SCU Bronco Scholarship
Psychology
Notre Dame has taught me how to be confident, curious, and a leader. I see myself not only being those things, but building on them at Santa Clara University. I am excited to work with others like me who want to make the world a better place for the generations ahead of us.
Claire
Chapman University - Dean's Scholarship
Film Production
What I'm taking from ND is to speak out when there is something to be spoken about and how being silent is not an option I want to take. I chose Chapman because it has an atmosphere that feels like a community, and all of the students seem genuine, grounded, and friendly.
Steph
UC Santa Cruz
Neuroscience
Attending ND has allowed me to build connections with my friends, teachers and, more importantly, grow as a woman of impact. Being in a diverse community has allowed me to become the person that I am and take what I’ve learned and go about the world with a different perspective. Just like ND, UCSC offers a diverse community to continue my studies and build new connections. I am incredibly appreciative for the support I've had throughout my time at ND from teachers, my family, and friends! Go banana slugs!
Gianna
Santa Clara University
Chemistry
I chose Santa Clara because, after ND, I value a smaller school and a tight knit community. Santa Clara exceeded my expectations in how comfortable and welcomed I have felt during each of my visits. The students are kind and genuinely excited to meet you and here about what you are planning to major in. My dad graduated from the Leavey School of Business and he is still close with his college roommates and I wanted an environment where I could meet people and make long lasting friendships. I am so excited for the fall and can't wait for what's in store!
Kristine
Stanford University - 2022 Coca-Cola Scholar
Symbolic Systems (Neuroscience) & Public Policy
My past four years at Notre Dame have taught me to be a life-long learner, guiding me to apply my passion and inquisitiveness to all that I do. The knowledge and experiences ND has provided me with will remain essential for the rest of my life as I make my own global change. At Stanford, I plan to continue discovering new ideas and challenging myself while exploring how implicit motives shape policy.
Summer Programs
Notre Dame offers enrichment and educational summer programs incluging all-day options and lunch service, for girls and boys entering grades six through 12. Courses will run June 13 to July 1, 2022. Learn more here.
Notre Notes
Click HERE or on the photo to read the spring issue of Notre Notes, Notre Dame High School's quarterly publication. This issue includes a story about ND's robotics team and information about some of the ways our community celebrated Black History Month.
Speaker Series
Notre Dame's Women of Impact Speaker Series on May 12th will feature Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo, authors of Tell Me Who You Are. They will discuss their journey traveling alone to all 50 states to listen to more than 500 strangers talk about race. Register here.
Vision 2025
We are excited to share with you an overview of Vision 2025, Notre Dame San Jose’s strategic plan for building our future. The vision identifies three areas of growth and opportunity that advance our mission to educate young women for leadership.
Leadership Development
Each student has the opportunity to develop her leadership skills within the co-curricular program of her choice. Students develop voice and experience in our empowering environment.
165 Years of Tradition
In the midst of a rapidly changing world, Notre Dame's spirit and traditions remain. Whether donning crazy costumes for Spirit Week, walking downtown to attend mass, or swaying arm-in-arm while singing the alma mater, generations of women have upheld these traditions and called Notre Dame home.
A Culture of Innovation
Notre Dame's progressive culture of solution-finding, resource-sharing, skill-building and partnerships promotes curiosity and creativity within a unique learning environment.
Unique Downtown Experience
A Notre Dame education extends well beyond the footprint of our downtown San Jose campus, out into the tenth largest city in the United States and the thriving center of Silicon Valley.
Students taking Chinese at Notre Dame this semester entered a national poster contest sponsored by CLASS (Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools) in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month. The contest theme was “Chinese and Me 中文和我”, and each school was allowed to submit five entries. Notre Dame's entries earned two silver awards, a bronze award and two honorable mentions.
As part of our Explorations of Data Science class along with the AP CS-A class, we travelled to San Francisco for the Women of Silicon Valley event. The event was full of women in STEM who shared their personal stories about how they became involved in the tech field.
In March, talented local writers — ages 13 to 18 — applied to become the next Santa Clara County youth poet laureate. In early April, judges announced seven finalists that would be considered for the honorary post of Santa Clara Youth Poet Laureate. At a commencement ceremony on April 30, following a poetry showcase, Notre Dame junior Anna Yang was chosen as the next Santa Clara County youth poet laureate.
Junior Snikitha Banda was once again named a finalist at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest international pre-college science competition awarding approximately $4 million in prizes each year. She was one of twelve students awarded the Grand Prize - Best of Championship Award at the 2022 Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Engineering Fair, where nearly 800 students present outstanding and innovative research.