IRISH LAW

Fitzy: "Where's your boy?"

Captain Queenan: "Studying law at Notre Dame."

    -The Departed (2006)

As my first day of classes at Notre Dame Law School winds down, I find myself reflecting on the decision I made to continue my education at Our Lady’s University.  I chose to attend our nation’s oldest Catholic law school not because I found it too difficult to tear myself away from campus after just four years or because I wanted three more chances to witness a national championship football season as a student (although both may have been slight contributing factors).  The real reasons that I chose to stay at Notre Dame have to do with my passion for the community that I have grown to love, the family that I have become a part of, and the standards that I hope to live by.

Hopefully this excerpt from the personal statement I included in my application to NDLS will resonate with all those who continue to share in my experience at this magical place:

  Tears streaked down my face as I stood on the field during the fourth quarter of our football game against the University of Southern California Cal Southern.  They were not tears of sadness, but of joy and appreciation for the beauty of the moment.  As the Fighting Irish fought back within one score of our longtime rival, I looked around at the players and coaches on the sideline, the band in the corner of the end zone, the student section in the stands, and the thousands upon thousands of fans inside the stadium.  I thought of my family and friends who joined millions more throughout the nation as they watched the final seconds tick away on television.  This momentous event represented so much more than a game to so many people, and as it came to a close my tears continued.  Once again, they were not tears of sadness.  I was completely caught up in the overwhelming emotion of the moment, and I let it show as I faced the entire student section while we all sang our alma mater.  The Fighting Irish had lost, but they had fought until the very end.  The bond of brotherhood I felt with the team, the inseparable connection I felt with everyone in the student section, and the rush of pride I felt as a representative of Notre Dame hit me in a way that I will never forget.  I left it all on the field that day.  As I limped back through the tunnel after hours of running and cheering until I could barely walk or speak, I knew that I would remember how I felt at that moment for the rest of my life.

  What I felt inside Notre Dame Stadium on that autumn afternoon was the full force of the Notre Dame spirit hitting me all at once.  The powerful bond that is shared by every member of the Notre Dame family is more than enough to bring anyone to tears.  In addition, the unparalleled sense of pride and passion that I feel for Notre Dame can only come from the kind of experience that I have been blessed with as both a student and a representative of my university.  There is something special about Notre Dame that cannot be conveyed through words alone but must be felt.  It comes from our tradition, our commitment to Catholic values, our pursuit of excellence in everything we do, and the respect that comes with the name we have made for ourselves.  Most importantly, though, it lives on through the people that make up the Notre Dame family.  Our family members uphold the honor and devotion that stand as symbols of hope for so many.  As a part of Notre Dame, each one of us is capable of having a tremendous influence not only upon other members of our family, but upon all those we actively reach out to as well.

Love thee Notre Dame.

October 17, 2009, Notre Dame Stadium
ND: 27  SC:  34