The Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government (CCCG) congratulates nine Menard Family Tocqueville Fellows on their upcoming graduation from the University of Notre Dame. The Menard Family Tocqueville Fellowship Program is a competitive undergraduate fellowship designed to provide students with opportunities to discuss fundamental questions about politics, culture, business, markets, philosophy, and religion. Fellows participate in colloquia, attend lectures hosted by the CCCG, and often have the opportunity to meet privately with guest speakers and prominent figures in politics and public life.
The CCCG extends gratitude to these nine graduating seniors who have actively contributed to the life of the center through the Tocqueville Fellowship.
Patrick Aimone will graduate with a major in Political Science and minors in Constitutional Studies, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, the Hesburgh Program in Public Service, and the Glynn Family Honors Program. He has been a Tocqueville Fellow for six semesters. “The possibility and importance of deep intellectual friendships with people with whom you disagree, but from whom you can learn” was the most important lesson he learned through the fellowship. Patrick will matriculate to Harvard Law School in 2024 after acceptance to the Junior Deferral Program.
John Burke will graduate with majors in the Program of Liberal Studies and Economics with a minor in Classical Civilization. He has been a Tocqueville Fellow for three semesters, and is grateful for the fellowship’s focus on thoughtful discussion.
“Tocqueville taught me how to think through political issues at a higher level. It taught me how to listen to disagreement, process both sides of an argument, and reach my own conclusions—not ideologically, but still in a principled manner. I hope to carry this skill with me the rest of my life,” John said.
After graduation, John will begin work as a Government Affairs Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in Washington, D.C..
Zef Crnkovich will graduate with a major in Classics and a minor in Constitutional Studies. He has been a Tocqueville Fellow for two semesters and has enjoyed the opportunities to meet and learn from other students who hold different beliefs. Zef will work for a hedge fund following graduation.
Sam Delmer majored in Philosophy and Economics with minors in Constitutional Studies and Theology. He will matriculate to Harvard Law School in the fall.
Veronica Maska will graduate with a major in Business Analytics and minors in Constitutional Studies and Philosophy. She has been a Tocqueville Fellow for six semesters and reflected that she has come to appreciate the ways in which every level of government reflects an underlying philosophy. After graduation, Veronica will begin a job in government consulting providing legal analytics for federal agencies in Washington, D.C.
Mary Frances Myler will graduate with a major in the Program of Liberal Studies and minors in Constitutional Studies and Theology. She joined the Tocqueville Fellows for the last semester of her senior year and enjoyed the opportunities for thoughtful discussion and intellectual community provided by the fellowship. After graduation, Mary Frances will attend the Claremont Institute’s 2022 Publius Fellowship before returning to the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government for a post-graduate fellowship.
Lizzie Self will graduate with majors in the Program of Liberal Studies and Theology and a minor in Constitutional Studies. She has been a Tocquevillle Fellow for four semesters. Following graduation, Lizzie will spend her summer in Denver, CO teaching with Breakthrough Collaborative before living abroad as an Programming and Operations Intern with Beatitudes Missions.
Sean Tehan will graduate with a major in Political Science and minors in Constitutional Studies and Theology. He has been a Toqueville Fellow for five semesters and has appreciated the ways in which the fellowship encourages intellectual humility and the continual pursuit of knowledge. After graduation, Sean will matriculate to Notre Dame Law School.
Zach Thapar will graduate with a majors in Political Science and Global Affairs (concentration in International Development Studies). He has been a Tocqueville Fellow for seven semesters.
“Tocqueville has taught me how to think critically about pressing issues in the political sphere, including religious liberty, big tech censorship, and judicial philosophy,” he reflected.
Zach will begin a position with the Senate Leadership Fund in Washington, D.C. through the Public Interest Fellowship after graduation.
The CCCG will continue to accept applications for the Menard Family Tocqueville Fellowship Program until May 13. All undergraduates at the University of Notre Dame, St. Mary’s College, and Holy Cross College are eligible to apply.