Abraham Figueroa graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a minor in constitutional studies. Figueroa was also a member of the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government’s Tocqueville Fellowship for five semesters during his time at Notre Dame.
Figueroa reflected upon his experience at Notre Dame and with the CCCG in an interview with the Center. He began his comments by looking back to why he chose to attend Notre Dame. When picking what college he would attend, Figueroa says he looked for “somewhere that provided an elite education” but that would do so “without sacrificing [his] Catholic identity,” a quality he found in Notre Dame. His Catholic faith influenced not only his college choice but his choice of major as well. Figueroa comes from a low-income background and is a first-generation college graduate, so initially, looking for a major that “would give him the highest rate of return” on his degree was of utmost importance. With this in mind, he chose to pursue a finance degree. But though he originally decided to study in Mendoza, he never forgot about his Catholic vocation “to be a husband and father,” and soon began to think that a career in finance would not align with his vocation. At the same time, when taking American Politics his freshman fall, however, he “fell in love with this class” and was inspired to become a political science major.
After transferring to the College of Arts & Letters he had a much more flexible schedule, providing him the opportunity to take a Constitutional law class with Professor Phillip Muñoz, director of the CCCG. Muñoz encouraged Figueroa to become a constitutional studies minor and apply to the Tocqueville Fellowship program. Not only did Figueroa follow this advice, he continued to take courses taught by Muñoz almost every semester, fostering a personal relationship that Figueroa values deeply: “I consider him more as a mentor than just a professor.” Figueroa credits his first internship experience at a public defender's office in his home state of Missouri to Muñoz’s advice for him to cold email the office.
Figueroa recalls one of his most unforgettable moments in the Tocqueville Fellowship as meeting his long-time “role model,” Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The opportunity arose when Justice Thomas delivered a lecture at Notre Dame and had breakfast with the Tocquville Fellows. Figueroa also had the unique chance to take a three-day class taught by Justice Thomas while he visited campus. Reflecting on the experience, Figueroa was moved by witnessing “the hope that he [Justice Thomas] has for the country.”
Additionally, through the Tocqueville Fellowship, Figueroa met Judge Amul Thapar and took two classes that were co-taught by Judge Thapar and Muñoz. Building on this connection, Figueroa interned under Judge Thapar at the 6th Circuit of Appeals the summer after his junior year.
Figueroa remains friends with many of those in his Tocqueville Fellowship cohort, and regards the Fellowship’s cultivation of friendships as one of its most lasting impacts. In his first colloquium, he knew no one but ended up making some of his best friends through his activities with the CCCG, despite the fact that many of the other Fellows held differing political views. The diversity of the beliefs and backgrounds of the Fellows is one of the qualities Figueroa appreciated most about the program, and he is grateful that he found such a group of students who engaged their “intellectual curiosity” rather than vilifying others with different perspectives.
Today Figueroa works in Washington, D.C., as part of the The Public Interest Fellowship, a unique two-year program that allows its Fellows to work full-time for one or more of the Fellowship’s DC-based partner organizations, all while continuing their education in American politics and constitutionalism. As part of his fellowship, Figueroa currently works at the law firm Consovoy McCarthy and plans to attend law school after he finishes his work with the program. Reflecting on his current trajectory and how his participation in the Tocqueville Fellowship prepared him for his professional life, Figueroa highlights that “it really cultivated my sense of civic duty and responsibility,” pushing him to create a path after graduation where he works to fulfill that duty.
Figueroa concluded by offering two pieces of advice to current Notre Dame students. First: he counseled students, “Don’t be afraid to take a class that you’re interested in.” Taking American Politics changed the trajectory of Figueroa’s career, and he encouraged others to embrace new academic opportunities in a similar way. Second: Figueroa shared a piece of personal advice, “Marry young! You don’t have to have your life figured out before thinking about getting married. It shouldn’t be the last step of ‘adulting,’ it should be one of the first. Figuring out life with the person you love and have committed to is a beautiful process, and it enables you to grow with your spouse and build a life together instead of trying to fit someone into a life you’ve already built.”
To learn more about the Tocqueville Fellowship Program, visit our webpage.