This summer, the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government (CCCG) bid farewell to two outstanding staff members, pre-doctoral research associate Helena Drake and office coordinator Lauren Douglas, and welcomed programming & operations specialist Marta Bystrowska, a recent graduate from the Catholic University of America (CUA). Drake will pursue a master’s at Oxford next year, and both Drake and Douglas plan to enter doctoral programs at Princeton and Duke, respectively.
As she prepares to begin doctoral studies, Douglas reflected on her work with the CCCG last year. “My time with the CCCG afforded me many incredible opportunities to meet and hear from scholars and public figures from across disciplines and political affiliations and gave me valuable experience in event planning, organization, and public speaking that I know will serve me well as I transition into graduate school.”
Douglas also recalled her work arranging the Teaching Civics symposium, which engaged West Point instructors and young professors to discuss civic education across the country. Douglas remarked, “planning the symposium was one of the most complicated—and rewarding—experiences I had as a staff member. It was such a delight to meet these participants and sit in on some of the teaching sessions after months of work to bring it to life.”
Moving into her next chapter in academia, Douglas looks forward to building on her experience with the CCCG. “Though I will not be studying political science in graduate school, the insights I gained about teaching and the academy are truly invaluable, and I look forward to applying some of these conversations in my own classroom.”
Looking back on her time with the CCCG, Drake recalled some of her contributions as a pre-doc. “I am deeply grateful to have had the chance to undertake my own academic projects during this year, as well as getting to contribute to the Center's programming. I especially loved leading a colloquium on American fiction and politics, and hearing student perspectives on how literature can shape a political landscape.”
Drake reflected on the close relationships and community within the CCCG. “I have really appreciated the closeness, humor, and kindness of the staff, and how thoughtful they have been in welcoming me here for a year! I am thrilled to head over to Oxford, but will definitely miss the friendships I have made here.”
Bystrowska, who joined the CCCG in July, graduated as a politics major from CUA in May. Beyond the classroom, she recalled her experience in CUA’s civics and citizenship programming. “During my time at CUA, I worked closely with Dr. Michael Promisel and other politics staff on a new initiative, the Carroll Forum. Not unlike the Center’s Tocqueville Fellowship, the Forum is a selective undergraduate experience that focuses on civic engagement and discussing great works of political theory and history.”
Bystrowska first became acquainted with the CCCG through these programs while at CUA. “During my time in the Carroll Forum, I was selected to be the undergraduate representative to sit with Justice Kavanaugh at the "Endowed by Their Creator" symposium at CUA, which was co-sponsored with the CCCG. Through this event, I was introduced to Dr. Phillip Muñoz and the other amazing staff, and I was particularly inspired by the Center's deep intellectual commitment to exploring constitutional questions in light of philosophy and the Catholic intellectual tradition while also supporting diversity of viewpoints and civil disagreement.”
In the coming years, Bystrowska is excited to “help the Center grow in its public engagement, particularly by giving more students opportunities to hear from great speakers and promoting learning for the sake of learning.” In addition to her new role, Bystrowska looks forward to joining the Notre Dame and CCCG family. “I am also personally excited to be living in the Midwest for the first time in my life, to go to an ND football game, and join a community of like-minded intellectuals!”
Assistant Director Anna Bradley, who worked closely with both Drake and Douglas and leads the Center’s operations efforts, offered her perspective on the staff transitions. “The Center has established itself as a place where young professionals can come to learn about themselves and their unique talents, and prayerfully discern their vocations as members of a supportive, faithful community of intellectually-driven individuals. Both Helena and Lauren spent their year with the Center in deep reflection about their next steps and gained a greater understanding of what it takes to make an academic organization run — an experience I hope will serve them well as they pursue careers in the academy. We’re excited to have Marta with us as the Center steps into its next era, and to see what gifts she will bring to bear in service of our mission.”