Jacqueline “Jackie” Nguyen is a rising senior at the University of Notre Dame studying theology and economics with a minor in constitutional studies. Originally from Oklahoma City, she is deeply involved in campus life—serving during her junior year as president of Notre Dame Right to Life and co-leading the Be Not Afraid Project, a “student-led pregnancy resource campaign dedicated to streamlining and expanding pregnancy resources.” A Spring 2025 Tocqueville Fellow, Sorin Fellow, and Lyons Hall sacristan, Jackie is passionate about faith, service, and community. These experiences have deepened her commitment to Catholic formation and shaped her goal of working in Catholic educational administration after graduation.
Jackie grew up in a family whose Catholic faith was at the core of their lives. Her older brother, now a seminarian, inspired her faith-filled journey: “My older brother played a big role in my exploring my faith on my own—when I saw him find himself in high school through faith, I could not help but do the same.” Jackie watched a movie about abortion in high school that influenced her future involvement in the pro-life movement. She subsequently discovered the pro-life club at her high school, serving as its president during her junior and senior years.
Her growing interest in deepening her faith and working for the pro-life cause followed her as she arrived at college. When she transferred to Notre Dame from Saint Mary’s College as a sophomore, she also changed her major from engineering to theology — and began to participate in extracurriculars that reflected that change. Notre Dame’s Right to Life group influenced the structure of her club in high school, so joining Notre Dame’s chapter was a no-brainer when she transferred. Elected as director of design her sophomore year, she was thrilled to get involved so quickly. She says that serving as president of Right to Life this past year has been the biggest honor she has received at Notre Dame and that the pro-life community at Notre Dame is unmatched: “All the work that we do flows from the goodness of the friendships that we foster in the board.”
In addition to being the president of Notre Dame Right to Life, Jackie’s commitment to seriously exploring important questions surrounding her faith and public life at college led her to apply to be a part of the Tocqueville Fellowship at the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government. Emphasizing the strong link she noticed between Right to Life and the Tocqueville Fellowship, Jackie stated, “The unique connection between the two programs was the main reason that I applied to be a Tocqueville Fellow. I wanted to dive into the issue of abortion, since I believe that it is deeply rooted in culture, transcending traditional political, religious, and legal frameworks.” The connection between the two only kept growing once she immersed herself in the academically rigorous discussions: “Given the Tocqueville Fellowship’s comprehensive approach to understanding the culture of life through law, politics, philosophy, and religion, it only felt like a natural fit for me. The prospect of engaging in such rich academic discourse at Notre Dame within this fellowship is a privilege.”
She particularly noted her experience meeting with Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and a recent colloquium on feminism and Catholicism as opportunities arising from the Tocqueville Fellowship that particularly united her passion for the pro-life cause and her commitment to rigorous discussion.
Speaking of her opportunity to meet with the bishop, Jackie recalled, “ I had the amazing opportunity to be able to sit next to Bishop Rhoades and have a conversation about the culture of life. I also had a more informal talk with him over dinner, and not only was it inspiring to hear affirmation, but also suggestions [for ways] in which [the diocese] can collaborate with everyone involved in creating a culture of life. More specifically, he suggested pairing up with some of the ministries that the diocese puts on, like Miriam’s Blessing and Ava’s House.” She continued, “Having the support of the bishop for the work that I do, in particular with pregnant students, was a moving experience… During the formal discussion, abortion was not the only difficult topic, but a [wide] scope of other issues: IVF, immigration, and dialogue about … faith in legal matters. It was very joyful and heartening to see many of my Tocqueville fellow peers be so involved with the pro-life perspective, and I felt so supported.”
Following up on her experience of dinner with the bishop, Jackie then spoke about the colloquium she attended shortly after: “I also attended the "Catholicism, Feminism, and Politics" colloquium led by Margaret Freddoso and Gabby Girgis—who did an incredible job. The talk about abortion, contraceptives, and reproductive rights was powerful — having other strong women in the room speak on their experiences and opinions from multiple perspectives.”
Overall, reflecting on the community that she encountered through the fellowship, she shared, “Tocqueville is something beautiful to be a part of because it has surrounded me with a bunch of really incredible people who are deeply invested in intellectual discussions.”
Her participation in the tight-knit community of 25 students has helped Jackie grow throughout college, especially through the close relationships she has formed. A heightened sense of community is not the only thing she has taken away from the Fellowship; Jackie also highlighted the importance of being able to articulate one’s beliefs that she came to appreciate as a fellow: “The Tocqueville Fellowship has strengthened my ability to articulate my beliefs more clearly in the Right to Life club as well—especially to those who do not agree.”
Jackie has taken the habits of careful discussion and leadership abilities that she cultivated as a Tocqueville Fellow into other communities on campus. For Jackie, the Sorin Fellowship through the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture in particular has been a “beautiful Catholic community to be part of.” Even though she noted that it was a bigger community than the Tocqueville Fellowship, it was still a very meaningful one—and she values the community that has been formed there.
Jackie sees both fellowships as opportunities for the integration of faith, intellect, and community: “I think that the best thing that Notre Dame does well is focusing on the Catholic intellectual tradition. Blending the Catholic tradition and a communal life has been something that I have taken away from both fellowships.”
Jackie’s plans for the future include pursuing leadership roles in Catholic education and having a loving family one day. Her internship with Verso Ministries during her freshman and sophomore years “impacted [her] decision to work in Catholic leadership.” Her work with the Alliance for Catholic Education last summer provided her “more reassurance that [she] wanted to get into Catholic education.”
She hopes to begin by teaching for a few years and then gain hands-on experience in the classroom. Following that, she intends to earn her master’s degree and eventually move into administration, reflecting her ultimate goal to help shape and strengthen Catholic educational institutions through faithful leadership.
Learn more about our Tocqueville Fellowship program on our webpage.