The Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government (CCCG) is pleased to announce the winners of the fifth annual Publius Prize for Undergraduate Writing on Public Affairs.
Inspired by the thoughtfulness and ingenuity of the Federalist Papers, the CCCG invited Notre Dame students of all years, backgrounds, and academic programs to submit published articles or essays discussing a topic surrounding politics, philosophy, law, economics, culture, or religion that refine and enlarge the public’s views. We are deeply grateful to all who submitted a piece for consideration.
The competition included two categories of publication: campus publications and local, national, and international media outlets. Each winner receives a prize of $250, and after a careful selection process, the CCCG has selected two winners.
In the campus publication category, the winner is Liam Kelly '26 for his article "Notre Dame Must Choose Courage," published in The Observer on February 13, 2026. Kelly’s piece discusses Notre Dame’s unique responsibility to root itself in its Catholic tradition in an increasingly secular world. He specifically references the hiring of Professor Susan Ostermann, critiquing the university’s choice of appointing her head of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies. This example serves as one instance as Kelly broadens his message into a call to action for the University to courageously continue to be a beacon of Catholicism.
“What is needed is courage, a resolution to stand firm in its identity both on campus and beyond, come what may. Ultimately, there can be no higher calling for a University as storied as Notre Dame than fulfilling its Catholic mission in the fullest sense.” - Liam Kelly
For the local, national, and international media outlet category, the winner is Maria Eduarda Grill '28 for her piece “Outrage Over Accuracy: What the Los Angeles Protests Teach About Democracy Online,” published by The Fulcrum on September 24, 2025. Grill compares Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa’s warning on atomic bombs to the modern issue of rampant digital misinformation that impairs democracy. Using the 2025 Los Angeles protests as an example, Grill sheds light on the dangers of false media, stating “truth had to fight against algorithms designed to reward virality and profit, rather than accuracy.” Grill gives examples of solutions enacted in the European Union and possible solutions that could be implemented in the United States.
“Americans are not powerless in the face of disinformation.” - Maria Eduarda Grill
The CCCG also recognizes Honorable Mentions in the two categories, acknowledging the students’ exceptional work and brilliant insights:
In the campus publications category, the CCCG recognizes Abby Strelow '28 for her insightful article “Notre Dame Doesn’t Do Enough for LGBTQ Students,” published by The Irish Rover on February 26, 2026. Strelow commends Notre Dame Campus Ministry in their efforts to facilitate faith-based group events, such as Masses and retreats for LGBTQ students, and emphasizes the necessity for further opportunities for support “for an authentically Catholic approach to sexuality and gender.”
For local, national, and international media publications, the CCCG recognizes two outstanding individuals.
Ella Yates '27 receives an Honorable Mention for her column “Rebuilding Virtue: We Need an Architecture Revival,” published by Religion and Liberty Online on July 16, 2025. Yates calls for humanity to reembrace our roots of celebrating beauty to uphold the dignity and goodness we receive from God. Yates claims this can occur through the beauty of architecture “because they lift our souls into contemplation of the divine source of creation.”
The CCCG also recognizes Nia Maria '28 for her comprehensive essay “Louisiana v. Callais and the Fate of Race-Conscious Representation,” published in the Midwestern Citizen on February 17, 2026. Maria analyzes the complexities of Louisiana v. Callias, a Supreme Court case occurring after legislators redrew district maps in Louisiana based on race in 2024. Maria states the map provides a modern test: “It invites the question whether a system that prohibits even the conscious recognition of race can ever dismantle racial hierarchies built through centuries of exclusion.”
Congratulations to all winners and honorable mentions! We invite you to read their excellent pieces above, and to be on the lookout for the call for next year’s Publius Prize, which will commence in the spring of 2027.
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