Notre Dame has named Clare Cullinan valedictorian of the Class of 2025. She is the first valedictorian from the Keough School of Global Affairs and a member of the first class of undergraduate global affairs majors at Notre Dame. The Walsh Hall resident will graduate summa cum laude with a 4.0 grade point average and has been on the dean’s list every semester.
When Cullinan found out she was being considered for valedictorian, she was surprised because she’d always pursued what she was passionate about at Notre Dame without any expectations.
She shared that in writing her speech, “[She wants] to leave people with the message that this community has been incredible, there’s so much good here, but at the same time, we can take everything from here and bring it wherever we go next, creating communities wherever we go,” she said.
Cullinan, who grew up in South Bend, initially entered the University as a math and economics major, choosing to switch to global affairs instead in a move that set a theme for her time at Notre Dame: learning to embrace ambiguity and being willing to be a beginner.
“I started with mathematics and economics primarily because I really like quantitative problem solving, but unfortunately, that’s not always the way the world works and I realized I needed to think qualitatively as well,” she said. When Cullinan came across global affairs, the major was still very new. After enrolling in the introductory global affairs course, she still wasn’t sure if it was right for her, but that changed when one of her advisors, Elly Brenner, pointed her toward the course, International Development in Practice, with professor Steve Reifenberg. The course sparked her love for the major.
“Global affairs has been such a wonderful opportunity. It’s always been about the people, which is why I love global affairs,” she said. “When I signed up for this major, I didn’t know what it would look like ... I only knew that the professors were really passionate about it and they really cared about this stuff, and I’m so, so grateful that I chose it.”
She has since proceeded to take every course professor Reifenberg offers, in addition to researching with him and serving as a teaching assistant (TA) for one of his courses, The Art and Science of Human Flourishing. She labeled Reifenberg as a "huge mentor."
Her research with Reifenberg is supported by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, where Cullinan is a developing researcher. Through this program, she’s been able to research the concept of accompaniment in international development. She noted how much of a positive impact that all of the professors, mentors and other students she met through the Kellogg community have had on her.
Cullinan also earned a minor in studio art, which she fell in love with after a ceramics class she took as a freshman and later, with the encouragement of Fr. Martin Nguyen, a studio art professor, decided to continue taking art classes. “He is just a truly phenomenal human being and a great professor … just one of those people that’s constantly trying to lift others up and make you laugh,” she said.
Cullinan’s greatest takeaway from Notre Dame has been learning to value and prioritize people just as much as academics.
“Ultimately, that’s what I’ll be walking away with. I have been given an incredible global affairs degree and I’ve loved studying studio art. You can’t beat the academics here, but my favorite part of being at this place has been the people I’ve gotten to know throughout my time here,” she said.
Cullinan spent much of her time outside of class with Notre Dame’s Folk Choir, which she claims is the best community on campus. She joined the choir during her first weekend of freshman year and even elected to join a choir during her semester abroad in Dublin because of how the choir has been a big part of her life.
“Rehearsal every week is kind of my happy place, it’s the place where I get to hang out with my friends and be with all of the people that I love so much, while singing,” Cullinan said.
Cullinan also worked on the student core team for the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good, a newer institute on campus, where she helped to form a new apprenticeship program focused on ethical leadership.
“Being able to contribute to a new student group on campus was awesome … We met and talked about what it means to be an ethical leader and how we can cultivate that here on campus and in each of us,” she said. Cullinan expressed gratitude for Adam Gustine and Allie Griffith, who guided the group throughout the year as they explored virtue-rooted leadership.
Cullinan discussed how much her parents have supported her during her time here. They both attended Notre Dame, but she shared that they “really wanted Notre Dame to become [her] own.” She gets dinner with her sister, a freshman in Walsh, and her brother, who is a junior here, frequently.
Because she grew up in South Bend, Cullinan shared that for the longest time, she told everyone she didn’t think she would go to school at Notre Dame. “The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I loved Notre Dame,” she said. “You really can’t beat this place and there’s nothing like this community.”
After graduation, Cullinan will continue her work with the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good as an intern coordinator with the Signature Course Fellowship program. Then, she will embark on a year of service as a teacher, choir director, campus minister and “maybe a basketball coach” at Our Lady of Tepeyac High School, a Catholic, all girls high school in Chicago, through the service organization Amate House.
