Order of St. Thomas More
Impact
Order of St. Thomas More Impact Report 2022-2023
Notre Dame Law School is devoted to educating a different kind of lawyer, to embracing and engaging students of varying perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.
In 2022-2023, gifts from the Order of St. Thomas More made this commitment possible. Last year, our members’ contributions went entirely to fellowship aid for Notre Dame Law Students. They ensured that no well-deserving student would be turned away for financial reasons.
G. Marcus Cole, the Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School, once wrote that the Order of St. Thomas More is "a bridge for those who have the heart and mind to come here but need fellowship aid to become Notre Dame lawyers."
This past year, our members built a bridge that is as expansive as it is strong. They were the driving force behind a legal education for good, providing the expendable funding necessary to form the next generation of Notre Dame lawyers.
$3.5 Million
Raised by members of the Order of St. Thomas More
100%
Of money from gifts to the Order of St. Thomas More was spent on fellowships for Notre Dame Law Students
90%
Of JD students received fellowship aid
Justin Ewing, Notre Dame Law School Student
Through their generosity, Order of St. Thomas More members reduce financial barriers for underrepresented students and help support the formation of ethical and compassionate lawyers who serve disenfranchised communities, defend the rights of every person, and pursue social justice.
As a first-generation student and recipient of this generosity, I’m grateful for the opportunity afforded to me by Order of St. Thomas More members to receive a purpose-directed legal education in the Catholic tradition."
Notre Dame Law Students are leaders.
Notre Dame Law Students can lead the charge in the promotion of religious liberty, having access to top scholarship and experiential learning opportunities through the Religious Liberty Clinic.
Notre Dame Law Students are fighters.
Notre Dame Law Students are committed to “service to justice” and have access to the Law School’s Exoneration Justice Clinic, where they can work directly to fight wrongful convictions and make a tangible difference in the community.
Notre Dame Law Students are servants.
Through the Loan Repayment Assistance Program, Notre Dame Law Students are able to use the power of law to serve their communities—as a force for good in the nonprofit, government, public interest, and human rights fields—while not being overburdened by student loan debt.
Phenia Hovsepyan, Notre Dame Law School Student
Notre Dame Law School is an unequivocally unique place—where future attorneys can receive the absolute best legal training in an environment that also enriches their souls, cultivates meaningful debate, and instills an understanding of the deeper responsibility that comes with this vocation.
Those who come from disenfranchised and first generation backgrounds have a great deal to contribute to our community, and financial hardship should not be a determining factor in their ability to study here—contributing to our growingly diverse future.”