“As someone who’s been educated in Catholic schools my entire life, there’s no better place in the United States—or even the world—to be a college student looking to grow in their faith.”
Molly Griffith ’26 has the drive of an engaged servant leader and the academic interests that will set her apart as a professional ready to effect change. Since the spring semester of her first year, Molly has held two internships, served four different organizations, and volunteered her time to help empower her community.
Her focus has ranged from researching the global impact of food scarcity to finding ways to support the initiatives of local South Bend organizations with her peers. She is highly motivated to serve others in the most efficient, impactful way, and that stems from her experiences and her studies as a Notre Dame student.
Molly does all this while studying as a double major in economics and political science with a minor in Constitutional studies. In seeking ways to become a force for good in the world, Molly embraces the alignment of her ambitions with Notre Dame’s mission.
Notre Dame afforded Molly the chance to dive into her interests as soon as she began her studies. She recalled taking Professor Susanne Wengle’s class on Russian politics in her first semester. The subject matter was fascinating and timely, and while Molly didn’t have much of an international focus when she arrived at Notre Dame, this class changed that.
Molly decided to take on a research assistantship with Professor Wengle the following semester. As a first-year student, she joined the Kellogg Developing Researchers Program and worked with Professor Wengle in researching Ukranian agriculture and the global insecurity caused by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Molly’s once-domestic focus broadened into an in-depth knowledge of Ukranian railways and infrastructure—and that was just in her first year. After transitioning to the Kellogg International Scholars Program, Molly continued working with Professor Wengle on trends associated with climate change that threaten Russian forests.
Now in her junior year, Molly is still involved in the Kellogg Institute, though this research is no longer her primary focus. This timely and relevant experience marked the start of her journey as a highly engaged student.
Diving headfirst into the student experience
“I'm definitely someone who won’t be happy in a job unless I know that I'm working for some sort of cause outside of me.”
Just as Molly boldly stepped into her research assistantship, she has also explored the breadth of her interests as a Notre Dame student. Knowing she wanted to serve others, Molly originally set her sights on working in public interest law. She explored the pre-law track, interning for a district judge in Ohio the summer before her sophomore year at Notre Dame. However, it has been the economics classes and her long-term internship at the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) that have shaped her future plans most strongly.
LEO is a research center at Notre Dame through which professors and scholars from across the country collaborate with students and nonprofit organizations to research and share best practices for lifting others out of poverty. On its website, the organization describes that LEO “helps service providers apply scientific evaluation methods to better understand and share effective poverty interventions.”
Molly called LEO one of her “highlights of Notre Dame” after working as an intern on the organization’s policy and impact team in the summer of 2024. Molly explained, “LEO works with nonprofits to run a randomized controlled trial—which is econ lingo for a really, really good study—and test to see if this program is actually effective in changing outcomes for the people participating in the program.” Nonprofits not only gain insight into what works but can also quantify and measure the efficacy of a program, which could help illustrate its value to future stakeholders.
Molly tied her pre-law and LEO interests together, saying, “I think it'll end up in the policy world of some sort. I'm not really motivated by either side of the aisle. I'm more motivated by exactly what LEO does—taking evidence from whatever policy arena you want to look at and applying that to the decision-making process to ensure that, particularly for vulnerable populations, the policies that are enforced are actually based in evidence and not just what seems like will work.”
Empowering community organizations through Notre Dame
With close ties to its community, Notre Dame enables students to act as a force for good through their everyday studies. Molly recalled another highlight of her academic career so far—Professor Jonathan Hannah’s Philanthropy and the Common Good course—in which her projects had tangible effects on local nonprofits.
Molly described the course as a “mix of both the academic side of philanthropy and the experiential side as well.” Funded by the Philanthropy Lab, Professor Hannah’s course invites students to meet with local organizations to decide how best to divide a grant of funds to most effectively help the organizations reach their goals. Molly’s class had $58,000 to distribute, which was divided among 12 nonprofits and presented to them at an award ceremony in December. The top recipient was Dismas House of Indiana, described on its website as a space that supports “individuals returning from incarceration in a supportive family-centered home” to “reduce recidivism and address systemic barriers.”
This invaluable experience of learning about how nonprofits run and how best to make an impact dovetailed well with Molly’s internship at LEO. With her passions colliding, she reflected, “I’ve been able to see the positive impact organizations can make. I’ve been able to help generate that impact through the class in grant-making, and then I've been able to figure out what works in creating that impact through my work with LEO.”
Staying connected to her passions
"There are so many amazing opportunities that I love everything I do. You can't say no to things here. Even if I get a little less sleep at night, so be it; it’s all worth it.”
Through years of service, Molly has found ways to connect her passion for service with her in-depth knowledge of economics and philanthropy. Since August 2023, she has served as the development coordinator for the Camp Kesem Chapter of Notre Dame—an organization giving children with a parent facing cancer access to camps and programs that foster connection and lighthearted fun.
Molly continues to live the Notre Dame mission as a leader for others. For the past 18 months, she has run charity events through her residence hall that benefit Meals on Wheels and a local convent. She’s co-president of the Notre Dame Field Hockey Club Team and a content editor for the Journal of Political Science.
“My mindset is that I have been given so much in my life, and now with my career and my studies, I want to do everything I can to give back for all I've been blessed with. I’ll do anything I can to make an impact and positive change for populations who haven't been as lucky, but in the most efficient and effective way possible,” she said.
A Legacy Family story
Molly’s strong sense of initiative runs in her family. Her father, oldest sister, and brother-in-law are all Notre Dame alumni.
Molly’s dad was on the football team in the late ’70s. She attributes her love of Notre Dame Athletics to his unwavering enthusiasm for the Fighting Irish. Molly’s sister and brother-in-law walked her same path—they were both political science majors who did the Washington Program in D.C., encouraging her to study economics and explore new fields.
Your support of students like Molly makes it possible for them to explore the depth and breadth of their interests, all while improving the lives of others. Your generosity empowers our students, whose work and passions ignite change at every level. Thank you for making experiences like hers possible.
Thank you for your loyalty to For Good and the students of Notre Dame. Because of your generosity, alumni and students like Molly continue to shape Notre Dame and the world for good. To read, listen to, or watch more stories, visit givemonthly.nd.edu.