Notre Dame students come to the Klau Institute’s Minor in Civil and Human Rights from a variety of majors — anthropology, biology, global affairs, political science, and more. And their career goals are equally diverse, with some of the students aiming to become lawyers or work in policy, the nonprofit sector, and other fields.
Although their backgrounds and aspirations are different, what all students in the minor share is a strong motivation to use their talents to uphold human dignity and make the world a better place for all people.
Read on to meet some members of Notre Dame's Class of 2025 who studied civil and human rights through the Klau Institute, and hear how they plan to protect civil and human rights in their chosen professions. The group includes several members of the Keough School of Global Affairs’ first undergraduate class of global affairs majors.
Ali Dogue
Major: American Studies
Minor: Civil and Human Rights
Ali Dogue, an aspiring lawyer, said the Minor in Civil and Human Rights pushed her to think critically about justice on both a local and global scale. Courses like International Law and Human Rights, Prisons and Policing in the U.S., and Indigenous Cinema exposed her to perspectives and histories she had never encountered before, and they complemented her American Studies major by helping her make connections between what she learned about race, inequality, and power in the United States with similar issues around the world.
“The minor gave me a legal and historical foundation that helped everything else click into place,” she said. “It also pushed me to think about civil rights not just as something rooted in the past, but as an ongoing fight that takes different forms around the world.”
Dogue plans to apply to law school with the long-term goal of becoming an education lawyer and advocate for students — particularly those who are underserved, discriminated against, or need special support in the classroom.
“My background in civil and human rights will definitely shape how I approach my future legal work. It has helped me understand the importance of protecting the rights of vulnerable populations and the ways legal systems can both help and harm people,” Dogue said. “Whether it’s advocating for students with special needs, addressing unfair disciplinary practices, or confronting systemic inequities in education, the values and knowledge I’ve gained from Civil and Human Rights courses will be central to the work I hope to do in the future.”
Raleigh Kuipers
Majors: Global Affairs and Spanish
Minors: Civil and Human Rights, European Studies
Raleigh Kuipers decided to enroll in the Minor in Civil and Human Rights after taking the International Law and Human Rights course. She said the minor bridged her values, interests, and aspirations.
“Since I majored in Global Affairs and Spanish, my classes mainly focused on international contexts and topics. The minor allowed me to deepen my awareness of key issues including human rights law, refugee and asylum policy, and Indigeneity on a global level,” she said. “It also enabled me to focus on the U.S. context, learning about antiracism, domestic Indigeneity, educational equity, and South Bend schools. The knowledge, frameworks, and tools I gained from these classes informed my Global Affairs capstone, which focused on feminist foreign policies and how these policies strive to promote human rights and equality for all in the areas of peace and security.”
After graduation, Kuipers will pursue a Master of Advanced International Affairs at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in preparation for a career at the intersection of policy and research, focusing on foreign policy, international politics, and human rights.
“My education in civil and human rights at Notre Dame provided a vital basis for further learning on the subjects in my graduate studies,” she said. “It will also shape the research I conduct, how I approach sociopolitical issues, and the career I pursue. Awareness and knowledge of civil and human rights issues will be key in promoting human dignity, equity, and values in all of my future roles.”
Kristen Lemus
Major: Political Science
Minor: Civil and Human Rights
The Minor in Civil and Human Rights was transformative for Kristen Lemus. It not only deepened her understanding of injustice, but also gave her the language, the framework, and the courage to confront injustice.
“The minor gave me a moral framework — a critical lens through which I examine systems of government, power, and policy,” she said. “While political science provides the tools to analyze how governments function, how power is distributed, and how political behavior takes shape both domestically and globally, the Minor in Civil and Human Rights grounds that analysis in ethical responsibility. It asks not just how institutions operate, but who they serve, who they exclude, and why.”
After graduation, Lemus will serve as a Congressional Fellow through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington. As a daughter of immigrants, she’s looking forward to the fellowship as an opportunity to uplift Latino communities and address systemic inequities in our policy landscape.
“Too often, Latino communities are at the margins of political power — underrepresented, underserved, and strategically overlooked in legislation that should empower them,” she said. “The CHCI Fellowship offers a platform to work within the very institutions that shape our laws and budgets, ensuring that our voices are not just heard but prioritized.”
Lemus thinks of the Minor in Civil and Human Rights as more than just an academic pursuit. It’s a commitment, she said. “Civil and human rights are not abstract ideals. They are the very conditions that allow people to live with dignity, safety, and purpose,” she said. “And we all — by the sole fact of being human — deserve nothing less.”
Clodagh McEvoy-Johnston
Major: Global Affairs and Peace Studies
Minor: Civil and Human Rights
Clodagh McEvoy-Johnston enrolled in the Minor in Civil and Human Rights because it added a particularly interesting complexity to her coursework in global affairs and peace studies. She said it was the perfect addition.
“From my civil and human rights classes, I see the intersection between human dignity, conflict, and law. Even more, I can better see where the lacunas in the peace studies and global affairs literature lie and the ways to better both fields thanks to the kinds of thinking we do in civil and human rights classes,” McEvoy-Johnston said.
“I loved seeing the cross-section of development, conflict, and law,” she added. “I also think I gained novel skills in assessing both domestic and international legislation that informs the way everyday people live their lives.”
The next step in McEvoy-Johnston’s education will be at the University of Cambridge, where she will complete a Master of Philosophy in Politics and International Studies. After that, she hopes to go to law school.
“After my master’s and with my J.D., I think my education in civil and human rights will be essential to my future career,” she said. “The Minor in Civil and Human Rights has given me the tools to notice when the lived realities of those around me do not meet what I believe to be the common good and human flourishing. Moreover, it has given me the skills to intervene and uplift my communities when there is dissonance in those realities.”
Hannah Thurow
Major: Global Affairs
Concentration: Civil and Human Rights
As a global affairs major, Hannah Thurow chose to concentrate on civil and human rights because she has always wanted to help people. “I was fascinated by how we protect and maintain a person’s innate human dignity,” she said. “Furthermore, I have always enjoyed studying and learning the law, and I wanted to understand where the law falls short and needs to improve in terms of fulfilling human rights.”
Thurow’s next stop will be Denver, where she’ll do case management for Work Options — a nonprofit that helps underprivileged groups with job searching and career readiness. Her goal is to build a career in the nonprofit sector focused on human rights, especially women’s and children’s rights.
“Having the information, history, and understanding of both the past and current status of human rights, especially in the United States and globally, is extremely useful in being able to recognize injustice and know where I am needed,” Thurow said.
“Civil and human rights has also taught me just how complex the struggles of the human person are, and has provided me with the tools to adequately respond to those struggles,” she said. “Overall, the education I received in civil and human rights has been invaluable in just understanding how people are treated, and the steps that are needed to make a difference in the world.”