Established in 1991, the Distinguished Graduate Award is conferred on a graduate student who has excelled in academic and service and who has demonstrated a high level of leadership while at Notre Dame. For a nomination form, please click here.
The 2009 Distinguished Graduate Student Award winner is:
Sofia Barbato '00, '06 M. Ed, ’09 M.Div
With this award, Sofia Barbato’00, ’06 M. Ed, ’09 M.Div is honored for her outstanding academic performance and service to Notre Dame. As a graduate student in the Masters of Divinity program, Sofia has demonstrated exemplary service through the Center for Social Concerns. For three years, she has assisted the Summer Service Learning Program (SSLP) by conducting the interviews for SSLP candidates during the spring and meeting with them for individual discussions in the fall.
In addition to leading the interview process, Sofia has facilitated follow-up discussions with the undergraduate students who participate. Because of her natural ability to make students comfortable and engender a useful conversation, Sofia also was asked to interview the student applicants for the Latino Leadership Internship Program.
In another effort to assist undergraduate students in their service efforts, Sofia led the Holy Cross Mission in Education Seminar in January 2009.
Sofia’s accomplishments go far beyond the Notre Dame campus. Along with other M.Div students, Sofia participated in experiential learning courses in Monterrey, Mexico, and Haiti. In these courses, Sofia worked through the Church to assist people who live in the most economically deprived areas.
During the summer of 2007, Sofia volunteered in a Chicago parish, and she volunteered in a parish in El Salvador the following summer. In the South Bend community, she has served St. Margaret’s House, the Juvenile Justice Center, and the Catholic Worker House.
Additionally, Sofia dedicated two years to the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program after she received her undergraduate degree from Notre Dame in 2000.
Distinguished Graduate Student Award Winners
2008 Brenna Casey’08 M.F.A.
2007 Paul R. Brenner '98
2006 Minon Montpetit '01, '04 M.A.
2005 Shannon Gayk
2004 Kathleen M. Fox
2003 Conor B. Dugan '03 J.D.
2002 Susan Prchal
2001 April Catherine Elizabeth Langley
2000 Jeanne M. Heffernan
1999 Enos. C. Inniss
1998 G. David Moss
1997 Jennifer L. Girard
1996 Lynda A. Nyce and Rosario I. Lozada
1995 Kathryn A. Pamenter
1994 Reynold F. Niesiba
1993 Mary I. Yu
1992 Martin C. Loesch
1991 Arsene M. Balihuta
