From Lacrosse to Leadership: Molly’s MSM Journey

Motivation to Apply and Finding Direction

For Molly, the path to the Master of Science in Management program at Notre Dame began with her experiences as a student-athlete and communications major at Furman University. “Playing Division I lacrosse at Furman was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life,” she said.

During her time there, Molly balanced the demands of athletics with leadership and service. She served as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for two years, where she coordinated initiatives across all athletic teams, including volunteer efforts like Rise Against Hunger, visits to a local children’s hospital through Valiant Player, and student-athlete programming and community-building events. She also worked closely with Shriners Children’s Hospital in Greenville.

Those experiences helped shape how she began thinking about her future.

“I realized I wanted to pivot from communications to business,”  Molly said. “I wanted to gain a business background that would allow me to work in corporate America.”

Learning Leadership Through Athletics

Years of competing as a Division I athlete prepared Molly for the pace and expectations of graduate school.

“Being a Division I athlete prepared me for graduate-level academics by teaching me how to manage my time, stay disciplined, and perform under pressure,” she said.

“Balancing intense training, travel, and competition alongside a full course load forced me to be organized and accountable,” Molly said. “In my opinion, this translates directly to the rigor of the MSM graduate studies.”

Athletics also shaped how she collaborates with others.

“Being on a team for most of my life taught me how to accept feedback, communicate, and contribute toward shared goals,” she said. “That experience has translated directly to our consulting group projects and other collaborative work.”

Her leadership and service efforts have also been nationally recognized. “Through my work as a student-athlete, I was honored to receive the John Wooden Citizenship Award,” Molly said. “I’ll be returning to Furman this March to accept the award, which is really meaningful to me.”

Finding Inspiration and Choosing Notre Dame

Molly’s interest in business became clearer during her internship with JSSI in private aviation maintenance systems. “That internship confirmed my interest in business by showing me how strategy, leadership, and teamwork come together in an industry I genuinely love,”  she said. “It showed me how business decisions directly impact operations and people.”

A mentor during that experience played a defining role in her decision to pursue graduate education.

“My manager at JSSI changed my life,”  Molly said. “She taught me that women can own a male-dominated industry. She would walk into any room and command attention through her knowledge.”

Her decision to attend Notre Dame was also deeply personal. “Notre Dame was truly my first and only choice,”  she said. “My grandfather, who is my best friend, attended Notre Dame. We grew up huge ND fans, and I always knew that if I went back to school it would be here.”

During the program, Molly has also taken on a leadership role as an Assistant Rector in Pasquerilla East Hall.

“Serving as an Assistant Rector has strengthened my leadership and mentoring skills by allowing me to support students, build community, and guide others through challenges,”  she said. “It has helped me prepare to lead with empathy and accountability in professional settings.”

Learning Through Real-World Business Challenges

One of the most impactful experiences in Molly’s MSM journey has been Grow Irish. “The Grow Irish Milwaukee project had the biggest impact on how I understand business decision-making,” she said.

Working with DHI Design House, her team was tasked with implementing $10,000 worth of AI solutions within a single week. “Making high-impact decisions under pressure strengthened my leadership and understanding of real-world business,”  Molly said.

Group projects throughout the program have also helped her grow as a collaborator. “Working with diverse perspectives has pushed me to listen more and adapt my communication style for the success of a project,” she said.

Support from faculty has also played a significant role in her development. “Professors like Katherine Spiess in Finance and Jen Waddell in Statistics truly believed in me before I fully believed in myself,”  Molly said. “Their patience and support helped me gain confidence in my analytical skills.”

Growing Through Academic Challenge

Even courses aligned with Molly’s interests have challenged her to grow. “Marketing has been the most challenging course for me, even though it’s an area I’m passionate about,”  she said.

Working through the difficulty pushed her to seek additional support and refine her learning approach.

“Regularly meeting with the professor and working through what I didn’t understand helped me ask better questions and become more confident in tackling difficult material,”  Molly said.

She credits office hours as a key resource for success. “It helps you get to know your professor, and it makes difficult content easier to digest,”  she said.

The fast pace of the program also reinforced the importance of discipline and balance. “We have a lot to cover in one year, so you have to stay disciplined and organized,”  Molly said. “But you should also have a healthy work and social balance. This is a fun school, so have fun and study hard.”

Expanding Career Confidence

Through consulting projects and coursework, Molly gained clarity about the types of roles that align with her strengths. “The MSM program has broadened my view of attainable career paths by giving me real consulting cases with companies like 84.51°, Deloitte, and EY,”  she said.

Those experiences, combined with marketing coursework and guest speakers, helped her identify potential career directions. “I’ve gained hands-on experience that reinforced my interest in consumer strategy, marketing, and sales,”  Molly said.

Community, Culture, and Connection

For Molly, the MSM cohort has been one of the most meaningful aspects of the experience. “We are a close-knit community,”  she said. “We spend a whole summer together, which allows us to grow and learn campus before the craziness of fall and football season.”

Those early months helped the group form strong bonds. “It showed me that even in a rigorous graduate program, we can still form genuine friendships, enjoy the experience, and have fun while learning,”  she said.

Even after her time as a student-athlete, service remains a central part of her experience at Notre Dame. She volunteers with Best Buddies Notre Dame, participates in community outreach at the Holy Cross Community Center, and engages in additional service opportunities through the MSM program.

 

Advice to Future MSM Students

Looking back on her experience, Molly encourages future students to fully embrace the journey. “Truly enjoy every moment,”  she said. “The program is challenging and rewarding in ways you can’t fully understand until you’re in it.”

She believes the growth students experience during the program is transformative. “You will grow,”  Molly said. “You’ll build connections, learn from incredible professors, and work on meaningful projects that shape you.”

For anyone considering the MSM program, her advice is simple.

“Do it. Don’t hesitate,”  she said. “It’s worth the challenge, the effort, and the investment. And once you’re an Irish, you’re an Irish for life.”

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