Student Spotlight: Dan McGrath '09
While Notre Dame Law School is devoid of the cut-throat competitive atmosphere that ruins the academic experience for students at other law schools, there is a competitive athletic culture at NDLS that enables students to stay fit and challenge one another outside of the classroom. When looking at law schools the year before 1L, I searched for an institution that was well respected but at which I could still pursue my athletic goals. I ran five years of college track and cross-country, and I saw Notre Dame as the perfect place for me to train for marathons while pursuing a top-notch education.
After running in three competitive marathons during my first three semesters at Notre Dame, I searched for a race at which I could compete with the leaders. Despite the fact that it took place the day before my Jurisprudence final, I decided to fly home to race the Long Island Marathon. I notched my first marathon win on Long Island, and enjoying a celebratory lunch with my family at an Irish pub in my neighborhood after the race made the trip worthwhile.
A few hours after the race, I flew back to South Bend to get ready for the next day’s Jurisprudence final. I assumed that people would scoff at me for taking a 24-hour study break during the most important week of the year. Instead, many students warmly congratulated me on my first-place finish. The reaction of the NDLS community made it clear to me that NDLS is about more than just a legal education; it is about encouraging students to pursue the goals about which they are passionate, regardless of whether those goals are related to the study of law.
