Four First-Year Students Named 2026–27 Murphy Fellows

First-year students Nicholas Bianco, Kathleen Farnan, Matthew Sawtelle, and Noel Vanderbilt have been named Notre Dame Law School’s 2026–27 Murphy Fellows. The Murphy Fellowship gives students opportunities to participate in programming that explores the intersection of law and religion and participate in the Law School’s Program on Church, State & Society and Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic.

The Murphy Fellowship honors Edward J. Murphy, a Catholic legal scholar and former Notre Dame Law School professor. A prominent scholar of contract law, Murphy joined the faculty in 1957 and became the Law School’s first chaired professor in 1979, when he was appointed the John N. Matthews Professor of Law. The fellowship carries forward Murphy’s dedication to legal education and the Catholic intellectual tradition, both of which remain central to Notre Dame Law School’s mission.

“Notre Dame Law School is enriched, and our mission is enhanced, by the Murphy Fellows program,” said Professor Richard Garnett, director of the Notre Dame Program on Church, State & Society. “Thanks to generous benefaction, we are able to provide financial support to high-achieving students with a demonstrated interest in, and commitment to, religious freedom and church-state relations.”

Meet the 2026–27 Fellows

Nicholas Bianco

Originally from Long Island, New York, Nicholas Bianco attended Fordham University (Rose Hill). As a law student, Nicholas wants to pursue an education that develops more than technical legal knowledge. Preparing for a career in the high-stakes field of law, he wants to remain “oriented toward the common good.”

At Notre Dame Law School he has found that broader formation. “I appreciate the goals of Catholic formation dedicated to service, respect for human dignity, and the development of the whole person. I have already gotten the sense that the faculty and other students at Notre Dame share that same passion,” he said. As a Murphy Fellow, Nicholas hopes to explore the importance of interfaith dialogue while learning from faculty, visiting speakers, and other Murphy Fellows.

Kathleen Farnan

Kathleen Farnan came to the University of Notre Dame from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as an undergraduate and studied philosophy, theology, and constitutional studies. She was also a Sorin Fellow with the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. She returned to Notre Dame for law school because she wanted to attend a school where faith was prioritized in academic formation. “At the Law School the professors and students are encouraged to see the study of law as a way to live out Christ’s command to love,” she said.

The Murphy Fellowship focuses on building a community of students and faculty interested in the intersection between law and religion. As a Murphy Fellow, Kathleen finds that she is surrounded by people “who see law as a vocation.”

Matthew Sawtelle

Matthew Sawtelle studied philosophy at The Catholic University of America. Originally from Dallas, he taught for two years at St. John the Beloved Academy in McLean, Virginia, before working for a year at The Federalist Society in Washington, D.C.

In choosing Notre Dame Law School, Matthew wanted to learn how his calling as a lawyer fit into his primary vocation as husband and father. He said, “I think Notre Dame Law School is one of the few places where that goal, to subordinate the practice of law to the higher goal of holiness, not only makes sense but is also explicitly part of the school's mission.” Matthew says his whole family has been welcomed into the Law School community.

Matthew hopes the Murphy Fellowship will provide opportunities to learn about the “sacred rights of conscience that underlie religious freedom.” He looks forward to collaborating with the Religious Liberty Clinic and gaining practical experience protecting those rights.

Noel Vanderbilt

Originally from Saugatuck, Michigan, Noel Vanderbilt earned her B.A. in creative writing and political science from Hope College. Before attending law school, she worked at a law firm as a legal assistant and at Hope College as a research and program assistant.

Noel was drawn to Notre Dame Law School because of its “commitment to asking the deeper questions behind the ‘black letter’ law.” She appreciates that the community at Notre Dame fosters conversations about how their work in the law protects human dignity and promotes human flourishing.

Following the Law School's mission of integrating faith and reason, Noel hopes to be formed not only into an excellent lawyer, but a “faithful advocate.” As a Murphy Fellow, Noel is excited to learn from the faculty, clinical programs, and the “vibrant, thoughtful Murphy community.”