Living the Mission

Tess Niehoff, ’10 poses with some of the villagers she works alongside in Nicaragua

Being educated in the School Sisters of Notre Dame

service mission tattoos images of Catholic social teaching on the hearts of most NDP girls. From human trafficking to immigration rights, educating and enabling the people of Haiti to be self-sufficient, to the right of all people of the ongoing construction project in the United States. Although it was an amazing opportunity for a recent college graduate, something was still missing. “If I didn’t pursue my dreams and adventures after two years on the project, they probably weren’t going to come to me,” says Tess from her current home in a Nicaraguan village. There Tess, who is now employed by Global Brigades, a nonprofit health and sustainable development organization, puts her degrees in Engineering and Spanish to work while giving the community members “the tools they need to rise above rural poverty and take the development of their own community in their own hands.” Tess’ work with Global Bridges aligns closely with the

world to have access to clean water, the SSND’s mission is medical relief via mobile medical clinics, followed up with global and one Tess Niehoff ’10 has turned into a career. After graduating from the “ IF I DIDN’T PURSUE MY DREAMS AND ADVENTURES community health, water, public health, microfinance, and local business interventions. The model made so University of Maryland AFTER TWO YEARS ON much sense to me. Without A. James Clark School of Engineering, Tess landed a THE PROJECT, THEY attacking every component of poverty, any advance made job as a field engineer on the Washington, D.C., Metro Silver Line, which was, at the time, the largest ” PROBABLY WEREN’T GOING TO COME TO ME. would never be permanent or sustainable.” Tess recalls her days at NDP

mission of the SSND. “[The organization’s] methodology includes providing fondly, saying she was taught to ask tough questions and think “outside the box.” “In my first mod of my first day of class freshman year, Mr. [Chris] Lopez posed the question ‘Why is it 2006 and we still haven’t had a female president?’ Debates like these really helped to shape how I articulate my own beliefs.”

Tess credits the examination of faith and social justice in religion classes to helping her listen to her servant’s heart and realizing that words can change the world. g

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 237 Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland

Support our Annual Fund! Make your gift at notredameprep.com/giving