Meet Mayte Mendez! She’s an Arts and Letters senior studying Political Science with minors in Constitutional Studies and European Studies, and she’s Beyond the Dome's incoming Student Board CEO.
Mayte plans to attend law school after graduating in May, and the Miami, Florida, native wants to take her future law degree outside the U.S. She says she’s interested in constitutional and international law, as well as European politics and diplomacy. Notre Dame’s Diplomacy Scholars Program and the Nanovic Institute provided her with the opportunity to explore her interests outside the classroom.
“One of the most meaningful experiences was traveling to The Hague and visiting institutions like the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. Being able to see these institutions in person and learn about the work being done there was truly a dream come true and made me even more excited about pursuing a career at the intersection of law, government, and international affairs.”
Mayte also highlights her previous leadership role in Beyond the Dome’s Law, Government, and Public Policy Career Community, her top pick among BTD resources. Her responsibilities as a director included organizing events tailored for students studying law, government, and public policy, sometimes bringing in guest speakers such as former senior CIA official Amy McAuliffe and others who could speak to their experiences in the LGPP field.
“One of my favorite moments was bringing in Judge Andrea R. Wolfson, a Notre Dame alumna who serves in the Criminal Division at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami. I had previously interned for Judge Wolfson [...] It was incredibly meaningful to bring someone who had once been a Notre Dame student herself into the BTD community and connect her experiences with students who are now exploring similar paths.”
As she takes on the role of CEO of the Beyond the Dome student board, Mayte wants to strengthen student involvement, particularly in BTD’s Peers2Careers program, which supports Arts and Letters students through peer mentoring and dorm outreach initiatives. But her goals aren’t just basic engagement. Mayte says she wants to empower students to become BTD leaders, a role she has years of experience in.
“One of the things I’m most proud of about my BTD experience is that I’ve had the opportunity to grow through four different leadership roles. I started as the BFM Peer Mentoring Lead, then became the Law, Government & Public Policy Career Community Lead, served as the Director of Law, Government & Public Policy last year, and now have the honor of serving as CEO. Each role has taught me something different and helped me grow as a leader, and I want other students to see that their first role in BTD can be the beginning of something much bigger. Ultimately, I want students to feel like they have a place in BTD, find people who believe in them, and feel empowered to step into leadership themselves.”
With a long history of leadership, we figured Mayte would also be able to lead us in the right direction for some other things, like her favorite spot to lock in around campus and where to get the best bite to eat.
What's your go-to study spot on campus?
I love reserving a study room in Hesburgh Library, especially the rooms with whiteboards. It’s my go-to spot when I need to really lock in, map out my semester, or turn a million thoughts into an actual plan. I love being able to spread everything out, write on the whiteboard, and just focus. There’s something about a quiet library room that makes me feel like I can get anything done!
What's your favorite place to go in South Bend?
Jinya Ramen is definitely one of my favorite spots, especially for their spicy tuna tacos! I also love exploring different restaurants and coffee shops around South Bend with friends. One of my favorite parts of being at Notre Dame has been discovering little places around Michiana and making memories with friends outside of campus.
What's the top song on your playlist right now?
“Dive” by Olivia Dean. It’s such a beautiful, feel-good song, and I’ve been listening to Olivia Dean a lot lately! Fun fact: I sang for most of my life, so I have a pretty wide variety of artists and genres that I love listening to. Music has always been a big part of my life, so my playlists are usually all over the place!
What's your current obsession?
Planning, organizing, and making way-too-many lists! Whether it’s planning BTD events, mapping out my semester, or organizing my calendar, I genuinely love having everything planned out. Right now, I’m especially obsessed with getting BTD ready for the year and thinking about all the ways we can make this year meaningful for our students. I’m a big believer that the little details can make a big difference, so I’m always thinking about how we can make people feel welcomed, connected, and excited to be part of BTD.
You can connect with Mayte on LinkedIn or grab a coffee and book a chat with her
