Inspired by University President Rev. Robert Dowd, C.S.C.,'s call for Notre Dame to embrace its responsibility as a community of “bridge-builders,” the Washington Office highlights members of the Notre Dame community who are finding common ground and making an impact in public service, policy, and beyond.
In this installment of DC Bridge Builders, we feature Matthew Wich, a junior from Trumbull, Connecticut, majoring in economics with minors in poverty studies and the Hesburgh Program in Public Service. Wich served as a policy and impact intern for the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at Notre Dame’s Washington Office this summer and leads the Notre Dame Student Policy Network on campus.
Translating research into policy impact
Wich has seen bridge-building in action, both in everyday conversations and in high-level policy settings.
“Whether I’m having a late-night conversation with friends in my dorm or listening to debates on Capitol Hill, I’ve seen that we all share more in common than we might initially think,” he said. “By acknowledging those shared values, we can work through conflicts and learn a lot from each other in the process.”
As a policy and impact intern at LEO, Wich helped bring research off the page and into policymaking conversations.
“At LEO, we aim to ensure that anti-poverty research doesn’t sit idle in academic journals, but instead is used to influence policy decisions and create economic opportunities for millions of Americans.”
“The research done at LEO has the potential to change lives if it’s used to inform the legislative work conducted in our nation’s capital,” he said. “At LEO, we aim to ensure that anti-poverty research doesn’t sit idle in academic journals, but instead is used to influence policy decisions and create economic opportunities for millions of Americans.”
Wich credits Notre Dame with shaping his human-centered approach to policymaking.
“It’s easy to get lost in legislative language and data analysis and forget that the words on the page can have a profound impact on the person behind the data point,” he said. “My Notre Dame education has not only equipped me with the necessary tools to answer tough policy questions; it’s instilled in me the compassion to ask how these policies affect each human being they touch.”
LEO’s work reflects that same value, partnering with service providers whose solutions are grounded in the lived experiences and dignity of those they serve.
Empowering future policy leaders through the Student Policy Network
Wich’s path into public policy began with the Student Policy Network (SPN), which he joined during his first semester at Notre Dame. Launched in 2020, SPN connects students with government entities, think tanks, and advocacy groups to give them hands-on experience in policy research and advocacy.
Now serving as SPN’s vice president, Wich is committed to opening doors for other students.
“Connecting with policy advocates across the country through SPN sparked my passion for economic justice and ultimately led me to LEO,” he said. “Through SPN, I’m working to expand opportunities for students interested in real-world public policy work — because knowledge shouldn’t be confined to the classroom. It should be applied and implemented to drive real-world change.”
DC Bridge Builders spotlights members of the Notre Dame community who are fostering collaboration and common purpose in our nation’s capital.
Know someone building bridges in DC? Nominate them here.
Originally published by at washingtonoffice.nd.edu on August 19, 2025.
