Catholic University was a family matter for senior politics and criminology double major Molly Maxwell. In 2018, she drove with her older brother, Patrick, from their home in Millford, New Jersey, to Washington, D.C., as the Maxwell family helped move him in for his first year. Over the course of the next few years, she would frequently take the trip down to visit him and cheer him on during his track and field meets at Cardinal Stadium. It was during this time that it became clear that she was also destined to be a Cardinal.
“I just fell in love with the beauty and spirituality,” she admits with a smile as she remembers that time so many years ago. Now, she is only a few short months away from graduating.
Not only did Molly follow in her brother’s footsteps by attending Catholic University, but they were both track and field stars. Molly participated in discus throwing events, consistently setting personal bests year-after-year. Over time, her teammates began to feel like an extension of her family. “It’s like this big community where we all help and support each other,” she says. During her junior year, the Women’s Track and Field team was crowned Landmark Conference champions — a first in Catholic University history.
Molly recalls the rush of achieving this historic victory and the emotional response on the green fields of Elizabethtown College. “It was a very big moment for our entire team. We were all crying and hugging each other.”
Molly attributes her success to the support from her professors and coaches, who are both “super great” at letting her find balance between academics and athletics. The balance is able to be achieved, she reflects, because of a smaller ratio of professors to students across the University.
In addition to working alongside Molly so she can be the best student-athlete, her professors have helped line up opportunities for after she graduates this May. Molly is dreaming of attending law school, and her personal relationship with professors has helped the letter of recommendation process go much smoother.
“I’m a name, not a number here,” she says. “And I think it’s really helped me grow spiritually, academically, and personally.”
Another important element of attending Catholic University for Molly was an environment that allowed her to connect with her faith on a deeper level.
“Catholic University has really helped me grow in my faith,” Molly says. She notes that having the ability to attend chapel on any day of the week has fortified her connection with the Church.
As she prepares to graduate from Catholic University and go out into the world, Molly’s advice to any underclassmen is to connect with the community of Cardinals. “Whether you’re a business major, a chemistry major, or a criminology major, we’re all here together and we join as a community in church, a service project, or on the field.”
