Mia Patlan

Mia Patlan is a double Political Science and American Studies major on the pre-law track in the College of Arts & Letters, with minors in Latino Studies and Public Service. She is an AnBryce Scholar and QuestBridge Match Scholar. Upon graduating from Notre Dame, Mia plans to attend Law School and pursue a law degree in either immigration or corporate law. She hopes to become a lawyer and represent and advocate for those who are underrepresented, specifically immigrants and those in the foster care system. Mia was inspired by her immigrant grandparents, as they instilled in her the importance of giving back and helping others.

During her first year, Mia joined the Latinx Student Alliance and Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy. She also became a certified UnDocuAlly Trainer. This past summer, she worked at Parroquia Nuestra Madre Santisima de la Luz in Monterrey Mexico as part of the ND Bridgesummer service program. Sophomore year, she was the Policy Expert in Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy (SCIA) and joined the Student Policy Network (SPN). Over Fall Break, she traveled to the border to work with the Humane Respite Center. She volunteered with One More Citizen in South Bend and was part of the Latino Adolescents, Siblings and Families (LASF) Lab on campus. She worked with Notre Dame Law School and the National Immigrant Justice Center to provide translation services. Over the summer, she interned with MALDEF in Los Angeles, CA. Junior year, she will study in Washington, DC, and will be the Co-Director of UnDocuAlly.

Mia attended high school in Mabank, Texas, and was very involved in both her school and local community. She was involved in several different clubs, including Beta National Club, National Honor Society, Student Council, Interact Club, and Leadership. It was from these clubs that she was inspired to start a tutoring program at the local library with a fellow classmate, which strived to help students who experienced learning setbacks due to the pandemic.

Ultimately, Mia is endlessly grateful for the opportunities Notre Dame and AnBryce have given her and is excited for the next four years.

Awards

• Dean's List (Spring 2024)
• Questbridge Scholar
• Hispanic Scholar Foundation (HSF) Award

Study Abroad

• Washington, DC (Fall 2025)

Activities

• Humane Respite Center Volunteer
• Youth Group Leader, St Adalbert's
• Latino Adolescents, Siblings, and Families (LASF) Lab
• Student Policy Network
• One More Citizen Volunteer
• City ID Day, La Casa de Amistad
• Latinx Student Association (LSA)
• Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy (SCIA)
• UnDocuAlly Trainer

Summer Experiences

• Intern, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) in Los Angeles, CA
• Parroquia Nuestra Madre Santisima de la Luz, ND Bridge, Monterrey, Mexico