From Shy to Confident: How Notre Dame Empowers Students to Grow

Blue skies, budding trees and the buzz of Open Day set the scene as Rob chats with two students—both coincidentally named Maddy—who are thriving at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney.Madi, a Bachelor of Arts student diving deep into philosophy and history, reveals how a teenage curiosity about “jobs for antisocial people” led her to archiving and, eventually, a love of big questions and academic life. Madison, a second-year nursing student, shares how Notre Dame’s supportive culture and practical pathways drew her in—and why the degree gives her options far beyond the hospital ward.Together they talk about finding confidence, building community through the Student Association and Sonder, and the unexpected ways university can transform you. From late-teen nerves to a sense of purpose, their stories highlight Notre Dame’s unique, student-centred approach: a place where learning isn’t just about a degree, but about discovering who you are and what you can become.This podcast is brought to you by ⁠⁠Choosing Your Uni⁠⁠ - our mission is to make choosing a subject area, and an institution, fun, easy and stress-free. Our AI-powered platform unearths fields of study and institutions that match your interests and goals, with detailed information helping you to dig into career options, day-in-the-life scenarios, Open Days, extracurricular options, support services and much much more. No more endless Google searches, ⁠⁠Choosing Your Uni⁠⁠ is your one-stop-shop for navigating the journey to university. Since 2017, our independent, unbiased content has been viewed millions of times on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, and we've supported tens of thousands of students to make the right decision on which degree, and institution, is best suited to them. You can contact us via email at ⁠⁠[email protected].