Student Profiles
Michael Rossmann
Theology and Economics
Class of 2007
Iowa City, IA
"This year, I will be writing my senior thesis in theology looking at the role for expatriates, particularly Westerners, in the contemporary East African Catholic Church. This past summer, I received grants from the Honors Program, Kellogg Institute, and UROP to conduct interviews in Uganda and Tanzania with an array of Christian leaders on questions related to my thesis.
"I first went to Africa during my sophomore year. I chose to take a leave of absence from Notre Dame to participate in a development studies program in Uganda organized by the School for International Training. Though many of the Notre Dame study programs seemed great, there wasn’t one that seemed to fit me completely. Wherever I studied, I knew that I wanted to have as much of a cultural experience as possible, and this program allowed me to live with a local Ugandan family. As an economics major passionate about economic development with a particular interest in East Africa, everything just seemed to fit. Studying abroad was an incredible experience, and I loved it so much that I went back to East Africa during the summer after my junior year.
"During this academic year, I will explore many of the issues and perspectives brought up in my summer interviews and I plan to write an extensive thesis. As nerdy as it sounds, I’m really excited about it. I have been well-prepared for such an endeavor after serving as a research assistant for Rev. Paul Kollman, C.S.C., through a program called the International Scholars Program, which is organized by the Kellogg Institute.
"Fr. Kollman has become a significant academic and life mentor for me. I have performed research tasks for him, taken two classes with him on Christianity in Africa and missiology, and am preparing to work with him throughout the year on my thesis. He’s someone always willing to talk to me about any facet of my life. When I discuss the relationships I have with Fr. Kollman and other professors with adults who have graduated from other universities, they are often surprised by the availability and concern many Notre Dame professors have for undergraduate students."
