Maria Alice Souza Maia ‘29

Maria Alice Souza Maia is a first-year in Notre Dame majoring in Political Science with minors in Business Economics and French & Francophone Studies. Growing up in Brazil, she developed a strong interest in the intersection of democracy, corruption, and gender roles within Latin America. This interest was shaped and deepened through her volunteer work with NGOs in Brazil that support marginalized women and children, where she witnessed firsthand how political structures and corruption disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. These experiences motivated her to pursue an academic path focused on understanding and addressing these systemic challenges. She hopes to use her college education to design and advance public policies that confront the interconnected issues of democratic governance, corruption, and gender inequality. Through her participation in the Kellogg Developing Researchers Program, she aspires to benefit from the program’s rigorous training and mentorship, emerging as a professional equipped to address the complexities of Latin American politics through research-driven and policy-oriented solutions.