When I reflect on my time at Notre Dame, the Science, Technology, and Values (STV) minor stands out as one of the most formative parts of my experience. It has not just changed how I think. It has changed how I lead, how I build, and how I live.
As a co-founder of Routora, a startup focused on route optimization, I often work on technical
problems. STV reminds me to ask deeper questions.
“Who is this helping? Why are we building it? What values are driving our choices?”
The idea of "choosing hard," which inspired the panel event I helped organize, is something I first encountered through faith. Father Nate Wills once preached that the more difficult paths often offer the most virtue. I felt this firsthand when launching Routora during a challenging time in my life, and it's a theme we brought to the forefront of our panel discussion at the IDEA Center.
STV gave me the framework to articulate why this mattered not only personally, but societally.
At the event, Chris Murphy, CEO of First Source Bank, shared a line that stayed with me:
“Most success is measured by the things you have—the house, the car, the toys. But when you die, all those are gone. What you want is significance. The way you get significance is through the people you touch, the lives you affect, and the goodness you've done that is left behind when you're gone.”
That line struck a chord because it echoed everything we talked about in STV. The long-term ethical implications of our work matter. That doing something impactful and meaningful should outweigh any material gain.
It’s also an idea I revisit every Friday in my direct readings course with Professor Anna Geltzer. Her mentorship has taught me to zoom out and view my entrepreneurial path not only through a lens of execution but also one of purpose.
Professor Gamez's course, Science, Technology, and Society, helped me step back and understand how science and technology are shaped by human choices. These fields are not just driven by raw data or invention. We explored questions about objectivity, risk, and power that challenged me to think beyond business outcomes. The course gave me tools to see how even the technologies we take for granted are built on values.
One of the most moving parts of the panel came from Alessandro DiSanto. He spoke about a line from the Lord’s Prayer.
“Give us this day our daily bread,” Alessandro DiSanto reflected during the event. “Not tomorrow’s bread, not yesterday’s worries. Just today’s portion.”
That moment beautifully captured what STV teaches. Act with purpose today. Care for the future. Do the work that matters.
Faith was a steady theme throughout the panel. Luke and I both come from Christian backgrounds, and our faith has helped guide us through difficult times. When Luke faced a serious autoimmune disease and had to take some time off school, his belief that there was purpose in the struggle helped him keep going. For me, faith has shaped how I view my own journey. I came to the United States as an immigrant and spent years in ESL and speech therapy learning how to speak English. Those early challenges taught me to see adversity as preparation rather than a setback.
Chris Murphy shared that prayer has shaped many of his biggest decisions. He spoke about asking for guidance and
learning to let go of what is outside your control. Tracy Graham reflected on how prayer gave him clarity and strength throughout his career. Alessandro DiSanto shared how learning to pray helped him discover his calling and commit fully to it. Each story made it clear that faith is not separate from the entrepreneurial path. It gives it depth and direction.
The STV minor didn’t just prepare me to be a better entrepreneur. It has prepared me to be a
more reflective, responsible, and grounded human being. For that, I am profoundly grateful.