Members of the Class of 2026 Awarded Merit Scholarships

Congratulations to the following members of the Class of 2026 who are recipients of Notre Dame's six merit scholarship awards.

The Fitzpatrick Family Merit Scholarship - Simone Pettit

The Fitzpatrick award is based on academic merit and students must have achieved a score of 90 or above on the HSPT or 85 or above on the SSAT. They are also required to submit an essay and interview with a Notre Dame Administrator.

Simone Pettit, who graduated from The Pen Ryn School is the recipient of the $17,750 Fitzpatrick Family Scholarship. Upon receiving the award Simone noted, “Having come from a smaller school, I wasn’t sure what to expect at a bigger school like Notre Dame when I first visited. Throughout the admissions and scholarship process, everyone was so hospitable and welcoming and I knew Notre Dame was the place for me. Thank you to President Jennings and Principal Barlow for selecting me as the Fitzpatrick Family Scholarship recipient and to the Fitzpatrick family for their generosity. I am excited to spend my next four years at Notre Dame!”

Mary Ann Liptak Merit Scholarship - Jenevieve Gopez

The Liptak Scholarship offers half tuition to a student in the incoming freshman class. This is also a merit scholarship and requires high HSPT or SSAT scores as well as an essay and interview. The recipient of the Liptak Scholarship is Jenevieve Gopez who attended St. Augustine of Canterbury School.

Jenevieve stated, “Merit scholarships represent success academically through achievement, utilization of talent, and discipline. For me, this merit scholarship represents the valuable influence of a strong, loving, and supportive family which helped me accomplish past goals and gave me the confidence for future endeavors. Notre Dame has given me the opportunity to continue my academic journey by recognizing my merits and providing me with the best chance to succeed. I’m excited for this new start and a chance to represent Notre Dame.”

The President’s Merit Scholarship - Miah Fitzpatrick

The President’s Merit Scholarship is an award of $5,000 per year for academically qualified 8th grade students who achieve an 85 or above on their HSPT and 80 or above on the SSAT and submit an essay.

The recipient is Miah Fitzpatrick, who graduated from St. Augustine of Canterbury. Miah exclaimed, "Receiving something so prestigious as a scholarship means a lot to a student. It shows how committed a student is in striving for a goal. My goal was to show my dedication to Notre Dame. I wanted to put all my effort into what I believed in. I believe that hard work pays off. Through the twists and turns of applying for high schools, being awarded a scholarship gives me the confidence to continue my hard work."

The Principal’s Merit Scholarships - Caitlin Patrick and William "Wes" Sullivan

The two Principal Merit Scholarships are awards of $2,500 per year for academically qualified 8th-grade students who achieve an 85 or above on their HSPT and 80 above on SSAT and submit an essay. This year’s recipients are Caitlin Patrick who attended St. Ignatius School and William "Wes" Sullivan from William Penn Middle School.

“I was honored to have received a scholarship from Notre Dame. My eighth-grade year was a challenge for me, both academically and socially. The Principal Merit Scholarship gave me the confidence that I needed to realize that I can do anything if I believe in myself and put in the time and hard work,” said Caitlin.

Wes agrees, “The merit scholarship shows the commitment the school has towards academics and overall student character. I sincerely appreciate this opportunity and want to thank the school and its donors for making it possible."

The Daniel C. Tatum Memorial Scholarship - Madison Fajardo

Established in 2021 by family and friends, the Daniel C. Tatum ‘11 Memorial Scholarship is an annual $1,000 award to a Freshman who attended St. Paul School in Princeton, which was also Danny’s alma mater. The recipient, Madison Fajardo, exclaimed, “Winning the Daniel C. Tatum Memorial Scholarship gives me the opportunity to continue my growth in knowledge and Catholic faith at an excellent school. It is also a tremendous financial help to my family and aids me in getting the best education. I am so thankful for the blessings I’ve received and hope that one day I can provide the same assistance to others.”

Front row l to r - President Ken Jennings, William Sullivan, Jenevieve Gopez, Caitlin Patrick, Principal Joanna Barlow
Back row l to r- Simone Pettit, Madison Fajardo, Miah Fitzpatrick