Graduate Student’s Journey Reflects NDMU’s Mission of Learning, Leadership and Service

Returning alumna Yvonne Mutshipayi Champions Trauma-Informed Care

BALTIMORE, Md. — When Yvonne Mutshipayi M’20, D’25, M’28 stood before an audience at the Baltimore Immigration Summit in summer 2026, she wasn’t simply sharing her personal story—she was demonstrating how education, research and community can come together to create meaningful change.

An international graduate student in Notre Dame of Maryland University’s Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) program, Mutshipayi presented on the importance of psychological safety, cultural humility, and community in supporting healing for individuals who have experienced trauma. Drawing from her participation in the Common Threads Project through the Intercultural Counseling Connection in Baltimore, she highlighted how trauma-informed, culturally responsive care can foster hope and resilience within immigrant communities.

For Mutshipayi, the presentation represented another step in a lifelong commitment to serving others—a commitment that has repeatedly brought her back to NDMU.

Already a two-time NDMU alumna, Mutshipayi earned her Master of Nonprofit Management and her doctorate in Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations before returning to pursue her MATESOL degree. She credits the University with providing not only academic preparation but also opportunities to engage with diverse communities and develop as a leader. “Many universities offer an excellent education,” she said. “But an environment where faith is integrated with learning and community is something I found to be unique at Notre Dame.”

For Mutshipayi that sense of community has deep roots. Growing up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutshipayi attended a high school led by nuns connected to the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) that founded NDMU. Only recently did she recognize the connection between her early education and the values she later found at NDMU.

Today, her academic and professional interests intersect at the crossroads of trauma, mental health, education, migration, faith, and culture. Through her graduate studies, she continues to build the knowledge and skills needed to bridge research with practice and create programs that support diverse populations. “My goal is to integrate research, my personal experience, and my engagement and collaboration with the community,” she said. “I want to develop culturally responsive and trauma-informed initiatives both within and outside of schools.”

That mission guided her presentation at the Baltimore Immigration Summit, where she shared not only her own journey of healing but also the broader message that healing becomes possible when communities intentionally create environments rooted in safety, trust and belonging.

As she continues her studies at NDMU, Mutshipayi hopes to expand trauma-informed support for international students and immigrant communities—bringing together scholarship, service and compassion to help others discover hope through healing.

Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best “Regional Universities North” by U.S. News & World Report