Candice Thompson ’03 decided early in life to dedicate her life to service.

Candice Thompson stands on the right with her husband on the left and their young son and daughter She joined the U.S. Army in her senior year of high school. Because she lost her stepfather to lung cancer when she was only 9 years old, she decided to study biology. Notre Dame prepared her to make a difference in the world.

“I knew that I needed to help people and what influences our health,” she said. “At Notre Dame, I learned how to turn that initial passion into continuing education and work options.”

She thrived in Notre Dame’s community environment, living on campus for her four years and being a resident assistant for the last two years. It was where she met her best friend who was her freshman year roommate.

“It gave me a sense of understanding of what community can actually mean. I did not realize how impactful it was until looking back,” she said.

She is grateful for the opportunity to have that experience, which was made possible, in part, by generous financial assistance.

After graduation, Candice’s passion for service led her to re-enlist in the Army and become a commissioned officer. Most recently, she has served as a commander of a medical unit that was one of the first in Maryland to support communities with COVID-19 testing in March 2020.

Enjoying successful military and civilian careers has positioned Candice to give back to the next generation of Notre Dame students who have a passion to use their gifts to impact the world.

“I felt like it was important that when I was in a position to help that I continue to help fill the pot of money up, so that the next person could make it through as well,” she said.

WHY I GIVE: I’ve always tried to give back. It’s my way of helping the next person.