Pacifica Stories

Mary Kaczor, Pacifica Class of 2023, is in her second year of studying Architecture at the University of Notre Dame. As she flourishes in the Midwest, Mary has also taken time to reflect on her Pacifica journey and acknowledge how it has impacted her experience in college. 

At Pacifica, Mary participated in many areas of student life, including athletics and the arts. She was a strong member of the cross country and track teams, and was captain of the track team as a junior and senior. These passions for competitive sports and exercise have grown since matriculating to Notre Dame; Mary continues to run as a form of exercise and is involved with athletic clubs on campus such as inter-hall flag football, pickleball club, and architecture rock climbing club. Her Seawolf sports teams are where her fondest high school memories reside, specifically on athletics travel trips. Mary recalls her freshman year trip to Big Bear with the cross country team:

“At the time, classes had not started and it was still summertime before my freshman year, during the preseason. I did not know anyone besides my older brother, and had met the team only a couple times before at summer practices. I was really nervous, but the way I was treated by the upperclassmen was so kind and welcoming that I had the best time of my life. Those same girls ‘adopted me’ and actually became my closest friends at Pacifica for my freshman year, even though they were 2-3 years older than me. Side note: the trip was also great because we had an amazing coach. Coach Shaw, who puts his heart and soul into the cross country team, helped make the trip memorable for all of us.”

Mary also explored theater while at Pacifica. She was a cast member in our PACARTS production of ‘Hairspray’ as a freshman, and continued to be involved backstage in following productions, eventually becoming a stage manager. Perhaps most pivotally, Mary was active in the visual arts program at Pacifica.

“Doing the Winter Art Showcases, and being very close to Ms. Liberty, I was able to grow my passion for art which has led me to where I am today– an Architecture major at Notre Dame,” said Mary. “Ms. Springer/Anderson also significantly helped blossom my passion for art by recommending to me that I take an advanced art class at Otis College.”

Her favorite class at Notre Dame so far has been Design 2. In this class, she learned about perspective and got to design her first building, which she found especially exciting as a potential future architect.

Inside and outside the classroom, Mary has felt well-prepared for the academic and social challenges that come with college. She says that in the academic scene, Pacifica is very rigorous and demands a lot from its students which helped prepare her for a prestigious learning environment. She primarily commends the teachers at Pacifica for being the cornerstones in preparation for college. Mary acknowledges that her teachers in high school had high expectations, but more so remembers their consistent kindness and willingness to help their students succeed. 

This dynamic was embodied in Mary’s favorite Pacifica class: AP Euro taught by Mr. Comer. She said that Mr. Comer was “able to create a competitive learning environment that both pushed the students to want to work harder while also keeping a respectful and fun environment.” Although she looks back on this class as one of her most difficult high school courses, it was also the most rewarding. Mary says that this combination of a patient and supportive learning environment paired with high-level coursework “made the work both more enjoyable and more doable” which is what helped her succeed academically at Pacifica and earn the GPA she needed to apply to the colleges she wanted to attend. Mary also says that Pacifica lended her opportunities she never would have had at a larger school, which allowed her to grow more as a person.

“At a bigger school, I may never have been the captain of two teams. Not only did this ‘look good on my resume’ but it actually taught me great leadership skills and helped me learn how to be a sensitive but direct communicator,” said Mary. “This translates both in the classroom and in social situations. I can help teach a classmate when they are struggling, and I can communicate effectively with my professors.”

In life post high school, Mary is enjoying being able to manage her own time, choosing her own classes that are geared towards her passions, being responsible for herself, and making decisions that shape her future. She continues to grow her Catholic faith at Notre Dame, which was maintained and strengthened in her time at Pacifica. As she reflects on the journey that has brought her to Notre Dame, Mary’s advice to her younger self is to enjoy every moment.

“There is no rush to college,” she said. “High school is about learning about yourself, who you want to be, who you want to surround yourself with, etc. There is no rush to be grown up!”

Mary looks ahead to graduating with a degree in Architecture after completing her five-year program. She is considering a minor in real estate, a concentration in furniture design, or a minor in philosophy. We are so proud of who she is and who she is becoming. Mary has demonstrated an incredible pursuit of thinking and living well, and we will continue to cheer her on as she builds a full life of flourishing.