Julia Spear ‘25 on Joining ESTEEM After Completing a PhD, How a Technical Background Has Supported Her Capstone Work, and What She Loves About South Bend
Julia Spear came to the ESTEEM Class of 2025 after six years at Notre Dame, during which she completed a PhD in Biomedical Sciences. She was drawn to ESTEEM after realizing the program could help her leverage her technical background for work outside of academia.
During her time in ESTEEM, she has partnered with her capstone sponsor, Amicus Therapeutics, to identify a potential market space in the area of gene therapy. Her technical background has been a huge asset, and the business skills she has learned from her classes have rounded out her efforts. As she has worked on her project, she shares about how impactful it’s been in showing her the many different applications for the technical knowledge she gained in her PhD program: “[ESTEEM] really helps you open doors to future possibilities and future networks, and your opportunities have no end.”
Julia has also grown to love the South Bend community in her time here. “Coming in for grad school, you kind of get this well-rounded view of the city […] South Bend has so much to offer.” ESTEEM offered an opportunity to stay at Notre Dame for an additional year while gaining invaluable experience that will carry her through into the next step on her journey.
About the ESTEEM Graduate Program:
Over the course of this 11-month Master of Science degree (in Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship) program at the University of Notre Dame, students from technical backgrounds are equipped with the skills and experience to launch new businesses, become innovators within large corporations, and be leaders of dynamic, innovative teams. Students are immersed in an entrepreneurial sandbox, where they get their hands dirty with entrepreneurship and innovation through a cutting-edge curriculum, a capstone commercialization project for an emerging technology, and outstanding out-of-the-classroom experiences.
To learn more about the ESTEEM Graduate Program or to apply please go to our website.
Originally published by at esteem.nd.edu on April 01, 2025.
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