After D.C., She Looks Forward to New Independence Hall Home

She turned down Notre Dame for Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and now Mariana Timler is looking forward to the July 4 opening of Independence Hall library on campus.

A rising senior in Politics and Government, as well as Economics, Timler has been reaping the benefits of the Constitutional Fellows program with internships at Washington, D.C.

“Last summer I interned with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America (shown), and this summer I’ll be with the Beckett Fund for Religious Liberty in Washington, D.C.” she said. “Those experiences have confirmed my desire to pursue law and continue working in constitutional law, religious liberty, and public policy.”

She describes how she was actually all set to start at Notre Dame University in South Bend, when she changed her plans.

“One of the main reasons I chose Benedictine was its Catholic culture. I was actually enrolled at Notre Dame before deciding to come here because I wanted a place where the faith was fully lived,” Mariana Timler said.

“In high school, attending a Protestant school really forced me to claim my faith as my own through conversations, debates, and studying thinkers like Aquinas. By senior year, I knew I wanted a college where going to daily Mass or Adoration was normal and where friends encouraged one another toward holiness. Benedictine has absolutely been that place for me.”

The Constitutional Fellows, part of the Center for Constitutional Liberty, attracted her to Atchison. The program will be housed in the new Independence Hall Library building on campus after its Grand Opening July 4.

“I grew up in Wichita in a strong Catholic family as the oldest of five children, and I’ve always been interested in constitutional law and the ways legal systems shape families and society,” she said. “Coming to Benedictine really deepened that interest through the Constitutional Fellows program, Moot Court, and professors like Dr. Vance, who has been incredibly formative for me both intellectually and personally.”

She has embraced the entire Benedictine College mission of community, faith and scholarship, she said.

“The community here is unlike anything I’ve experienced. Everyone knows each other, but more importantly, everyone is genuinely friendly and pushes one another academically, spiritually, and personally,” she said.

As for faith, “Looking back at who I was as a freshman compared to now, I can genuinely see growth in maturity, faith, and purpose. Benedictine has given me an environment where I’ve been able to live my vocation now rather than waiting for life to begin after college”

But of course, scholarship is the key virtue of the college’s mission. Timler appreciates the academics at Benedictine College above all.

“Moot Court has probably had the biggest impact on me academically. Competing nationally alongside schools like Yale and Georgetown gave me a deep appreciation for constitutional interpretation and the role the Supreme Court plays in preserving our constitutional order,” she said.

By Editorial Staff