University of Notre Dame junior Veronica Bofah, of Charlotte, North Carolina, is among 20 recipients of a 2026 Key into Public Service Scholarship from Phi Beta Kappa. Bofah is Notre Dame鈥檚 sixth Key into Public Service Scholar since the program was established in 2020.
The Key into Public Service Scholarship highlights the wide range of opportunities for arts, humanities, natural and social science and mathematics majors to pursue careers in the public sector.
A global affairs and Spanish double major with a minor in civil and human rights, Bofah worked closely with Notre Dame鈥檚 (CUSE) in applying for the award.
鈥淚 want to congratulate Veronica on being named a 2026 Key into Public Service Scholar,鈥� Mathilda Nassar, assistant director for national fellowships at CUSE. 鈥淗er excellent work ethic and deep commitment to justice is inspiring. I am excited to watch her growth as she pursues a career in civil rights law advocating for underserved and misrepresented communities.鈥�
Bofah is a with the . She is a member of the , the , the and Shades of Ebony. She is the DEI commissioner for Ryan Hall and a lifeguard for .
Through , she conducted research on the relationship between AI and human rights in post-dictatorship Chile as part of the Nuestra MemorIA project at Pontifica Universidad Cat贸lica de Chile. She also volunteered at a community center in Santiago.
Closer to campus, Bofah worked with the South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission to research the history of housing discrimination in South Bend, helping to shape the commission鈥檚 recommendations to the city for addressing historical injustices in housing.
Currently, she is a policy and legislation fellow with the League of United Latin American Citizens in Washington, D.C., with the long-term goal of attending law school and pursuing a career as a civil rights attorney.
鈥淚 am deeply honored to be named a Phi Beta Kappa Society Key into Public Service Scholar,鈥� Bofah said. 鈥淭o me, this award represents my efforts to connect my academic foundations and my passions to build more resilient, equitable communities. I am incredibly thankful for the guidance of Notre Dame鈥檚 CUSE office, whose mentorship helped me reflect on how my journey here has prepared me for this next chapter. I look forward to utilizing the society鈥檚 expertise to advocate for change and serve as a catalyst for progress in the public sector.鈥�
For more on this and other scholarship opportunities, visit .