William McManus

Preferred name:

Billy

What is your hometown?

Fort Wayne, Indiana

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Notre Dame?

I graduated from Wabash College in 2015, and then I spent two years as a research fellow at the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, MD before coming to Notre Dame.

What obstacles did you overcome to attend Notre Dame?

The support of the select fellowship offered by Notre Dame gave me the opportunity to support my family while pursuing graduate studies.

What do you research?

I study characteristics of the bacterium Mycobacterium avium that allow it to survive in environmental biofilms and infect susceptible people.

Do you live on campus or off?

off campus

What do you like to do in your spare time for fun? What hobbies do you enjoy?

I enjoy spending time with my wife and playing and reading with our three young children. We are active in our parish community in Mishawaka. I also enjoy running, reading, and cooking.

How do you unwind after a long day of work?/How do you practice self-care?

Running and spending time with my family.

After you graduate, what would you like to do?

I am open to different possibilities (especially those that would allow me to stay in northern Indiana), but am especially interested in a teaching-intensive career.

Why did you choose Notre Dame?

I chose Notre Dame because it had excellent academics while also offering the opportunity for me to be a part of Catholic community on campus. My wife and I are from northern Indiana and coming to Notre Dame brought us closer to family and opened up opportunities for us to find community both through Notre Dame and the South Bend/Mishawaka area more broadly.