Notre Dame-Bound McFarlane Fosters Mechanical Engineering Interest at CBA

As he navigated through his middle school years, senior Julian McFarlane had two voices in his ear telling him why he should attend Christian Brothers Academy.

Brothers Miles ‘23 and Tristan ‘24 would regularly come home and tell their youngest sibling about their days at the Academy. 

“Obviously, I got a lot [of advice] from my brothers,” he says. “They were telling me a lot about how it is a good academic school and it was going to challenge me.”

As a freshman, McFarlane was lucky enough to spend his rookie year at CBA with both of his brothers, taking advantage of their drive together from Brick Township to receive advice on how to navigate his new home.

The St. Dominic School alumnus quickly forged his own path, pinpointing his academic strengths and finding the extracurricular activities that he enjoyed. 

“A main turning point in my academic career was when I took physics as a junior with Mr. [Dashkavich],” he says. “It is still one of my favorite classes I have ever taken, but it pushed me to limits I have never seen before.”

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His interest in physics piqued so much during junior year that he enrolled in AP Physics C: Mechanics with Mr. Dashkavich as a senior. Combining that with Mrs. Heidelberger’s Engineering Capstone, McFarlane knew he was developing a potential career path.

“I think it first started with legos when I was younger. I liked putting together a bunch of legos to see something whole come together,” he recalls. “With mechanical engineering, I am hoping that I can put things together that are greater than the sum of their parts.”

He plans to pursue his interest in mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame next fall, a school that he felt would allow him to continue to flourish as a student and a young man. Along with its strong academic reputation, McFarlane saw similarities to CBA through the service program at Notre Dame.

“I decided on Notre Dame because of its heavy basis of service and how I can serve others outside my immediate area,” he says.

McFarlane points to his experience on a CBA service immersion trip to the De La Salle Blackfeet School as a major high school highlight.

“I loved going to Montana during the beginning of my junior year,” he says. “I loved helping out in the school, going to explore and sightsee, and seeing something new for a change.”

His dedication to academic excellence has earned him a spot in the National Commended Scholars Program, National Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society.

Meanwhile, McFarlane has participated in clubs such as Student Council, Yearbook, Science Team, and SADD, while also serving as a Liturgical Minister.

Just like his brothers, he grew into a key member of the indoor and outdoor track teams, where he is a mutual record holder in the indoor 4x200 Relay and outdoor Swedish Medley Relay.

With a well-rounded resume, McFarlane can be often found at admissions events, speaking to prospective students and their families. As a senior with plenty of perspective now, he regularly emphasizes hard work in the classroom paired with heavy involvement in extracurricular activities.

“You might come in with a little trepidation, but getting involved early and learning how to have a good work-life balance is super essential,” he says. “You will find something you enjoy here, and even if you don’t, you could start something up. You will find a way to have an extracurricular at CBA that you enjoy, so go out and do it.”