Jump Start Your College Experience
The RISE program invites incoming Notre Dame students to explore the theory and praxis of justice through the lens of Catholic Social Tradition, emphasizing the ethics of encounter and the inherent dignity of every human person. By engaging deeply with either South Bend or their local communities, participants develop a meaningful understanding of whatever community they are in as a landscape for justice and justice oriented friendships.
Guided by Notre Dame faculty and Institute for Social Concerns staff, RISE asks students to consider essential questions that will frame their college journey: Who am I? How do I want to live? What are others going through, and what responsibilities do I have towards others?
“This program is truly transformative and offers the opportunity to grow as an individual and as a leader who faces injustice with new and deeper perspectives.”
– Stella Abarca ’29
RISE Hometown
RISE Hometown offers incoming students the chance to examine issues of justice in their hometowns. RISE Hometown 2026 will run from June 29 through July 31 and selected students will receive $1,500 upon completion of the program.
During RISE Hometown, students will:
- Create a partnership with a justice-oriented organization in their hometown
- Complete 100 hours of in-person service with this organization between June 29-July 31
- Complete weekly readings, reflections, and virtual programming sessions with Notre Dame faculty and fellow RISE Hometown students
Please review the full program overview, which includes guidance on how to identify an organization, which is required for the application.
Application: The RISE Hometown application is open Friday, May 1, 2026 and closes on Monday, June 15, 2026.
Email Ed Jurkovic at ejurkovi@nd.edu with any questions.
Want to speak with past participants? Reach out to our 2025 RISE Hometown Alumni All Star Team!
“After engaging with the readings, I’m beginning to understand justice not just as a lofty ideal, but as something deeply personal and rooted in relationships.”
– Ellie Heckeman ’29, RISE Hometown 2025
RISE South Bend
RISE South Bend invites a cohort of students to Notre Dame a week before classes start to build community and explore the structures of justice and injustice in their new home, South Bend.
Participants arrive on campus on Friday, August 14, to begin a fully funded, one-week immersive experience. During RISE South Bend, students will:
- Experience the culture, history, food, and art that make South Bend a wonderful place to live
- Work with community organizations and local leaders devoted to justice
- Learn about issues related to housing, food insecurity, environmental justice, immigration, mass incarceration, and more
- Meet with Notre Dame faculty to hear how their research connects with the South Bend community
- Present on their experience at the end of the week
Parents are invited for a closing celebration on Thursday, August 20. Students can then move into their halls to begin orientation with other first-year students. All expenses for the week, including food, housing, and transportation, are covered. Students are responsible for travel to Notre Dame.
Application: The RISE South Bend application is open Friday, May 1, 2026 and closes on Monday, June 15, 2026.
Email Felicia Johnson O’Brien at f.obrien@nd.edu with any questions.
Want to speak to past participants? Email Grace Lynch at glynch2@nd.edu or Ethan Chiang at echiang@nd.edu
“RISE South Bend was an awakening for me. I discovered something profound: Every person, regardless of background, plays a role in building solutions for our communities.”
– Martin Mzeche ’29, RISE South Bend 2025