NDBridge is a one-credit graded course and an eight-week immersive summer experience where students think hard about injustice, work with communities around the world that face it, and consider their responsibility to the common good while at Notre Dame and beyond. If you’re a sophomore or junior please check out Social Concerns Summer Fellowships.

Students selected for the program take a one-credit course in the spring semester of their first year which focuses on understanding the challenges marginalized communities face and provides a framework for encountering people in those communities. The course, in addition to orientation sessions, develops an awareness of what justice looks like, examines how systemic injustice is created and perpetuated, and asks students to consider their responsibility to promote justice and the common good. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I have to pay for travel from my $2,500? No, all travel, housing, and food will be paid for. You will also receive $2,500.

Will I get my first choice of site? It depends on interest in the site and attributes that would benefit the site and you. The best approach is to stay open to other possibilities if the first preference doesn’t work out or if our staff recommends another site.

Do I need to create a resume if I don’t have one? No. The application provides space to spell out your interests, skills, and experience, which are the qualifications we are looking at.

What about safety? The University of Notre Dame and the Institute for Social Concerns are committed to student safety. Each organization has safety guidelines in place, and students will receive a rigorous orientation about their site, city, country, living arrangements, etc. There will also be a faculty member assigned to each pod of students who will check in on a regular basis. In addition, Institute for Social Concerns staff can be contacted 24/7 throughout the summer experience.

What will I do at my site? Each site has a specific description linked to it. Site descriptions may change as roles develop and needs at the site change.

What will the class be like? The NDBridge one-credit graded class will prepare students for an immersive summer commitment to marginalized communities. It will also teach students how to encounter others in ways that celebrate human dignity and respectfully pursue the common good in their local community or across the world. Self awareness, cultural humility, solidarity, and systems of injustice will be examined. Students will also receive site and category specific training.

What if I change my mind about my site preferences? You can change your mind about site preferences during the interview process and will be given opportunities to confirm your site preferences later in the selection process.