Summer at Social Concerns: By the numbers

May 14, 2026

The Institute for Social Concerns is launching a record-breaking cohort of summer programs. These programs remain remarkable in quality and scope. Just this year a team of external reviewers from other universities recognized the institute’s programs as “the ‘gold standard’ for undergraduate formation in Catholic social teaching through community engaged learning.” A one-credit course in the spring semester introduces the ethics of encounter and prepares students for their placements in communities, where they research justice not just as a concept but as a lived reality rooted in a particular place.

Who is involved?

332 Notre Dame students, from incoming first year students to seniors, are participating in one of the institute’s summer programs. Applications for the signature NDBridge and Summer Fellowships programs increased by 62 percent over the previous year.
Participants study 50+ different majors.
118 students will work internationally in 49 countries.

What are they doing?

30,088 hours of community-engaged work will be performed by students in the NDBridge, Summer Fellowships, and RISE hometown programs at 150 partner sites.
1,948 student assignments totaling more than 2,500 pages will be submitted and read.
Institute staff will connect via 1,590 telephone conversations with students and site partners for mentoring and assessing any risks or concerns. Ninety percent of the calls are with students; 10 percent are with site partners.
95 faculty mentors will offer 1,280 faculty advising sessions with students.
228 student research questions are approved and under consideration.

What comes next?

256 final deliverables or presentations will be received.
10 Research for the Common Good finalists will be selected at the end of the summer.
6 research awards will be presented in the fall to continue research the following year.