Beyond Notre Dame

Continue Your Journey for Justice

Just because you are completing your degree at Notre Dame doesn’t mean your journey to justice has concluded. In many ways, it is just beginning, and the Institute for Social Concerns is here to help you navigate your next steps on your journey. Read below for ways we can assist you on your journey to justice beyond Notre Dame.

Postgraduate Opportunities

One-year postgraduate justice-oriented programs and fellowships can be a great way to explore an interest, pursue a passion, and develop skills and knowledge while making a difference in the lives of others with communities in need. Notre Dame graduates do postgraduate placements for many reasons, but here’s what they tell us most often: They want to make a difference—change a life, change the world. They want to make their faith more active. They want to discern genuine interests before going to graduate school or pursuing a career. They want to develop knowledge and skills while building a resumé. If this sounds like you, we invite you to consider Postgraduate Opportunities.

Postgraduate programs and fellowships are a way to discern your vocation and find moral purpose by working for a year with a nonprofit organization that has more demand for services than funding for staff. Members usually receive a stipend and benefits in exchange for work with individuals and communities in need. Faith-based programs typically are based on four values: justice, spirituality, simple living, and community. Some programs add a fifth value: professional development. Although all programs will result in personal and professional development, some seek to actively, and intentionally, promote this for participants.

“I knew I wanted to spend a year doing service, and when looking at various programs my senior year, Amate House seemed to be the best fit. I wanted an organization that was very justice-oriented, and I loved the idea of living in Chicago. Interviewing with their various site placements sealed the deal, as they all were equally passionate about creating social change.”

– Caroline Burton ’22

Postbaccalaureate Fellowship

The Postbaccalaureate Fellowship at the Institute for Social Concerns is an 11-month fellowship that gives recent Notre Dame graduates the opportunity to do research in the service of justice in South Bend. Each year the institute seeks candidates who have interest in—and ideally experience with—one of the institute’s research areas. Guided by a faculty advisor, fellows work with local partners to conduct supervised research, develop evidence-based programming, and produce a substantive final research project or paper. The fellowship also includes weekly reflection on vocation rooted in the common good, practical wisdom, and a discernment process that results in a strong next step beyond the fellowship, launching the fellow into a variety of professional and academic fields.

Learn more about our current postbaccalaureate fellows.

To learn more about becoming a postbaccalaureate fellow, contact Suzanne Shanahan at sshanah2@nd.edu.

Recruiting Opportunities

Looking for more direction as you consider postgraduate opportunities? There are a number of opportunities for recruiting.

  • Social Impact Fair. Hosted by the institute each fall and spring in collaboration with the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development, the Social Impact Fair connects students with representatives from organizations around the world. Join us for the 2025 Social Impact Fair on Wednesday, September 17, 5–8pm, on the 7th floor of the Duncan Center as part of the All-College Career Fair.
  • Future Careers in Service Networking Breakfast. Dozens of different non-profit organizations will be present to share about their postgrad programs and opportunities. Join us on Thursday, September 18, 8:30-10am, in 210 Duncan Student Center.
  • Fall Career Expo and Winter Career Fair. Meruelo Family Center for Career Development (CCD) hosts a Fall Career Expo and a Winter Career Fair. These events can be particularly good venues for larger organizations with a lot of name recognition. Registration for nonprofit organizations is $150 (discounts are available). Students from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s, and Holy Cross are invited to attend. Please visit the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development website for the most up-to-date information.
  • CCD database. The CCD also operates a central database of job, internship, and service opportunities for Notre Dame students. We highly recommend registering for this free central service for the broadest possible outreach to Notre Dame students. Contact a member of the CCD employer engagement team or see the CCD website for more information.

“I decided to work at a nonprofit after graduation in large part due to my experiences at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless during a summer program. I am currently applying to medical school, and I wanted a full year to explore what a service role would look like. I hope that in this next year I can gain perspective on the attributes of a future career that are most important to me.”

– Nate Cieplik ’23

Senior Send-Off Ceremony

All students who have participated in and been formed by courses at the Institute for Social Concerns are invited to attend the Senior Send-Off Ceremony, a ceremony that celebrates a commitment to the common good. Cords are given to students completing the Catholic Social Tradition Minor and Poverty Studies Interdisciplinary Minor. Following the ceremony, family and friends are invited to attend an evening of celebration, food, and drinks. If you are a graduating senior who has participated in any of our programs, we invite you and your family to join us!

Schedule an Appointment

If you are looking for someone to help process your thoughts, feelings, concerns, or questions about postgraduate opportunities, the institute is here to help with your discernment process. We also assists organizations with outreach. If you’d like to arrange a virtual information session or have announcements distributed to seniors, please contact Felicia Johnson O’Brien at f.obrien@nd.edu or schedule an appointment at the calendar below.