Are you a current first year student? Then NDBridge may be for you! (Sophomores and Juniors: Check out CSC Summer Fellowships!

NDBridge is a one-credit 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.

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. 

The 2024 application for NDBridge is now closed. For questions, please contact ndbridge@nd.edu.

The Details

Summer Dates: Monday, June 3–Friday, July 26, 2024 (students will arrive by June 2 and leave on July 27)

Course Credit and Times: NDBridge is a 1-credit S/U Spring semester course that will take place on Mondays, 6:00–8:00pm (first class will be February 19, 2024)

Financial Information: All travel, food, and housing expenses are covered. In addition, students receive $2,500. 

Housing: Students live together in pods of four, a model that fosters the support of intentional community. Students live either on site or close enough to walk or take public transportation to their work site (i.e., no cars).

Sites: See the 2024 NDBridge Site Descriptions here (a few more sites will be added).

Testimonials from 2023 NDBridge students:

“This has honestly been the best experience I’ve ever had in my life. Sitting in my living room back at home right now and trying to reflect on everything that happened in the past two months almost feels like a dream—it is definitely surreal. If I had the chance to go back and do it all over again, I would.”

“It was amazing and I could not recommend it more highly. Best experience of my life!”

“Thank you for giving me this incredible and unique opportunity! I know I will never stop talking about it for the rest of my life as it has formed me so much as a person already. I can only hope that I gave more than I took in while at my site.”

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 Center 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, Center 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 S/U 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.

Stay in touch

If you have questions or want to make an appointment to speak with one of the program directors, email ndbridge@nd.edu.

Want to speak to a 2023 NDBridge alumni? Reach out to our NDBridge Alumni Team!

NDBridge and Summer Fellowship participants bring a research question to their summer experience, and submit their findings at the end of their 8 week commitment. Check out this year’s winners, who received up to $5,000 in funding to continue their research over the coming year.

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