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  3. Belonging and Engagement

Belonging and Engagement

Students travel from around the country and the world, seeking the academic excellence for which Notre Dame is known. What they find is a place where they can learn about other cultures, beliefs, and perspectives. They find a place where they can engage with peers, be supported by mentors, and conduct research with some of the foremost scholars in the world. Students are welcomed into a community where they can come together in large group activities, or find the friends and space to call their own. 

Please select from one of the following:

Gender Relations Center

Housed in the Sister Thea Bowman Center, the Gender Relations Center (GRC) designs and implements educational and social programs that explore gender, intersectional identities, and healthy relationships. Guided by radical hospitality and belonging, the GRC creates beloved spaces where authentic connections flourish.

All students on campus are invited to engage at various levels, including attending events, joining our peer education Firestarter program, and connecting with staff members for resources and pastoral conversation.

Office of Student Enrichment

The Office of Student Enrichment (OSE) provides a welcoming and inclusive environment to ensure all students have the opportunity to flourish at Notre Dame. Offering programming and resources to first-generation and/or limited-income (FGLI) members of the Notre Dame community, the OSE fosters a sense of shared learning, community, and opportunities for personal growth. The OSE also creates additional settings for students, faculty, and staff to have conversations about the unique circumstances these students face so the entire campus community can thrive and become the people God dreams for us to be.

In particular, funding opportunities are available for eligible undergraduates with demonstrated financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. The OSE’s financial assistance and resources enable students to maximize their Notre Dame experience by providing football tickets, winter clothing, emergency medical assistance, transportation for loved ones to attend graduation, and much more.

The OSE also offers students programming addressing social, financial, and professional development needs. The OSE aims to expand students’ knowledge in topics such as financial literacy, mental wellness, navigating college, and post-graduate opportunities.

Website: studentenrichment.nd.edu

Email: enrich@nd.edu

Staff Directory: https://studentenrichment.nd.edu/contact-us/

Informational Video

Administrative Office: 221 LaFortune Student Center

Phone: 574-631-8639

Multicultural Student Programs and Services

Multicultural Student Programs and Services (MSPS) nurtures a sense of belonging, student success, and servant leadership for Notre Dame students through growing relations rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. MSPS is located in the Sister Thea Bowman Center on the second floor of the LaFortune Student Center.

MSPS is located in the Sister Thea Bowman Center on the second floor of the LaFortune Student Center.

Resources for LGBTQ Students and Allies

The University is committed to fostering an environment of welcome and mutual respect for students who identify as LGBTQ that is grounded in its Catholic mission.

The University has set forth a pastoral plan, Beloved Friends and Allies, to support the holistic development and formation of students who identify as LGBTQ, as well as all students on our campus. It reflects The Spirit of Inclusion at Notre Dame which states that the University deplores any offenses against the inviolable dignity of every person as the beloved of God. The University calls for an abiding spirit of inclusion within the Notre Dame community. Notre Dame calls all students to be friends and allies of one another. 

The Division of Student Affairs envisions this comprehensive, multi-faceted pastoral plan to respond to the various expressed needs of members of the student body who identify as LGBTQ and simultaneously to cultivate deeper understanding and support for our Catholic Christian ideal. Within this context, the University offers the following resources to our students: 

The Gender Relations Center (GRC) along with other departments and relevant student groups seeks to educate all students about the inclusive nature of community at Notre Dame. They provide opportunities for ongoing exploration of and conversation concerning a Catholic understanding of the call to holiness of life. Additionally, the GRC supports peer education about allyship, accompaniment, and cultivating community. In doing so, it opens up room for conversation about how to create a more robust sense of belonging at Notre Dame and beyond for LGBTQ students, allies, and all people. Collaborators of this effort include Campus Ministry, Multicultural Student Programs and Services, the Student Activities Office, the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development, the University Counseling Center, and the McGrath Institute for Church Life.

Campus Ministry provides a designated staff member whose duties include working with students impacted by LGBTQ issues.

The University Counseling Center offers individual counseling and support groups: 574-631-7336.

Monthly hours for drop-in conversation and support are available. Conversations are in a safe space and confidentiality is assured. The GRC staff and other departments coordinate these events with peer educators. For more information, contact the GRC at 574-631-9340 or grc@nd.edu.

PrismND is a recognized student organization designed to provide peer-to-peer support, direct service opportunities, and friendship for LGBTQ students and their allies. For more information or to get involved, email PrismND at prismnd@nd.edu or visit PrismND’s website. 

For more information, please see the University’s Pastoral Plan, Beloved Friends and Allies: A Pastoral Plan for the Support and Holistic Development of GLBTQ and Heterosexual Students at the University of Notre Dame, released in December 2012.

International Student and Scholar Affairs

International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA), a part of Notre Dame Global, supports and advises international students and scholars at the University of Notre Dame on their immigration rules, responsibilities, deadlines, and benefits. ISSA provides immigration advising resources for ND-sponsored students (F & J) and their dependents; they also provide resources for students to successfully navigate life in the U.S., including pre-arrival and arrival guidance, orientation, social security numbers, driving in the U.S., and access to U.S. tax preparation services. F-1 and J-1 students (and dependents) should work with ISSA to successfully maintain their immigration status and ensure they are managing their responsibilities while enrolled and accessing post-graduation employment benefits.

Office of Institutional Equity

The Office of Institutional Equity is committed to promoting an equitable educational and work environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in accordance with Title VII of The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, other applicable federal and state laws, and University policy.

The Office of Institutional Equity also strives to foster an inclusive campus environment that embraces the talents and achievements of all individuals regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, age, or genetic information. To fulfill our mission, the Office of Institutional Equity provides:

  • Oversight of and support for the University’s efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state civil rights laws and Notre Dame’s policies prohibiting discrimination, harassment, and retaliation;
  • Consultation, education, training, and resources to the University community regarding equal opportunity, affirmative action, consent, and preventing discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; and
  • A mechanism for responding to complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

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