University of Notre Dame
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Computer Science
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Puerto Rican Straight Female
Summary
I’m part of a program called BuildOn, and I’ve done some community service through them.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Puerto Rican
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: Public school in Hobart, Indiana with a graduating class of about 330 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First Generation College Student: Yes
Major: Computer Science
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I’m part of a program called BuildOn, and I’ve done some community service through them.
Has doing community service had a particularly big impact on your experience?
I haven’t done a significant amount. I did some community service over the summer for that program. It’s overwhelming when you first come here with all the classes, so it helps that I gained friends [over the summer]. They also gave a little bit of academic support. We had a little preview of Calculus and Chemistry.
Academic Experience
Is there anything you feel Notre Dame has done especially well or especially poorly academically?
The only thing I could complain about is I wish I had more flexibility with my schedule, and that I could take classes at different times. Engineers typically can’t go abroad during the semester because they have such a rigorous course load.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it is particularly competitive or collaborative?
I think it’s pretty positive and not that competitive. There are lots of smart people, but I feel like there’s always one person who dominates and takes over. I think people have trouble coordinating with each other in the group because everyone is smart.
How accessible have the professors in your department been?
For the most part they are very accessible, but it depends on the class. My first-semester Chemistry class was huge. It was around 100 people. The professor wasn’t that accessible, and if you went to office hours it was almost like a mini class with around 11 other students. I’ve also had a class with 40 students where not many people would go to the teacher. [The average class size is
How was transitioning academically as a first-generation college student? Are there systems in place that help you transition?
The program I was in offered separate tutors for us during the school year. I went to the Chemistry one a little bit, but I prefer going to the actual professor. I had to self-teach myself most of what I know.
Reasons to Attend
1) The professors.
2) I think the dorm community is very nice.
3) The campus is beautiful.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) If you’re looking for diversity based on race.
2) If you want control over your schedule with more flexibility.
3) The weather is horrible.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: Flaherty Hall with one roommate
How do you like the residential college system? How has it impacted your experience?
It’s okay. It was just unfortunate that I didn’t get the most considerate roommate, but that’s just my experience. You don’t get to choose a roommate freshman year, but even if I did I didn’t come here knowing anyone so it would still be by chance.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I feel perfectly safe. I’ve never felt any danger on campus, even at night.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you participate in at Notre Dame?
Sometimes I’ll go to a movie on campus, or when it’s nice I’ll go for a bike ride.
How happy are you with the weekend options? Is there anything you would change?
I would enjoy the weekends more if I had less work. I don’t think the problem is that I don’t have weekend options, I feel as though I don’t have time to really participate. They send out a newsletter every week with a lot of activities. I read them but haven’t been yet.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
Through the BuildOn program over the summer before coming here. I think that coming here knowing people before allowed me to have a smoother transition. I would’ve come here lost.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Notre Dame?
A lot of people make their friends through the dorms. Notre Dame does a good job during the Welcome Weekend, where you have activities and you get to know other people within your dorm. You have a class called Moreau where people from your dorm take the class with you. They do a good job welcoming people, and the upperclassmen are friendly and relaxed.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
People tend to separate themselves based on race, whether it’s consciously or unconsciously. I think people are pretty open-minded overall, but at the same time the people who they hang out with are similar to them. If you look in the lunch room everyone is separated by race. [The undergraduate population is 11% Hispanic, 4% Black, 68% White, and 5% Asian.]
How would you describe the Hispanic community on campus? How strong is it?
I don’t know any other Puerto Ricans, but I was raised in the United States. I know there are lots of strong Latino communities, but I feel as though they are kind of exclusive toward people that aren’t from those certain countries, or those who don’t speak Spanish fluently. I don’t think Notre Dame is the most diverse place when it comes to ethnic groups.
What impact does the school’s Catholic affiliation have on the student body?
I’m not Catholic, and I don’t think it’s ever been super strong. For me, I just go to school here. No one has pressured me to go to Mass or anything like that. I think if you are Catholic you can find a strong sense of community. In that Moreau class, you learn a lot about Notre Dame’s history and Catholicism. Also, Notre Dame forces you to take a Theology class that is Catholic based.