Notre Dame College’s incoming students are excited to join the Falcon Family for the fall 2020 semester.
As part of their orientation to the College community, students have been asked to describe their own missions and why they chose to enroll at Notre Dame. The Class of 2024 participated in a remote introduction to campus this summer as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The nearly 400 first-year students and transfers also were welcomed back in person, wearing facial coverings and socially distancing, to engage in a weekend of acclimation activities prior to the start of the semester on Monday, August 31.
In their orientation, students said they are determined to earn a Notre Dame education, to meet their personal and professional goals and to become responsible members in their new family units. The College’s Office of Campus Ministry shared some of the new students’ objectives with the wider College community.
“I am coming to Notre Dame because it felt like home to me,” one student said.
College Community
Several incoming students expressed enthusiasm for the academic, social and athletic facets of the College. They said the small campus environment with individual attention from faculty and options for NCAA Division II sports will allow them to thrive in their studies and prepare for their chosen careers, as well as make friends with fellow peers and excel as student-athletes.
“My mission is to ready myself for life after college and build relationships with my peers that will last years after my education,” a first-year Falcon said. “Notre Dame was the place I felt would give me the best chance to be successful in many aspects of my life.”
Notre Dame offers a wide variety of programs, including the Academic Support Center for Students with Learning Differences and the Student Success and Dwyer Learning Center, to help individuals succeed in academic aspects of their college careers. The College also offers a Writing Center and Math Lab. Instructional advisors and tutors are available to assist students with homework, papers and proctoring tests, just to name a few.
Another student said she “considered Notre Dame College because I enjoy the close environment and feel as if I can function better here.”
Notre Dame’s Campus Ministry, Counseling Center and First-Generation, or FirstGen, Center are some of the many additional programs provided to help new students transition to college and develop close bonds with other classmates. Campus Ministry allows students to grow spiritually, as well.
“It felt like home when I came and took my visit. I can’t wait to be in a more diverse area and make many new friends.”
Several new students also emphasized their interests in winning championships with the Falcons’ football and softball teams. One even mentioned that their “mission is to not only do big things,” on the field, “but to go above and beyond in my studies to prepare me for my future.”
Family Community
Notre Dame’s incoming and transfer students are looking forward to bonding with peers and teammates at their new home away from home. Some also want to model achievement for members of their own families.
“My mission is to lead by example for my three younger siblings. I want to set the bar high, academically, and socially,” one first-year student said.
Students’ relatives helped them move in to campus residence halls and were invited to participate in Welcome Weekend activities, such as a community service opportunity; a craft activity; and an all-campus picnic, prior to the first day of classes.
In regards to their first and new Falcon Family connections, some incoming students said they chose to attend Notre Dame because they are part of a legacy. They noted relatives who previously attended the College and received a quality liberal arts education in the tradition of the Sisters of Notre Dame.
“I am going to Notre Dame because my grandma went there,” the first-year Falcon said. “My grandma is my role model, and I have always wanted to be like her!”
The Falcon Family encompasses about 8,000 alumni nationwide, including some of the first women to attend college. Notre Dame was established by the Sisters in 1922.
Catholic Community
The College’s values-based curriculum in the tradition of the Sisters promotes personal, professional and global responsibility. Many students practice this mission spiritually, as well as through their studies and sports.
One incoming student said their purpose is “to become a more educated human being. I want to show the world what I am made of.”
The College offers more than 30 majors in arts and humanities, business, education, math and science and nursing. As part of Notre Dame’s core curriculum, all students no matter their major enroll in two theology and two philosophy classes. The theology courses cover cultural competence and social justice, while philosophy emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving among multiple perspectives.
Another first-year student said their personal mission is “to help others, especially children, and show people the light of the world.”
One other student mentioned their love and excitement for “every aspect of the College,” including its religious heritage.
“I grew up being Catholic and being around just down-to-earth, loving, and caring people. I figured this was a great fit for me,” the student said. “I’m more than excited to be a Falcon!”
August 2020
Written by Kimberly Krozser ’17
Anita Yoder and Ted Steiner contributed to this story.
About Notre Dame College
For almost a century, Notre Dame College has educated a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College has grown strategically to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of students and the dramatic changes in higher education. But it has never lost sight of its emphasis on teaching students not only how to make a good living but also how to live a good life.
Today, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. Notre Dame College offers NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women and is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood just 25 minutes from the heart of Cleveland. Hallmarks of the Notre Dame experience include stimulating academics, personalized attention of dedicated faculty and staff, and small class sizes.
Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For further information contact pr@ndc.edu.