Inclusive Programs & Belonging

Notre Dame Believes Each Student Should Be

SEEN

HEARD

VALUED

The '26-'27 Planning & Initiatives are inspired by Hallmark Four:

Committed to Service, Belonging, and Action

At the heart of the Office of Inclusive Programs and Belonging at Notre Dame de Namur University is our dedication to Hallmark #4: We commit ourselves to community service. Inspired by the vision of St. Julie Billiart and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, we recognize that true service goes beyond words—it is an active expression of solidarity, equity, and care.

Through our programs, we integrate community-building and service into the fabric of campus life. We are called to respond to the pressing needs of those affected by systemic inequities, creating mutually beneficial partnerships that foster justice, dignity, and real-world impact.

We joyfully celebrate the diversity of our community as we cultivate leaders with “hearts as big as the world.” By pairing inclusive education with meaningful action, the Office of Inclusive Programs and Belonging empowers students, faculty, and staff to be active agents of change, responsible global citizens, and compassionate servant leaders dedicated to the common good.

Monthly Cultural Celebrations

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Interdisciplinary Partnership

Curriculum & Instruction:

At the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, the Department of Inclusive Programs and Belonging collaborates directly with academic leadership and faculty to ensure that principles of equity, dignity, and global citizenship are embedded across the curriculum.
This integration operates across three main areas:

1. Mission-Driven & Culturally Responsive Course Content
Rooted in Catholic social teaching and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur tradition ("educating young women for life"), coursework incorporates diverse perspectives, global issues, and social justice. Specialized tracks—such as those hosted through the Center for Global Leadership—foster cultural curiosity, empathy, and ethical leadership within the formal curriculum.

2. Faculty Professional Development & Inclusive Pedagogy
The department acts as an ongoing resource for teachers, providing guidance on inclusive instructional strategies, equitable assessment, and differentiated learning. Faculty are trained to create classroom environments where students of all backgrounds and learning styles feel supported to do their best work.

3. Fostering Classroom Psychological Safety
Rather than treating inclusion as an isolated extracurricular topic, the school embeds structured dialogues, active listening, and open discussion protocols directly into classroom learning. This approach ensures that every student feels seen, heard, and valued while engaging with challenging academic topics.

Partnerships with Student Life:

At the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, the Office of Inclusive Programs and Belonging works closely with Student Life to foster an inclusive school culture beyond the classroom. This collaboration centers around four key areas:

Student Clubs & Affinity Group Support
The office collaborates with Student Life to advise, guide, and resource student-led diversity clubs, affinity spaces, and cultural interest groups. This ensures student organizations have the support needed to host meaningful events and school-wide awareness initiatives.

Integration with Student Wellness
Working alongside Student Support & Well-Being (ND Cares) and Campus Ministry, the office helps ensure social-emotional learning, mental health support, and retreat programming are culturally responsive and accessible to students of all backgrounds.

Cultural Celebrations & School Traditions
Inclusive Programs & Belonging partners with Student Life and student leaders to organize campus-wide heritage month observances, multicultural celebrations, and community-building traditions that celebrate diversity within the school’s Catholic, SNDdeN values.

Student Leadership Development
The office engages student leaders (such as Student Council representatives, club officers, and peer mentors) in leadership training focused on active listening, empathy, and inclusive leadership, empowering students to lead positive culture change within their peer groups.

Community Engagement:

At the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, community engagement is an essential extension of the Department of Inclusive Programs and Belonging. Rooted in the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) Hallmarks—particularly educating for justice and peace and committing to community service—the office connects internal belonging initiatives with the broader community through four key pathways:

1. Family & Alumnae Partnership
The office actively engages parents, guardians, and alumnae to build an inclusive partnership. Through parent networks, advisory conversations, and community forums, families collaborate with the school to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on campus.

2. Social Justice & Service Integration
Belonging is framed not just as an internal culture, but as an outward responsibility. In partnership with Campus Ministry and service-learning programs, the office helps connect diversity education with active community outreach, encouraging students to act on behalf of vulnerable and marginalized groups in solidarity.

3. External Regional & Global Networks
The department connects Notre Dame students with regional diversity conferences (such as student-of-color leadership summits) and global partner programs. These experiences allow young women to engage with peers from different backgrounds, broadening their perspectives beyond the campus.

4. Community-Wide Cultural Events
The office helps host events, heritage observances, and guest speaker series open to the broader school community, celebrating the diverse backgrounds of families and creating shared learning opportunities for students and adults alike.

Priorities & Initiatives

Relationships: Build meaningful relationships through on-campus groups :

Staff, students, administration and alumnae will create a DEI committee
Upper and Lower School students will engage in mentoring programs that pair alumnae and current students (including an African American Alumnae Mentoring Program)
Participation in PAIS- and NAIS-sponsored conferences and summits; connection with local independent school DEI offices

Human Resources:

Professional Development Days
Increase diversity of staff
Recruitment/ Retention

School Culture:

ND Cares Program
Student Experience Team
Zero Tolerance/Accountability
Social Contracts and community agreements (ie. Character Counts)
Cultural Competency Education

Inclusion: ND girls will embrace the Gift of Diversity

Weekly after-school social activities sponsored by the Office of DEI
Screening of the (In)Visible Portraits documentary for 9-11th grade
Creation of Learning Communities and student-led clubs

Resources

Resources and Articles:

USCCB Pastoral Letter on Racism
Sister Thea Bowman
Anti-Defamation League

Books:
How to Be an Antiracist (Kendi, Ibram X.)
Caste: The Origins of our Discontent (Wilkerson, Isabel)
Raising Race Questions: Whiteness & Inquiry in Education (Michael, Ali)
Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane (See, Lisa)
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (McBride, James)

Affinity Groups:

Asian-American Alliance (AAA)

Belonging Leadership Council (BLC)

Black Student Union (BSU)

Gender/Sexuality Alliance (GSA)

Latin Student Union (LSU)

Custom Class: 2023_hr-logo

Belonging Leadership Council

At Notre Dame, we believe that a thriving community is one where every voice is heard, every story is valued, and every person belongs. Our Belonging Leadership Council brings together faculty, staff, parents, and trustees in a shared commitment to nurturing a culture that reflects these values. Meeting quarterly, the committee works with purpose and passion to strengthen the heart, mind, and spirit of our Notre Dame community—students and adults alike.

Together, we are dedicated to:

Fostering belonging for all – creating a community rooted in diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect, where every individual is valued for who they are.
Creating spaces of support – ensuring students, faculty, and staff have inclusive opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.
Building for the future – developing policies and practices that welcome, hire, and retain individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Championing initiatives – actively promoting and supporting diversity programs and the students, faculty, and staff who lead them.
Moving forward with purpose – planning meaningful steps that continue Notre Dame’s commitment to this essential work.

Our DEIB Committee is more than a group—it is a movement toward a more compassionate, just, and inclusive Notre Dame. Together, we are shaping a school where every member of our community knows they are seen, heard, and deeply valued.

Diversity is a fact. Equity is a choice. Inclusion is an action. Belonging is an outcome.
ARTHUR CHAN