ehiggin1

People of Similar Interests

Notre Dame attracts students of similar interests to the school. Many students strive to attend the school based upon the tradition of the University, and therefore, many students come from families whose members have attended the school or whose members have been long time football fans. Due to Notre Dame's Irish Catholic identity, the majority of these students attend to be Catholic, Irish, and financially secure. Notre Dame does, however, attract students from other backgrounds. It is interesting to note that while walking around campus, many students form groups containing a similar race. This probably draws from students' involvement in clubs based on ethnicity, where the students form friendships. This is not, however, always the case. I personally have never perceived deragatory feelings based upon ethnicity (although, I am a part of the white majority).

Overall, while most people at the school come from a similar background (financially well off, conservative, Catholic, straight), diversity does exist, and as a general rule there is not degredation if someone does not "fit the mold". The only area where students noticably oppose someone in terms of diversity that I have seen on campus is sexual orientation.