Notre Dame Leadership Seminar: A Summer Program for Emerging Leaders

The Notre Dame Leadership Seminar is a summer program at the University of Notre Dame for high school students preparing to enter their senior year. It brings selected students to campus to explore leadership, examine important social issues, and consider how their values can guide the choices they make in their communities.

What Is the Notre Dame Leadership Seminar?

Rather than focusing solely on college preparation, the seminar encourages students to think about leadership as a responsibility to others. Participants engage with ideas and challenges that call for thoughtful discussion, ethical judgment, and collaboration. The experience also gives students a chance to learn about the University of Notre Dame and its academic community.

Seminar activities may include presentations, discussions, group projects, and opportunities to reflect on leadership in practice. The specific topics and schedule can vary from year to year.

Who Can Apply?

The program is intended for high school students entering their senior year. Admission is selective, and applicants are typically expected to show curiosity, initiative, and a commitment to contributing to their schools or communities. Strong candidates are not defined only by titles or awards; the seminar is also interested in how students listen, work with others, and respond to challenges.

Eligibility requirements, application materials, and deadlines may change. Students should check the University of Notre Dame’s official program information for the most current details.

What Students Can Gain

Participants can develop a broader understanding of leadership and the responsibilities that come with influence. Through discussion and shared activities, students may strengthen skills such as:

• Communicating ideas clearly and respectfully
• Listening to perspectives different from their own
• Working collaboratively to address complex problems
• Reflecting on personal values and decision-making
• Connecting leadership with service to others

The seminar can also help students build relationships with peers who bring different experiences and viewpoints. For many, spending time on campus offers a meaningful introduction to college life, though participation does not guarantee admission to Notre Dame.

Preparing a Strong Application

Applicants should read the current instructions carefully and allow time to prepare thoughtful responses. A strong application can explain what leadership means to the student, describe a real experience or challenge, and show what the student learned from it. Specific examples are often more compelling than broad claims.

Students should also make sure their application reflects their own voice. The goal is to communicate genuine interests, experiences, and aspirations—not to present a perfect image.

A Chance to Think Beyond the Title

The Notre Dame Leadership Seminar offers students an opportunity to explore leadership as more than a position or résumé entry. By bringing together discussion, reflection, and community, the program invites participants to consider how they can use their abilities responsibly and make a positive difference.

Because program details can change, prospective applicants should consult Notre Dame’s official website for the latest information about eligibility, dates, costs, and the application process.

5 Tips for Applying to and Thriving in Notre Dame Leadership Seminars

1. Reflect on your leadership experiences before applying.
2. Explain how you hope to grow as a leader.
3. Share specific examples of teamwork and service.
4. Stay curious and learn from other participants.
5. Bring your values and ideas to every discussion.

Reflect on your leadership experiences before applying.

Before applying to the Notre Dame Leadership Seminar, take time to reflect on your leadership experiences—both formal and informal. Consider moments when you brought people together, took initiative, listened to different perspectives, or helped address a challenge. Think about what you learned, how your actions affected others, and what you might do differently next time. Specific, honest examples can help you explain what leadership means to you and why you hope to grow through the seminar.

Explain how you hope to grow as a leader.

When explaining how you hope to grow as a leader, focus on specific qualities you want to strengthen, such as listening carefully, communicating with empathy, or helping a team work through disagreements. Connect those goals to an experience that showed you where you can improve, and describe how the Notre Dame Leadership Seminar could help you learn from others and put new skills into practice. A thoughtful answer shows openness to growth and a desire to use leadership in service of your community.

Share specific examples of teamwork and service.

When applying to the Notre Dame Leadership Seminar, share specific examples that show how you work with others and serve your community. Rather than simply saying you are a team player or value service, describe a project, challenge, or volunteer experience: explain your role, how you collaborated, what you learned, and how your efforts helped others. Concrete stories make your application more personal and show how you put leadership into practice.

Stay curious and learn from other participants.

Stay curious and make the most of the perspectives other participants bring to the Notre Dame Leadership Seminar. Ask thoughtful questions, listen closely, and be open to ideas that challenge your own assumptions. Learning from classmates’ experiences can deepen discussions, spark new ways of thinking, and help you become a more thoughtful, collaborative leader.

Bring your values and ideas to every discussion.

Bring your values and ideas to every discussion at the Notre Dame Leadership Seminar. Sharing what matters to you—and explaining why—can make conversations more thoughtful and meaningful. Just as important, listen with curiosity to perspectives different from your own. Respectful exchange helps everyone learn, challenge assumptions, and discover new ways to lead.