Urban
Landscape
A Notre Dame education extends well beyond the footprint of our downtown campus, out into the tenth largest city in the United States and the thriving center of Silicon Valley. Classes regularly visit historic landmarks, civic and political organizations, and culturallyrich communities within walking distance of campus. Recognized as the most diverse private school in Santa Clara County for the past three years, Notre Dame prepares students for careers in an increasingly global society. In addition, studies have shown that diverse learning environments lead to better critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Our location in the SoFA district provides students with easy access to the art and culture center of San Jose. Classroom learning across the curriculum is applied in real-world contexts through visits to our local neighbors including the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Guadalupe River Park, the Tech and San JosĂŠ State University. These are just a few of the rich resources that provide opportunities for faculty to empower students to think critically and creatively about the world around them.
36
downtown doors
have featured Notre Dame student art
WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE:
3
professional theaters
12
museums & galleries
14
places of worship
PARTICIPATION
100
%
CITY AS A CLASSROOM
Under the guidance of teachers, every student experiences hands-on, real-world learning through the cultural and educational resources available within walking distance of campus.
INTERNSHIPS
Students intern at local businesses during the school year and summer. Whether through an internship at City Hall or the Tech, students benefit from an understanding of, and readiness for, a variety of careers.
PARTNERSHIPS Through an exclusive arrangement with San Jose State University, our students can take full advantage of resources typically available only to college students at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library.
CONFIDENCE
Students navigate and explore the city and its abundant resources through a variety of experiences. The outcome is a young woman with life-skills and self-confidence.
ND DOWNTOWN MURAL
30 8 78 140 & 1
STUDENTS PLYWOOD CANS OF PAINT PANELS
WORKING HOURS
AMAZING ART TEACHER
"I have engaged in many learning and service opportunities both on and off campus. ND does a great job publicizing opportunities, which makes it very easy to get involved into the broader community. I personally volunteer as an exhibit interpreter at the Tech, which is a fifteen minute walk from ND!"
Angela '20
19
67
walking field trips to
23
downtown destinations
"I love the location of Notre Dame. Since ND is downtown, students are given a chance to hang out with groups of friends, while also learning about our urban environment. Just being downtown makes me feel independent and very responsible. The prime location teaches me how to be empowered and aware of the world, while allowing me to create amazing memories with my friends."
330
families carpool to campus
families easily access campus from
23
4
68
ZIP CODES
Madeleine '21
ND SHUTTLES run daily to/from the Diridon station & campus
"Notre Dame provides a very unique academic program due, in part, to its distinctive location in downtown San Jose, which provides opportunity for innovative approaches to learning. In both my Global Studies class and my Spanish II class, we were able to walk downtown to the Martin Luther King Jr. public library. There, we explored many art pieces and connected them to our society and what we had already learned in Global Studies. For Spanish II, we were also able to take a look at the library's Day of the Dead exhibit and learn more about Mexican culture."
Layla '22
19
Experiential Learning
70 90 &
FIELD TRIPS
learning opportunities each year
MORE THAN
GUEST SPEAKERS
8
full-day experiential
LAST YEAR
100
%
of students participate in grade-level interdisciplinary field trips
to locations such as Japantown, Angel Island, the De Young Museum, Legion of Honor and Guadalupe River Park Conservancy