<p>There are definitely black students at ND who aren’t athletes, I knew many during my time there who- like most ND students- loved their undergraduate experience there. but it is true that the percentage of black students at ND is relatively low compared to other schools of similar academic caliber. Most of the non-white students are Hispanic/Asian, so if pure numbers of black students is a major concern, then ND might not be an ideal place. On the other hand, the Black Student Association and other African American organizations on campus do have a noticeable presence. If your son wants to seek out other black students on campus, those groups would be a good place to do so. And the other cultural organizations on campus ([SAO</a> / Groups / Student Group Categories and Group Descriptions](<a href=“http://sao.nd.edu/groups/categories.html#Cultural]SAO”>http://sao.nd.edu/groups/categories.html#Cultural)) tend to be pretty active and welcoming as well, if exposure to diversity/other cultural activities is something your son was hoping to take advantage of.</p>
<p>Notre Dame in general is a very welcoming place (it sounds cheesy, but the “Notre Dame family” is a real thing), but the Catholic crowd that ND attracts does tend to be more white/Hispanic than you’d find at a lot of other universities and I know that some students may feel more comfortable around a racial mix more similar to what they are accustomed to. I don’t know where you guys are from, so that might not be an issue. But in any case, being a white Catholic Midwesterner, I am probably not the best person to offer you a perspective on being a minority at Notre Dame…</p>
<p>It might be a good idea to try to contact the Black Student Association or some of the other clubs affiliated with it ([Black</a> Student Association](<a href=“http://www.nd.edu/~bsa/abl.html]Black”>http://www.nd.edu/~bsa/abl.html)) and see what their members have to say. If your son is interested in business, Wabruda might be something he would be particularly interested in ([Wabruda</a> Home](<a href=“http://www.nd.edu/~wabruda/wabrudahome.html]Wabruda”>http://www.nd.edu/~wabruda/wabrudahome.html)).</p>
<p>On another note, ND’s business school is fantastic and Notre Dame is an amazing place. Good luck to your son!</p>