Jesus Sanchez Madden
What is your favorite campus tradition?
Jumping around to “I’m Shipping up to Boston” before kickoff
What is your favorite spot on campus?
St. Joseph’s Lake
What is your best Notre Dame memory?
My favorite Notre Dame memory would have to be all the good times I have spent with my hallmates. There isn’t a specific moment that I want to highlight but just hanging out with friends at the hall after finishing homework for the day is priceless.
What is your favorite Dining Hall Meal?
Chicken Tikka Masala and white rice
What is your favorite thing about dorm life?
My favorite thing about dorm life is the great relationships one builds with their peers at the dorm. This connection was extra special for my class because of all the Covid restrictions we had in our first year so we grew extra close to each other in the dorm. We display our fellowship at our weekly Hall Government meetings, at Section Football and many more events that we do on campus during the semester.
What clubs/activities are you involved in?
SIBC Consulting and Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations
What made you choose Notre Dame?
Notre Dame felt like home since the moment I visited campus in the summer of my Sophomore year of high school. I felt like this university’s values and mission of being a force for good in the world most resonated with what I had in mind when choosing a university to attend. Notre Dame’s focus on forming not only students, but also people, and the great community that I had seen when I visited campus really made my decision easy.
What is your favorite part about being an international student at Notre Dame?
My favorite part about being an international student is that I am different from everyone else and thus, I always learn new things when speaking to people. In this community I have found many moments of cultural exchange with peers that have completely different backgrounds to mine. I am a more global-minded person since attending this university and have friends from all over the world.
How did you adjust to life on campus?
The first weeks of living on campus were definitely a growing experience. All of the sudden there is more freedom than at home but also there are more responsibilities. Adjusting to life on campus is a challenge but the good thing is that everyone around you is going through the same thing. The friends you will make all over campus and especially in your hall will help make this adjustment easier and soon you will end up missing life on campus whenever you are gone.
How do you celebrate your culture/heritage at ND?
There are several ways in which I let my culture have an impact in my life at ND. First of all, I have gotten all of my roommates into soccer and now we watch all of my team’s games plus other big games during the week. In addition to that, I meet up with some of my fellow Spaniards sometimes and we cook traditional meals together. I also celebrate my culture by hanging a Spanish flag outside my window and whenever somebody wants to know more about my culture I fill them in on all of the details.
What advice do you have for international students?
Going to university in a different country halfway across the world will take an adjustment period but it is so worth it. Remember to be yourself and embrace who you are because you are very unique. Everybody is at home in the Notre Dame community regardless of their background and at the end of the day, the most important thing you will take from the college experience at ND will be the relationships you made along the way.