Community and Tradition
Be a part of the heart of Notre Dame.
The Notre Dame community stretches far and wide. From the six bold and visionary Sisters who travelled from Germany in 1847 and who would establish Notre Dame in 1873, to the scores of women and men who teach and learn in programs both innovative and classic, to a legion of graduates who have gone on to change the world—all are part of a proud history that values intellectual, spiritual, professional and personal leadership; inclusiveness; and social responsibility.
Through annual events such as Notre Dame Day, Honors Convocation, 100 Nights and Reunion, we gather together to celebrate and honor our community and the values that bind us. These rich and enduring traditions—an important part of our identity—reaffirm and sustain the strength of our community and serve to forge strong ties within the Notre Dame family.
Notre Dame Now and Then
Congratulations to the Class of 2011. Welcome to a long line of distinguished NDM graduates.
Notre Dame has two residence halls, Meletia Hall and Doyle Hall.
Whether they're sharing a website or a song, Notre Dame students have always enjoyed each other's company.
About Our History and Traditions
Notre Dame of Maryland Collegiate Institute opens on Charles Street Avenue.
1873
Notre Dame of Maryland Collegiate Institute opens on Charles Street Avenue.
On the Saturday evening before the first building opened on Notre Dame of Maryland’s Charles Street campus in 1873, the sisters lit every light in the five-story structure and tower, turning on all gas jets in order to test the fixtures. A published history of the College notes: “the illumination made a spectacle which drew admiring neighbors from far and near.”
President Grant attends commencement.
1876
President Grant attends commencement.
President and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant attended graduation ceremonies in Commencement Hall, which was located on the fourth floor of Gibbons Hall. Their niece, Bessie Sharp was a student at the Collegiate Institute. President Grant conferred the awards.
College of Notre Dame of Maryland is established.
1895
College of Notre Dame of Maryland is established.
The SSNDs established College of Notre Dame of Maryland in 1895 as the first Catholic college for women in the United States to award the four-year baccalaureate degree. A press clipping from the time predicted the new college would “meet the ever increasing demand to give women the opportunity for intellectual training as thorough and comprehensive as is afforded to men in the best colleges of the country.”
Notre Dame awards first baccalaureate degrees.
1899
Notre Dame awards first baccalaureate degrees.
The Class of 1899 included Helen Burr, Catherine Coll, Ellen Coll, Mary Theresa Curran, Dorothea Kilkoff and Louise Power. Charles Joseph Bonaparte, great-nephew of Emperor Napoleon I, spoke at the first commencement ceremony. He remarked: "Today and here for the first time in America, a Catholic college for the education of young ladies bestows the bachelor's degree."
Cardinal Gibbons dedicates College Hall (now Meletia Hall).
1910
Cardinal Gibbons dedicates College Hall (now Meletia Hall).
Originally called "College Hall," Mary Meletia Hall was built in 1910 to accommodate Notre Dame's growing enrollment.
Sing-Song becomes an annual tradition.
1927
Sing-Song becomes an annual tradition.
Sing-Song began as an informal competition among the four undergraduate classes as to which could produce the best lyrics for popular tunes and sing them the most entertainingly. It remained a beloved tradition for the next 60 years!
Author Flannery O'Connor visits campus.
1963
Author Flannery O'Connor visits campus.
O’Connor was not only the most important female Catholic writer of the 20th century, but was also a treasured correspondent of poet and College of Notre Dame English professor Maura Eichner, SSND ’41, through late 1963 and early 1964. O’Connor’s letters to Sister Maura offer insight on her abiding Catholic faith, as reflected in her body of work.
Quest '70 commits to remaining a women's college.
1970
Quest '70 commits to remaining a women's college.
When many single sex colleges and universities in the country moved to co-education, Notre Dame organized Quest ’70, a landmark event that brought students, alumnae, faculty and trustees together in dialogue about single sex education and to determine the school’s future course. After thoughtful and often lively debate, participants reached an overwhelming consensus: Notre Dame would remain first and foremost a women’s college, as envisioned by the SSNDs nearly three-quarters of a century earlier.
Loyola/Notre Dame Library opens.
1973
Loyola/Notre Dame Library opens.
The Loyola/Notre Dame library is the first in the country to be jointly owned by two independent colleges.
Mother Theresa of Calcutta visits the Notre Dame campus.
1975
Mother Theresa of Calcutta visits the Notre Dame campus.
Addressing the students, Mother Theresa stressed the gifts that women can bring to service to the poor. She was one of many internationally known women who helped Notre Dame celebrate the International Women's Year with an historic lecture series.
Students choose the 'Gator as the official mascot of Notre Dame athletics.
1983
Students choose the 'Gator as the official mascot of Notre Dame athletics.
Graduate Studies launches master's in management.
1984
Graduate Studies launches master's in management.
Notre Dame begins master’s in management program, its first graduate-level offering.
Pope John Paul II comes to Baltimore.
1995
Pope John Paul II comes to Baltimore.
As Notre Dame celebrated its centennial, His Holiness Pope John Paul II visited the nearby Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. He observed: "Catholic schools, historically and as a matter of duty, have made a substantial contribution to society by giving special attention to economically disadvantaged segments of society. I hope that you will continue to look for ways of ensuring the continuation of this essential service, despite the financial burdens it entails. Catholic education serves the future of all Americans, by teaching and communicating the very virtues on which American democracy rests."
Trustees name first permanent lay president.
1997
Trustees name first permanent lay president.
Mary Pat Seurkamp, Ph.D. becomes Notre Dame's eleventh president and the first layperson permanently appointed to the role. Dr. Seurkamp's inauguration festivities drew more than 1,000 students, alumnae and friends to the campus.
School of Pharmacy welcomes first class of students.
2009
School of Pharmacy welcomes first class of students.
Notre Dame opens its first professional school, the School of Pharmacy, offering the Pharm.D. Nearly 500 students apply for the 70 seats in the inaugural class. It is the first pharmacy school located on the campus of a women’s college in the United States and the second in Maryland (after University of Maryland).
College becomes Notre Dame of Maryland University.
2011
College becomes Notre Dame of Maryland University.
On September 9, 2011, the 116th anniversary of the first day of classes at the College, Notre Dame of Maryland University is dedicated.