(BALTIMORE, Md.) – A new book, chronicling Notre Dame of Maryland University’s rich history from its opening in 1895 through its centennial in 1995, will take center stage at a special Reunion Weekend 2021 reading and book signing. Taking place Saturday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. in Fourier Hall, Library, #103, the free event is open to all alumnae and alumni. Register for this event and all Reunion Weekend activities. 

Guests will hear from author, Sister Mary Oates, about her book, Pursuing Truth: How Gender Shaped Catholic Education at the College of Notre Dame, published in March 2021 by Cornell University Press. The meticulously researched book depicts the courage of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) foundresses to establish and sustain the nation’s first Catholic college to award female students a four-year degree. 

At the event, Sr. Oates will share her inspiration for the book and her process in documenting the university’s extensive history and SSND legacy. Attendees are encouraged to secure a copy of the book in advance for a signing after the presentation. Pursuing Truth is available for purchase online and is free for download as an e-book.

The book tells the stories of the pioneering Catholic women educators and administrators who taught generations of students, guided the institution’s development and maintained its identity as a women's liberal arts college. It celebrates the fortitude of the women who paved the way for the school that would become today’s Notre Dame of Maryland University. 

Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.