I hope you’re wearing green when you read this, because this month we’re getting into the spirit and shining a spotlight on a school that is bursting at its seams with Irish spirit. They even have a leprechaun as their school mascot. Of course, I’m talking about the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
The University of Notre Dame is more than just a school. From its presence in the film Rudy, to its long-standing reputation in college football, if you’ve heard the words “Notre Dame,” chances are you didn’t think of the cathedral in Paris.
Established in 1842, Notre Dame is a private, Catholic university with just over 8,000 undergrads. It consistently ranks at the top in the nation in many areas such as overall education (12th in Forbes’ America’s Best Colleges) and study abroad participation (6th in the nation). Additionally, its business, law, architecture, and philosophy programs have individually ranked high in recent years. With such a great education, you won’t need to kiss a Blarney Stone to know what you are talking about after leaving this school!
As I mentioned earlier, we can’t talk about Notre Dame without talking about SPORTS! If you want a medium-sized school with big-sized school spirit, Notre Dame won’t let you down. The students and faculty are hopelessly devoted to their sports teams, most notably the football team. Just as the name would suggest, the Fighting Irish are historically tough and follow the motto, “Play Like a Champion Today.” Their teams also claim the most number of members in the college football hall of fame, and they tie Ohio State University for the most Heisman Trophy winners. With a record that consistent, I’d say luck has nothing to do with it.
If you attend Notre Dame, you are attending a school rich with history and tradition. From its architecture to its libraries to even the campus restaurant, Notre Dame and the students who attend it make it a priority to keep its history and rituals strong and present. For example, a football game will never commence without the Irish Guard leading the Band of the Fighting Irish to the stadium and Dillon Hall will always host the very first pep rally of the season. Tradition is the Notre Dame way.
So if you think dark blue and gold (and the occasional green) are your colors, I want you to “go go go go go” to the website and “not stop till you get across that goal line.” (Okay, I’ll stop with the Rudy references.) Find out more information here: http://admissions.nd.edu/life-at-notre-dame
