The school was founded in 1842 by Rev. Edward Sorin and French priests who were members of the Congregation of Holy Cross. The Indiana General Assembly incorporated the school on January 15, 1844 under the name
University of Notre Dame du
Lac.While the translation of
Notre Dame du Lac is "Our Lady of the Lake," the university actually has two lakes on its
campus. According to legend, when Father Sorin arrived to found the school, it was November and everything was frozen. He thought
there was only one lake, and named the university accordingly.Rev. Edward A. "Monk" Malloy, CSC, PhD, is the 16th President of the university. He is
serving his third five-year term. Malloy is also a full professor in the Department of Theology. Malloy also played varsity basketball for the Irish
hoops squad while earning his Bachelor's degree in English (1963). Rev. John Jenkins, CSC, DPhil, will succeed Father Malloy in
June 2005.