About ND & the Region
About the University of Notre Dame & the Region
The University of Notre Dame, located adjacent to South Bend, Indiana and just five miles from the Michigan border, is a leading global Catholic research university. Since its humble beginnings in 1842 behind the bold vision of an intrepid and enterprising Holy Cross priest from France, the University has thrived while remaining faithful to both its religious and intellectual traditions.
The aerodynamics of glider flight, the transmission of wireless messages, and the formulae for synthetic rubber were pioneered at the University. Today researchers are achieving breakthroughs in astrophysics, radiation chemistry, environmental sciences, tropical disease transmission, peace studies, cancer, robotics, and nanoelectronics. Our Departments of Theology and Philosophy are regarded as among the finest in the world; faculty in all departments work to ensure that Notre Dame is a force for good in the world. From legal scholars who study civil rights and religious liberty, to scientists and engineers who investigate environmental protection, to sociologists who examine religious and ethical practices, Notre Dame continues to be a place where the Church does its thinking and seeks to be an enlightening force for a world deeply in need.
The grit of those in and around South Bend is fueling a rebound for the city that once thrived with industry. As the area reinvents itself, the University is a stalwart partner in that rebirth—investing in services and facilities in the region and serving as the area’s largest employer. Visitors to the area and residents alike enjoy a wide array of local attractions, from the Studebaker National Museum, Indiana’s first zoo, and the East Race Waterway, to native culture, vibrant arts, and sports of all kinds, to state parks, Amish country, and the sandy shores of Lake Michigan. On campus, landmarks that dazzle visitors like the Golden Dome, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes, the Word of Life mural (more popularly known as “Touchdown Jesus”), and even Notre Dame Stadium—the house that Rockne built—serve as the daily backdrops for scholarly research, prayer, teaching and learning, and community building for our students, postdocs, faculty, and staff.
