Foundress

Daniel Guerrero

Professor Patricia Andrews, MA

02/06/19

Foundress Week

The University was founded by two sisters of Notre Dame de Namur who came from Namur, 

Belgium. The sisters had a mission of expanding access to education, for women. These sisters 

names were Julie and Francoise. Notre Dame de Namur University was founded by the Sisters of 

Notre Dame de Namur in 1851 in Santa Clara Valley. I learned that the school was chartered in 1868 

as the College of Notre Dame. It was known as the first college in the state of California authorized 

to grant the baccalaureate degree to women. In 1922, the sisters purchased Ralston Hall. In the year 

1923, Notre Dame de Namur officially opened doors in Belmont, California. Originally the school 

started off as a all girl school. That changed in the year 1967, the College of Notre Dame de Namur 

became coeducational. In the year 1970 the first three men graduated from the college. In 2001, the 

College of Notre Dame changed its name officially as Notre Dame de Namur University. This 

university is well known for the recognition of being a Hispanic serving institution. The university 

kept growing overtime. From reading and understanding what the sisters of Notre Dame did, just has 

a rich history for our university. People with so much humbleness and having a passion for education 

is just a priceless moment. I did not do anything during the Foundress Week activity at my school 

because unfortunately I did not have time at all. Practice got in the way and so did other classes. But 

learning the history of my university made me realize that I am in a special place. 

                                                                          Works Cited                                                                        “Notre Dame De Namur University.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_de_Namur_University.