Theodore Hesburgh

Common card · No. 408660

Theodore Martin Hesburgh, C.S.C. (May 25, 1917 – February 26, 2015) was an American Catholic priest and academic who was a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross. He served as president of the University of Notre Dame for 35 years from 1952 to 1987, along with numerous appointed positions in the U.S. government, including as chairman of the United States Commission on Civil Rights. In addition to his career as an educator and author, Hesburgh was a public servant and social activist involved in numerous American civic and government initiatives, commissions, international humanitarian projects, and papal assignments. He received numerous honors and awards for his service, most notably the United States's Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964) and Congressional Gold Medal (2000). As of 2026, he holds the world's record for the individual with the most honorary degrees with 150. Hesburgh is credited with bringing Notre Dame, long known for its football program, to the forefront of American...

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