Hesburgh, << HEHS burg, >> Theodore Martin (1917-2015), a Roman Catholic priest, served as president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 until he retired in 1987. Hesburgh also gave much time to government and foundation service. He was a member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights from 1958 to 1972 and served as chairman of the group from 1969 to 1972.
During the 1960’s, Hesburgh greatly reduced his own powers and gave more authority to the Notre Dame faculty. He also started the practice of appointing laypersons to the university’s board of trustees.
Hesburgh was born on May 25, 1917, in Syracuse, New York. He became a priest in 1943 and belonged to the Holy Cross order. He earned degrees at Gregorian University and Catholic University of America. He wrote Patterns for Educational Growth (1958) and The Humane Imperative: A Challenge for the Year 2000 (1974). Hesburgh died on Feb. 26, 2015.
