About Us

When Notre Dame president Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C. closed the doors of the Department of Education in the early 1970’s, he was convinced that the time would come when Notre Dame would become reinvested in the field of education, for the mission of education was an integral part of the life of the University, and training future leaders in education was too great a service to abandon.

In the early 1990’s, Notre Dame recommitted itself to playing a major role in the revitalization of America’s schools, especially its Catholic schools and under-served school children. Over the past decade, Notre Dame has, with a number of important initiatives, re-entered the field of education by establishing the Institute for Educational Initiatives.

Rev. Timothy Scully, professor of political science and founder of the ACE program, serves as Director of the Institute and has, along with the Board of Fellows, overseen its growth and success during its formative years.