| Stanford Hall | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Guardians of the Gold |
| Established | 1957 |
| Type | Residence Hall |
| Rector | Fr. Thomas Gaughan, CSC |
| Location | Notre Dame, Indiana, USA |
| Campus | North Quad |
| Undergraduate residents | 277 |
| Colors | Green and Gold |
| Mascot | Griffin |
| Website | Stanford Hall Website |
Stanford Hall is one of the 29 residence halls and one of the 14 male dorms on the campus of the University of Notre Dame just northeast of South Bend, Indiana. Stanford was awarded the overall Hall of the Year award for 2006.
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Stanford and Keenan, joined together in Siamese twin fashion, were built in 1957. Of the two, Stanford is officially a bit older as it was dedicated in October of that year (Keenan was dedicated in November). Stanford was a gift of a Notre Dame graduate who would later serve as a lay trustee of the university. Grattan T. Stanford, class of 1904, was an Indiana native who spent three decades as general counsel of the Sinclair Oil Corporation.
Stanford has been blessed with a handsome chapel that contains one of Notre Dame's finest icons, the magnificent crucifix made by celebrated sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. Located just off the hall's lobby, the Chapel of the Holy Cross (or affectionately called Keenan-Stanford Chapel) has a series of exquisite stained-glass windows featuring various types of crosses. Its highlight is Mestrovic's 13-foot mahogany crucifix, which the artist-in-residence executed especially for the chapel in 1957. Originally, the crucifix hung above a companion altar made of travertine marble imported from Italy. The altar was removed in the wake of Vatican II changes, but, happily, the Mestrovic crucifix remains to immeasurably grace the chapel. In the lobby another of Mestrovic's works, a wood carving titled Christ as Young Boy Teaching, is present.
Stanford was named Hall of the Year in 2006, and won the Interhall Athletics Cup in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. Stanford Hall beat adjoining dorm Keenan in the Interhall Football Championship November 2007.
Stanford Hall received a much needed renovation during the summer of 2010.
Stanford Hall's mascot is the Griffin. Its original mascot was a stud bull, hence the moniker "Stanford Studs". According to Notre Dame Magazine, "the switch was made in February 1999 to honor Father Robert Griffin, CSC, University chaplain for 30 years and a campus icon until his death in October 1999."[1]
Father Thomas Gaughan, CSC, (called "FT") became rector of Stanford Hall in 1992, after serving as an Assistant Rector of Sorin College for three years. Father Tom received both his bachelor degree in sociology in 1980 and his Master of Divinity in 1986 from the University of Notre Dame. He was ordained as a priest for the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1987. While at Notre Dame, Father Tom has served as the Associate Rector of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on campus and has worked as a staff member of the Office of Campus Ministry. Father Tom has also served as Team Chaplain for the ND Men's Varsity Hockey Team (12 years), as well as Chaplain for other varsity teams.