The University of Notre Dame will be presented with the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America Award at halftime of the Notre Dame vs. Army men’s basketball game at 2 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 24) at the Purcell Pavilion.

The award, considered the Heisman Trophy of Army ROTC, is given by the . The Order was founded in 1896 and is made up of “associates” who trace their ancestry back to the first colonists and who have forefathers who served in the American Revolution.

The Order presents the award to “the first-place winner for the year of U.S. Army ROTC units, having excelled both in the Military Science program and in academic endeavors.” The Notre Dame Army ROTC unit joins an elite group of colleges that have won this award, which recognizes both Notre Dame’s historical contributions to Army ROTC and the excellence of the current Notre Dame Army ROTC program.

The award will be presented by , president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame. , professor of military science at Notre Dame, will accept the award.

This is the third time the Notre Dame Army ROTC has received this prestigious award. Previous years include 1986 and 1988.

The University of Notre Dame has one of the strongest and oldest lineages tied to the Reserve Officer Training Corps in the United States, dating back to 1853 with the establishment of the Continental Cadets. Notre Dame President Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., sent seven Holy Cross priests, including Rev. William Corby, to serve the needs of the Union Army. Father Corby was with the Irish Brigade at Gettysburg and later returned to Notre Dame. He became the University president and supported the creation of several military training units. The modern Army ROTC began its current chapter at Notre Dame in 1951.