Founded in 1898 by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), in the past 18 years DePaul University has transformed itself from a commuter institution, "the little school under the El," to the largest Catholic university in the United States and the seventh largest private university. It has increased its enrollment by 11,000 students to 23,600 students, its freshman class has tripled from 750 to 2,260, and its financial profile and facilities have followed suit.