Hundreds of excited Fordham University students crowded the Rosehill campus in the Bronx early Friday morning for a surprise performance by the legendary Irish rock band U2.

News of U2's appearance, which was supposed to have been kept under wraps, was leaked out to the media earlier this week, when professors at Fordham were told to cancel their morning classes March 6.

During the not-so-secret gig, U2 taped a segment for ABC's "Good Morning America" show as a part of a weeklong publicity tour to promote the band's latest album, "No Line on the Horizon," which hit stores Tuesday.

The band performed several numbers, including its hit song "It's a Beautiful Day," and sat down for an interview with an ABC host on the stage before an animated crowd of students and university staffers.

U2's frontman, Bono, said he and his band mates were excited to play at Fordham and joked that they finally made it to college.

Students say the band, which is known for its charity work in third-world countries, shares the school's Jesuit philosophy, which focuses on service to the poor.