Notre Dame of Maryland going coed in fall 2023

Notre Dame of Maryland University announced Sept. 13 it will begin accepting male students to all its undergraduate programs, changing to a coeducational model after more than 125 years of offering a traditional women’s college education.

The NDMU Board of Trustees voted unanimously for the university to become co-ed and enroll men into the traditional undergraduate program starting in fall 2023. The decision came nearly a year after the board formed a taskforce to review the enrollment trends of women’s colleges, as well as national and statewide undergraduate data. 

“By going co-ed, Notre Dame of Maryland University is uniquely positioned to deliver on its mission and strategic goal to advance inclusive and transformational education to more women and men and to equip them to realize their goal of attaining a college degree,” said Dr. Marylou Yam, president of Notre Dame of Maryland University in a statement released by the school. 

NDMU has enrolled men in both its adult undergraduate and graduate programs for decades.

“The Board recognized that in order for NDMU to flourish for years to come, we needed to expand our mission to admit women and men who want a co-ed college experience,” School Sister of Notre Dame Sister Patricia McLaughlin, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, said in a statement released by the school. “NDMU will continue to educate women and men together to make a difference in the world.”

The university noted that the number of students enrolled at women’s colleges has steadily declined. Less than 2 percent of female freshmen enroll in private women’s colleges and universities. In 1960, there were about 230 women’s colleges; now, there are fewer than 40, according to the Women’s College Coalition.

Reaction from alumni was swift on social media with some praising the decision and others criticizing it. On Facebook, a few commentators said they were “upset” about the decision, while others said the addition of male students would keep the university viable.

Carolyn Buck, a longtime Catholic schools educator in Baltimore, said: “With so many colleges and universities facing rising costs of education, as well as many students opting for community colleges and online degrees, tough decisions have to be made. As an alumna of another college for women, I have read about the challenges facing other schools. Enrollment alone cannot sustain an institution. The generosity of alumnae, friends in the community, and corporate benefactors are all vital ingredients.”

Jaclyn Zendrian, who graduated in 2004 and added a master’s degree in 2010 from NDMU, said “As an alum twice over this is extremely disappointing, even after reading about why. Women deserve a place that focuses on what matters to them to empower them.”

NDMU was founded in 1895 as the first Catholic college to award a four-year degree to women. In 1975, NDMU became only the nation’s second college to establish a Weekend College for adult undergraduate students, opening enrollment to men for the first time. In 2018, the university became the first college or university in the state to offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs in art therapy. Last year, NDMU was the first private college in Maryland approved to offer a master’s degree program in physician assistant studies, set to launch in fall 2023.

NDMU’s foundresses, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, support the decision to become co-ed, according to the university. “The School Sisters of Notre Dame established an enduring legacy that continues to guide Notre Dame of Maryland University into the future. Their future-focused vision and spirit still animate this community of faith, learning, and service,” said SSND Sister Charmaine Krohe, provincial leader of the SSND Atlantic-Midwest Province.

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