Notre Dame College to close after over 100 years in operation

March 5, 2024

After more than 100 years, historic Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio is closing its doors. The Christian Post reports that the Catholic school announced last week that it would be ending in-person learning at the end of the Spring 2024 semester.

According to a statement released by the college, the decision to close was made due to “long-standing challenges related to declining enrollment, a shrinking pool of college-aged students, rising costs and significant debt.”

The college’s Board of Trustees acknowledged that “heroic efforts” undertaken to keep the school in operation had failed “close the financial gap in time to satisfy debt obligations and allow the school to continue to operate independently.” 

Notre Dame College Interim President John Smetanka expressed sadness at the decision, noting, “Rest assured that as we move forward, we are doing everything we can to ensure a smooth transition for our students to continue their education.” 

According to The Christian Post, the school has established relationships with nine colleges and universities in Ohio and Pennsylvania to allow students to continue their educations with as little interruption as possible. Notre Dame College was founded in 1922 as a “Catholic, four-year liberal arts institution for women.”

The school’s website states that its purpose was to “provide a mission-focused, values-based, private Catholic education to students who might otherwise not have access to such an experience” and to educate “a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility.” 

The institution began admitting men in 2001.

Notre Dame College is a separate institution from the more prominent Notre Dame University, located in South Bend, Indiana

Photo: top, Credit: Joshua Gunter/Cleveland.com