Special Message from the Board and Corporate Board Chairs - Gratitude and Celebration

Dear Trustees, Trustee Associates, President’s Roundtable, Donors, Foundations, Friends, and Faculty and Staff of the Notre Dame of Maryland University Community,

As we prepare to conclude an extraordinary chapter in the history of Notre Dame of Maryland University, we write with profound gratitude for the remarkable leadership and enduring legacy of President Marylou Yam, Ph.D.

Dr. Yam’s presidency has been defined by a willingness to embrace bold ideas while remaining steadfastly committed to the University's mission and values. Under her leadership, Notre Dame launched an unprecedented number of new and highly sought-after academic programs designed to meet workforce demands and expand opportunities for students grounded in the liberal arts and sciences.

These include Maryland's first bachelor's and master's degrees in Art Therapy, a Ph.D. in Higher Education, a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, an Occupational Therapy Doctorate, expanded nurse practitioner pathways, accelerated nursing programs (including a new location in Elkridge, MD), and numerous online offerings that broadened access to a Notre Dame education. Moreover, in 2026, Dr. Yam announced that $100,000 was raised to start the NDMU Student Research Fund, an endowment to support student research.

Perhaps no achievement better exemplifies Dr. Yam's visionary leadership than the acquisition and integration of the Maryland University of Integrative Health. This historic milestone created the nation's first School of Integrative Health within a comprehensive university and cemented Notre Dame as a leader in educating healthcare professionals prepared to address the evolving needs of patients and communities. Combined with the University's longstanding distinction as Maryland's leading private sector producer of newly certified teachers, this strategic expansion significantly strengthened Notre Dame's impact across some of society's most critical professions.

As we know, part of any institution’s financial strength is based in enrollment and endowment growth. Dr. Yam's tenure was marked by extraordinary enrollment success during one of the most challenging periods in higher education history. While many colleges and universities nationwide experienced enrollment declines, with nearly one million fewer students having enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic (National Student Clearinghouse), and over 80 not-for-profit colleges and universities in the past 10 years having closed (Hechinger Report), Notre Dame chose a different path.

Through thoughtful innovation and a commitment to expanding educational opportunity, the University welcomed male students into its traditional undergraduate program and experienced three consecutive years of record-breaking new student enrollment in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Between 2022 and 2025, total enrollment grew by an extraordinary 38 percent, reaching nearly 2,400 students and establishing Notre Dame as the number one and number two fastest-growing universities in the Baltimore region in 2024 and 2025, respectively, by the Baltimore Business Journal.

Importantly, this growth never came at the expense of accessibility or affordability. Today the University is ranked by U.S. News and World Report (2026) in the regional universities-north category, among the region’s leading institutions, including #22 for Top Performer in Social Mobility and #10 for Best Value Schools. These rankings make NDMU #1 for Top Performer in Social Mobility in Maryland and #2 Best Value amongst regional north universities in Maryland. Under Dr. Yam's leadership, Notre Dame continued its commitment to serving students from all backgrounds while achieving national recognition for student outcomes and value, all while remaining one of Maryland's most affordable independent universities (College Scorecard).

Equally significant has been Dr. Yam's commitment to ensuring the University's long-term sustainability and financial strength. During her presidency, Notre Dame completed the most successful fundraising campaign in its history, securing more than $52 million in philanthropic support for scholarships, faculty excellence, academic innovation, and campus transformation. Most notably, the University's endowment grew an extraordinary 81 percent over the past decade, to an all-time high—with most funds dedicated to supporting student financial aid and access to higher education.

Under her guidance and vision, the University completed major renovations and capital improvements, including the comprehensive renovation of the Knott Science Center, the completion of the Doyle Dining Hall renovation, refurbishments to Caroline Hall and LeClerc Hall, the construction of a new turf athletic field, planned expansion of the softball field for competitive play, soon-to-be-completed Fourier Hall renovation, and ongoing updates to the student residence hall facilities, including new windows in Meletia Hall and in currently in Doyle Hall. These initiatives have enhanced the student experience and expanded opportunities for Gator athletics. In total, they have strengthened Notre Dame's ability to provide students with an exceptional learning environment while preserving the beauty and character of our historic campus.

It is with gratitude that we recognize that, throughout her presidency, Dr. Yam demonstrated that institutional leadership extends beyond campus boundaries. Whether serving on statewide commissions, advancing independent higher education through state and national organizations, mentoring emerging leaders, or strengthening partnerships throughout Baltimore and Maryland, she consistently elevated the visibility and reputation of Notre Dame. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her leadership reflected the University's mission of service by opening the campus to support vaccination efforts that served thousands of Maryland residents during a time of great uncertainty.

The collective impact of these achievements has not gone unnoticed. In 2025, Notre Dame received the prestigious John W. Nason Award from the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, one of the highest recognitions in higher education board governance excellence. The award affirmed the alignment and strategic though leadership of the Board and President. Under Dr. Yam's leadership, and through her team’s efforts, the University has emerged as a national model for mission-driven innovation, strategic growth, and institutional transformation. The BBJ recently stated that “Dr. Yam was one of the most transformational presidents in the school’s 131-year-old history.”

Yet beyond the new student enrollment records, new programs, fundraising success, and national recognition, what we will remember most is Dr. Yam's genuine care for people. She has been a compassionate leader, trusted mentor, thoughtful listener, and tireless advocate for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the University. Her leadership has always been grounded in a deep respect for the dignity and potential of every individual and an abiding belief that education can transform lives.

As Chairs of the Board of Trustees and the Corporate Board, we have had the distinct privilege of partnering with Dr. Yam during this remarkable era. We have witnessed her courage in confronting challenges, her wisdom in guiding strategic decisions, and her unwavering commitment to preserving and advancing the mission entrusted to our care. The University she leaves today is stronger, more vibrant, more financially secure, and better positioned for the future than at any point in recent memory.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the Corporate Board, and the entire Notre Dame community, we celebrate Notre Dame’s transformation and extend our deepest gratitude to President Marylou Yam for twelve years of extraordinary leadership and service. Her legacy will live on in the thousands of students whose lives have been transformed through education, in the strengthened institution she leaves behind, and in the countless members of the Notre Dame family who have been inspired by her example.

Notre Dame did not simply withstand the challenges facing higher education during Dr. Yam's presidency—it flourished.  Through vision, faith, innovation, and determination, she helped write a new chapter in the University's history and positioned Notre Dame to thrive for generations to come.

With gratitude and admiration,

Cathryn Curia '69
Chair, Board of Trustees

Sister Nancy Gilchriest, SSND
Chair, Corporate Board
Provincial Leader, Atlantic-Midwest Province
School Sisters of Notre Dame