Full Story: NDMU Becomes gender inclusive
By becoming gender inclusive, NDMU is honoring and expanding its historical mission to educate leaders to transform the world. This decision will allow NDMU to provide its distinctive model of transformative and inclusive education to even more women and men.
Nearly a year ago, the NDMU Board of Trustees had the foresight to form an Enrollment Task Force to evaluate overall enrollment trends at NDMU and in higher education. The timing of this decision reflects our commitment to be proactive in preparing for the needs of the future and expanding our ability to reach more women and men with the transformational education offered at NDMU.
An Enrollment Task Force, formed by the NDMU Board of Trustees, reviewed the enrollment trends of women’s colleges, as well as undergraduate enrollment trends nationally and statewide. Based on that review, the Task Force recommended to the Board that the University expand its mission and become gender inclusive.
Educating men is not new to our university community. NDMU has offered gender inclusive adult undergraduate programs since 1975 and gender inclusive graduate programs since 1984.
Less than 2 percent of female freshmen enroll in private, women’s colleges and universities every year. In order for NDMU to flourish for years to come, we needed to expand our mission to admit women and men who want a gender inclusive college experience.
Men will be able to apply now for undergraduate admissions to enroll for the fall 2023 semester. The traditional undergraduate nursing program had already begun to accept male transfer students to address nursing shortages in Maryland and across the country.
Yes, the School Sisters of Notre Dame support the decision to go gender inclusive at NDMU. Charmaine Krohe, SSND ’75, provincial leader of the SSND Atlantic-Midwest Province, issued a statement of support for the decision:
“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.”
NDMU will continue to offer the innovative IMPRINT leadership development program, minor in women’s studies, and the Women's Leadership Institute of Baltimore (WLIB).
In 1975, in response to the growing need for flexible higher education for adult students, 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 the college’s history.
NDMU has launched new high-demand undergraduate and graduate degree programs through our School of Arts, Sciences & Business; School of Education; School of Nursing, and School of Pharmacy.
In 2018, the University became the first college or university in the state to offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs in art therapy. Just 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. Additional new programs include pre-professional bachelor's degree programs in pre-occupational therapy (2021), pre-physician assistant studies (2023), and health sciences (2023), as well as a doctoral program in occupational therapy (2021).
Since 2015, NDMU has been held Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status at the United Nations, which provides students the opportunity to learn about global issues on an international stage. Since 2017, NDMU has partnered with the University of Baltimore’s School of Law to enable students to earn a bachelor’s degree and law degree in six years.
Doyle Hall has housed male students in the residence hall for many years. In fall 2023, male students will continue to be housed on the floors for male students. Meletia Hall will remain all-female residence hall for the next few years.
NDMU will remain an NCAA Division III university. Teams for men are planned to begin in academic year 2023-24.
All students will have access to the distinctive programs and majors that NDMU currently offers, including the general education curriculum and majors and minors in a wide variety of disciplines.
NDMU will continue to deliver on its mission, which has included women and men for many years: “Notre Dame challenges women and men to strive for intellectual and professional excellence, build inclusive communities, engage in service to others, and promote social responsibility.”
NDMU continues to be a student-centered institution, which promotes close student and faculty interaction. Small class sizes mean that students have valuable opportunities to practice leadership and benefit from faculty support and mentorship. Faculty will come together to share classroom strategies as the undergraduate student body changes. Many members of the NDMU faculty are very familiar with the gender inclusive classroom from their work elsewhere or their experience teaching in our adult undergraduate and graduate programs.
NDMU is committed to student success across the University. Women and men will have access to the academic support they need including tutoring, learning accommodations, and information about health and wellness, just as they always have. Student Life and Academic Affairs will continue working together to ensure students are holistically supported in their academic pursuits.
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
Julia Campagna, director of mission and ministry at NDMU, discusses both the history of All Saints' Day and how the holiday is recognized on campus in this USA TODAY feature article.
