PARK HILLS, Ky. (Sept. 12, 2024) – Thomas More University will offer direct admission to all graduates of Notre Dame Academy, beginning with the Class of 2025. Leadership from Thomas More University and Notre Dame Academy met on Thursday, Sept. 12 to sign the historic agreement, the first partnership of its kind for an all-girls Catholic high school in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. 

September 12 is celebrated as Founders Day at Thomas More University, recognizing the institution’s beginnings in 1921, when it was founded to train Catholic school teachers and to provide college education for young women. Then known as Villa Madonna College, Thomas More was designated a co-educational institution in 1945. 

Thomas More University and the Sisters of Notre Dame hold close ties for over a century, with the Sisters of Notre Dame, joined by the Congregation of Divine Providence and the Benedictine Sisters, being educational partners and co-founders and/or co-trustees of the University since 1929. Notre Dame Academy is a community of lifelong learners sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame and the only single-gender Catholic high school for young women in Northern Kentucky and in the Diocese of Covington. 

“This partnership strengthens the bonds between our two historic institutions, while honoring our shared legacy and the values of a Catholic, faith-based education. This announcement today expands the work of Thomas More University to reduce barriers and increase access to Catholic higher education,” says Thomas More University President Joseph L. Chillo, L.PD.

In addition to direct admission, Thomas More University will be the preferred dual credit institution for Notre Dame Academy. Through this program, Notre Dame Academy students can enroll in college courses at a reduced rate and get a head start on their college degree. Courses taken through dual credit can be applied to a degree at Thomas More or transferred to another institution. Thomas More University’s School of Education will also provide professional development opportunities each year for faculty and staff of Notre Dame Academy.

“Notre Dame Academy is thrilled to partner with Thomas More University in offering our graduates this unique opportunity for direct admission,” says Jane Kleier, interim president and chief communications officer of Notre Dame Academy. “This partnership provides our students with a seamless path to continue their education at a university that shares our mission of empowering young women to make a difference in the world.”

ABOUT THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY 

Founded in 1921, Thomas More University stands as a beacon of academic excellence and innovation, challenging students to Make It More. Deeply rooted in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, this timeless foundation supports a transformative educational experience as students looking to Be More are guided in the pursuit of knowledge, ethical leadership, and the integration of faith and reason. Through the high-quality, liberal arts education provided at Thomas More, students examine the ultimate meaning of life, their place in the world, and their responsibility to others which leads to the ability to think critically and contribute meaningfully to the world. Serving more than 2,300 students, Thomas More takes its place as the premier Catholic university in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, being named one of the 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal.  

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MEDIA CONTACT: Kristen Gallagher, director of communications & PR, gallagherk@thomasmore.edu, 859-344-3309