For Immediate Release:
September 12, 2024
Notre Dame Academy and Thomas More University Partner
to Establish Direct Admission Program for Students
Park Hills, KY – Notre Dame Academy (NDA) is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Thomas More University (TMU) that will provide direct admission to all NDA graduates, beginning with the Class of 2025. This historic agreement marks the first direct admission partnership of its kind for an all-girls Catholic high school in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
This partnership underscores the shared Catholic values and long-standing collaboration between the two institutions. Notre Dame Academy, the only single-gender Catholic high school for young women in the Diocese of Covington, and Thomas More University, the Diocese’s Catholic university, are committed to fostering academic excellence and providing opportunities for young women to continue their education in a faith-based environment.
The agreement was officially signed on September 12, 2024, a day that holds special significance as Founders Day at Thomas More University. Founders Day commemorates TMU’s establishment in 1921, when it was founded as Villa Madonna College to train Catholic school teachers and provide higher education for women. Since then, TMU has evolved into a co-educational institution, while maintaining its strong ties to the Sisters of Notre Dame, who have been educational partners with the university since 1929.
“Notre Dame Academy is thrilled to partner with Thomas More University in offering our graduates this unique opportunity for direct admission,” said 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.”
Through this agreement, NDA graduates who meet specific academic and disciplinary standards, release their transcripts, and opt into the program will have direct access to Thomas More University. In addition to this admissions advantage, NDA students will benefit from TMU’s professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, ensuring a continued commitment to academic excellence.
“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.