Notre Dame of Maryland names new president

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Abagail Van Vlerah, characterized as an “innovative leader and student success champion” by Notre Dame of Maryland University officials, has been appointed as the institution’s 15th president following a unanimous vote by the school’s board of trustees.

Van Vlerah will begin her new role on July 6, the university announced Monday. She brings more than a decade of senior leadership experience in higher education as she prepares to lead the 131-year-old school in Baltimore. Van Vlerah will replace outgoing NDMU President Marylou Yam, who announced plans to retire in October 2025.

Yam’s last day will be on June 30, concluding a 12-year stint as the school’s president.

“As a practicing Catholic and a graduate of a Catholic women’s college, I am deeply aligned with Notre Dame of Maryland University’s mission and the charism of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. What attracted me to Notre Dame of Maryland University was the opportunity to lead an institution where faith, justice, education, and transformation are not aspirational ideals, but lived commitments,” Van Vlerah said according to a release. 

“My commitment to academic excellence is rooted in a deep belief in the liberal arts as the foundation for critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and lifelong learning, paired with a clear-eyed understanding of the need for market-responsive professional programs.”

Over the course of her career, Van Vlerah has served as an academic dean, chief operating officer and a vice president as she makes her way to NDMU from Manchester University in Indiana, where she is the vice president for student success and institutional strategy.

In her role at Manchester University, Van Vlerah leads more than 70 employees in student services, athletics, academic support and operations, and mental health delivery, according to a release. She’s been at the school since 2019.

Van Vlerah holds a Ph.D. in American cultural studies from Bowling Green State University, a master’s in American studies from the University of Wyoming and earned her bachelor’s from Saint Mary’s College (Indiana).

Prior to Manchester, Van Vlerah has held leadership and administrative roles at Long Island University, Bowling Green University (Ohio), Mercy College (N.Y.), Trine University (Indiana), Saint Mary’s College (Indiana) and the University of Wyoming.

“At my core, my vision for higher education is one that is unapologetically mission-driven and sufficiently nimble to meet a rapidly changing world,” Van Vlerah added. 

“Institutions must reassert their value by clearly articulating how they educate the whole person, intellectually, ethically, spiritually, and practically, while embracing innovation that expands access and relevance. Notre Dame of Maryland University embodies this balance.”