The Institute of Notre Dame has been closed for six years, but alumnae of the private Baltimore all-girls Catholic school are funding a faith-rooted education for a new generation of girls.
The Institute of Notre Dame Alumnae Association has established two endowed scholarships for students at Mercy High School and Mount de Sales Academy, both of which “share a deep connection to the IND community,” according to a news release.
“Although IND closed its doors, the spirit and legacy of IND live on through its alumnae, IND’s Alumnae Association as a nonprofit, and through the many women whose lives were shaped by a rigorous, Catholic, college preparatory education,” said Debbie Henry, president of the INDAA and a member of IND’s Class of 1993. “These endowed funds are a meaningful way for us to provide immediate impact to students in our communities while also investing in the future, which is something very important to us. We are deeply grateful to Mercy High School and Mount de Sales Academy for helping us extend IND’s legacy to future generations.”
Each school will receive $25,000 endowed scholarship funds, for a combined investment of $50,000.
The funds will support incoming students who have a family connection to the Institute of Notre Dame.
IND operated as a college preparatory high school in Baltimore for 173 until it closed in June 2020. Despite efforts to save the school from closure or find a new site for it to carry on, IND’s doors have remained shut.
But through the endowed scholarships, alumnae hope the school’s legacy will live on.
“The INDAA and both schools view these scholarships not simply as financial assistance, but as a lasting tribute to the many generations of women who have received a rigorous Catholic, college preparatory education in Baltimore, and to the enduring bonds of sisterhood formed within our greater community,” the news release read.
Leaders from Mercy High School and Mount de Sales Academy expressed appreciation for the funds.
“We are deeply grateful for the Institute of Notre Dame Alumnae Association’s generous gift and for its commitment to keeping the IND legacy alive,” said Mercy High School President Mary Beth Lennon, a member of Mercy’s Class of 1985. “This scholarship will provide meaningful support to students and families while honoring the longstanding relationship between Mercy and IND. We may have been rivals on the basketball court for 54 years, but we will always be partners in Catholic education.”
“The alumnae of the Institute of Notre Dame are advancing the cause of Catholic education for young women and leaving a lasting legacy through the generosity of this endowment,” said Principal Sister Ann Dominic, O.P. of Mount de Sales Academy. “This gift brings hope and is a testament to the strong sisterhood emblematic of the IND Alumnae. What a blessing to see them put faith in future female leaders.”
Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, admissions teams at Mercy High School and Mount de Sales Academy will work with students whose families are connected to IND. They plan to distribute funds in the 2027-28 school year.
The endowments will support scholarships in perpetuity. Each school will establish their own scholarship policies and criteria.
The nonprofit IND Alumnae Association comprises 8,000 alumnae.
