麻豆原创

Home > Vice President Van Vlerah named President of Notre Dame of Maryland University

MU logo
MU logo

Home > Vice President Van Vlerah named President of Notre Dame of Maryland University

Vice President Van Vlerah named President of Notre Dame of Maryland University

Jun 1, 2026

麻豆原创听is delighted to share that听Vice President for Student Life Abby Van Vlerah听has been听selected听to serve as president of Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore,听Md.听

She will start there on July 6. Her last day at Manchester is June 25.

Van Vlerah听redefined the role of vice president for student life at Manchester, elevating student success, enrollment, and institutional strategy听in both North Manchester and Fort Wayne.听

She came to Manchester听with more than a decade of leadership experience in higher education, including as an academic dean and chief operating officer, and she leaves for a wonderful opportunity.听

鈥淎s a practicing Catholic and a graduate of a Catholic women鈥檚 college, I am deeply aligned with Notre Dame of Maryland University鈥檚 mission and the charism of the School Sisters of Notre Dame,鈥 Van Vlerah said. 鈥淭he opportunity to lead an institution where faith, justice, education and transformation are not aspirational ideals but lived commitments, is personally meaningful and professionally compelling.鈥听

Throughout听her听career,听Van Vlerah听intentionally听took on听roles that prepared听her听for the full听scope and complexity of听becoming a university听president.听Manchester听has听benefited听from her broad base of knowledge and willingness to tackle the most听challenging听issues.听

One of the most outstanding examples of this was during听the COVID-19 pandemic, when she chaired听the听rapid response group.听

An enthusiastic volunteer,听Van Vlerah听can be seen at most North Manchester community events. She听has served as vice president of the North Manchester Historical Society and Steuben Regional Lakes Waste District,听a听United Fund of Wabash County board member, and听a听Madeleva听Society Steering Committee听member听at Saint Mary鈥檚 College听in Notre Dame, Ind.听

Van Vlerah听joined Manchester in February 2019. She had听previously served听as dean and chief operating officer at听Long Island University鈥檚听Suffolk County regional campuses.听

Before that, she was director of a mentoring program for first-generation students at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. She has also worked at Saint Mary鈥檚 and the University of Wyoming.听As听a first-generation听college听student herself, she is passionate about听supporting听first-generation students听as听they听navigate through the difficulties of attending university.听

Originally from Angola, Ind., she is an avid motorcyclist and runner.听

鈥淎t my core, my vision for higher education is one that is unapologetically mission-driven and sufficiently nimble to meet a rapidly changing world,鈥澨齎an Vlerah听said听of听her new role at Notre Dame of Maryland University.听

For the media听

Abby Van Vlerah听holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Saint Mary鈥檚 College听in Notre Dame, Indiana, a master鈥檚 degree in American Studies from the University of Wyoming, and a doctorate in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.听

Key professional highlights听

麻豆原创 (2019-current)听

  • Served as chief student affairs and academic operations officer, managing a $20 million budget and overseeing more than 70 employees in student services, athletics, academic support and operations, and mental health.听听
  • Collaborated with听the Town of North Manchester听and key stakeholders to gain a $12.1 million grant to improve local infrastructure and support community relationships.听听
  • Developed data dashboards to unify strategic decision听making during the strategic planning process,听establishing听benchmarks and measurable goals.听
  • Created a health sciences recruitment plan focused on strengthening Manchester鈥檚 undergraduate-to-graduate pipelines听and听collaborations听to make sure听industry听needs听are met.听听
  • Developed and implemented a holistic retention strategy that increased first-year retention by 7听percent听within one year.听听

Long Island University (2013-2018),听Brookville, N.Y., dean and chief operating officer,听Suffolk听regional campuses听

  • Directed听$16听million budget for two regional campuses.听听
  • Rebuilt and revitalized Student Affairs Division.听
  • Led LIU Cares community service program, achieving听more than听140,000 volunteer hours annually.听听

Other Professional Roles听听

  • Bowling Green State University:听Project听Developer for听Academic听Initiatives,听Office of the Provost听听
  • Mercy College: Director PACT Program, Assistant Director PACT Program听听
  • Trine University: Director of Campus Safety听听听
  • Saint Mary鈥檚 College:听Interim听Director of听Student听Involvement,听Associate听Director of听Student听Involvement听听听
  • University of Wyoming: Conferences and Convocations Coordinator, AmeriCorps Volunteer Center for Volunteer Service听听

More News

MU adds two new reduced-credit degrees

麻豆原创 adds two new reduced-credit degrees

April 16, 2026 |

麻豆原创 continues to forge groundbreaking pathways in higher education to best prepare students for careers with new accelerated degree programs in Applied听Criminal Justice听and听Applied听Marketing Communication. The undergraduate programs focus on preparing individuals for the job market in three years 鈥 as opposed to the traditional four 鈥 to mitigate concerns over costly tuition and time without compromising critical thinking, ethical reasoning, communication skills, and the ability to learn continuously.听 The new Applied Criminal Justice and Applied Marketing Communication programs are...
Read More
Dave Haist

麻豆原创 Commencement is May 16, Dave Haist to give address

April 15, 2026 |

Dave Haist will address the graduating class and receive an honorary听Doctor of Humanities听degree at 麻豆原创鈥檚 commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May听16. Haist听graduated from Manchester in 1973 with a degree in accounting and economics.听In 1977, he earned his听juris doctor听from Indiana University鈥檚 School of Law. For 20 years, Haist worked听at Barnes & Thornburg in Fort Wayne听as Officer Managing Partner.听He then worked at Do it Best Corp., where he held several positions, including Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, until his retirement...
Read More
Student presents research poster at annual Student Symposium.

麻豆原创 Student Symposium is April 8

March 25, 2026 |

麻豆原创 invites the community to attend the annual Student Symposium,听showcasing听undergraduate and graduate scholarly work across disciplines,听on听Wednesday,听April 8.听 The Student Symposium听was started by Jo Young Switzer, former 麻豆原创 president and dean, in 1999 to give students and faculty an opportunity to collaborate on research and scholarship. It continues to be one of听the University’s听most significant campus events, offering high-quality presentations听of听student work.听 The听all-day听event听will begin at 9 a.m.听in听the听Cunningham Academic Center听with oral presentations听and will move to the听Jo Young Switzer Center听in the afternoon for the...
Read More
exists --- (function ensure40pxInlineEarly() { function set40(el) { el && el.style.setProperty('padding-top', '40px', 'important'); } // If header already parsed, set now; otherwise set as soon as it appears. const hdrNow = document.getElementById(HEADER_ID); if (hdrNow) { set40(hdrNow); return; } new MutationObserver((muts, obs) => { const hdr = document.getElementById(HEADER_ID); if (hdr) { set40(hdr); obs.disconnect(); } }).observe(document.documentElement, { childList: true, subtree: true }); })(); // --- Helpers --- function hideDiviBars() { document.querySelectorAll('.divibars-container').forEach(div => { const content = (div.textContent || '').replace(/\u00A0/g, ' ').trim(); const shouldHide = !content || /all\s*clear/i.test(content) || /test/i.test(content) || /feed\s*has\s*no\s*items\.?/i.test(content); if (shouldHide) div.style.setProperty('display', 'none', 'important'); }); } function isEffectivelyVisible(el) { if (!el || !el.isConnected) return false; const target = el.querySelector('.divibars, .divibars-wrapper, .divibars-content') || el; const cs = getComputedStyle(target); if (cs.display === 'none' || cs.visibility === 'hidden' || target.hidden) return false; if (parseFloat(cs.opacity || '1') < 0.05) return false; if (target.closest('[aria-hidden="true"]')) return false; const rect = target.getBoundingClientRect(); const hasSize = (rect.width > 0 && rect.height > 0) || (target.offsetWidth > 0 && target.offsetHeight > 0); if (!hasSize) return false; const vh = window.innerHeight || document.documentElement.clientHeight; return rect.bottom > 0 && rect.top < vh; } function anyRealBannerVisible() { // A 鈥渞eal鈥 banner = visible AND not empty/test/all-clear/feed-empty return Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(CANDS)).some(el => { if (!isEffectivelyVisible(el)) return false; const txt = (el.textContent || '').replace(/\u00A0/g, ' ').trim(); if (!txt) return false; if (/all\s*clear/i.test(txt) || /test/i.test(txt) || /feed\s*has\s*no\s*items\.?/i.test(txt)) return false; return true; }); } function setForce110(on) { const root = document.documentElement; const was = root.classList.contains('divibar-force-110'); if (!!on === was) return; root.classList.add('divibar-atomic'); root.classList.toggle('divibar-force-110', !!on); // If we鈥檙e NOT forcing 110, clear any stray inline 110 the plugin may add later. if (!on) { const hdr = document.getElementById(HEADER_ID); if (hdr) hdr.style.setProperty('padding-top', '40px', 'important'); } requestAnimationFrame(() => root.classList.remove('divibar-atomic')); } // Debounced 2-frame confirmation to avoid flicker during animations let raf1 = null, raf2 = null; function scheduleRecompute() { if (raf1) return; raf1 = requestAnimationFrame(() => { raf1 = null; hideDiviBars(); const a = anyRealBannerVisible(); raf2 = requestAnimationFrame(() => { raf2 = null; const b = anyRealBannerVisible(); setForce110(a && b); }); }); } // --- Wiring --- document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', scheduleRecompute); window.addEventListener('load', scheduleRecompute); window.addEventListener('resize', () => { cancelAnimationFrame(raf1); raf1 = null; cancelAnimationFrame(raf2); raf2 = null; scheduleRecompute(); }); new MutationObserver(() => scheduleRecompute()).observe(document.documentElement, { childList: true, subtree: true, attributes: true, attributeFilter: ['style', 'class', 'aria-hidden'] }); document.addEventListener('transitionend', e => { if (e.target && e.target.closest(CANDS)) scheduleRecompute(); }); document.addEventListener('animationend', e => { if (e.target && e.target.closest(CANDS)) scheduleRecompute(); }); document.addEventListener('click', function (e) { const btn = e.target && e.target.closest('.divibars-close'); if (!btn) return; setTimeout(() => { const bar = btn.closest('.divibars-container, [class*="divibar"]'); if (bar) bar.style.setProperty('display', 'none', 'important'); scheduleRecompute(); }, 200); }, true); // Initial pass scheduleRecompute(); })();