Academy of Notre Dame de Namur Viewbook for prospective students

Inspiring YOUNG WOMEN SINCE 1856

AC A D E M Y of N OT R E DA M E d e N A M U R

Inspiring TOMORROW’S LEADERS As diverse as their backgrounds, accomplishments, and passions are, our alumnae share a deep bond as women of integrity, setting the standard for social responsibility as they serve the world with honor and compassion.

We say it is our mission to inspire young women. The truth is that they inspire us—both by who they are and who they become.

SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS Our graduates leave Notre Dame with the critical thinking, problem-solving, and academic skills to excel at the nation’s most competitive colleges and universities.

They are sought-after athletes, talented artists, and curious learners, prepared for success as a result of their Notre Dame experience.

ACCOMPLISHED PROFESSIONALS Notre Dame alumnae are leading and thriving in medicine, law, the arts, engineering, education, business, science, and sports. They serve as mentors for our students, ready to share their knowledge and experience and lend their expertise as members of our alumnae association or President’s Advisory Councils.

“One of the best things Notre Dame provided me was the knowledge that I could do anything-since we were all girls, the girls were the elected leaders, athletes, scholars.”

—NINA FITE ‘75 U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA

COMPASSIONATE LEADERS As leaders and citizens, our graduates are guided by the hallmarks of the Notre Dame community—committed to honoring the dignity and sacredness of each person, acting on behalf of justice and peace in the world, and creating community among those with whom we work and with those whom we serve. Through their lives and actions, Notre Dame graduates proclaim that God is good.

HOW WILL NOTRE DAME INSPIRE YOUR DAUGHTER?

Since 1856, the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur has educated, empowered, and inspired young women for a lifetime of compassionate leadership and service to others. By “teaching them what they need to know for life,� Notre Dame challenges middle school and high school students with a rigorous, college preparatory curriculum. We recognize the unique potential of each student and encourage her to stretch her horizons within a supportive community, firmly rooted in our Catholic mission and the pioneering legacy of the Sisters of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame alumnae are strong, confident women who are prepared to take their place as leaders in a global society.

Inspiring SCHOLARSHIP & EXPLORATION

At Notre Dame, students explore their interests and express their opinions within an atmosphere of encouragement and respect found in a Catholic all-girls’ school.

Our students thrive in a rich learning environment where academic excellence flourishes, and students and teachers collaborate and build community together.

“ Playing sports at Notre Dame taught me that I can accomplish anything if I’m willing to work for it.”

— NATALIE HUGHES, ECONOMICS MAJOR CORNELL UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

RIGOROUS COLLEGE PREPARATION Beginning in the sixth grade, every aspect of a Notre Dame education builds the academic skills, personal abilities, and spiritual foundation our students need to excel in college and beyond. Small class sizes and dedicated, creative teachers with extensive knowledge of their subject areas prepare our students to succeed in an ever-evolving, information-based, and highly technological society.

ACADEMICS Step into a Notre Dame classroom and you’ll discover our students engaged in lively debates, collaborating together on a robotics challenge, conversing in Spanish, French or Mandarin, or innovating in Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship class. Advanced Placement classes and individualized academic counseling ensure that each student receives a superior, personalized academic experience. Notre Dame’s new Center for STEM Education supports an interdisciplinary education that develops critical thinking, analytical and deductive reasoning, computing, and communication skills – competencies needed by all students in all careers.

ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES There is a place for every student to discover and pursue her passions at Notre Dame. From athletic competition in the Inter-Ac league, one of the country’s oldest interscholastic athletic conferences, to intramural sports on our state-of-the-art playing fields, Notre Dame athletes model sportsmanship and leadership. Students explore their unique gifts through the fine and performing arts, explore science, technology, and mathematics in Sisters in STEM, capture the beauty of nature in photography club, or follow in the steps of the Sisters of Notre Dame in compassionate service to others.

HONOR CODE Notre Dame students accept the responsibility of freedom under the school’s honor code. Students find the freedom to express their thoughts and pursue their ambitions, knowing that they are respected and trusted.

Each student shares a responsibility to respect herself, her classmates, and her community.

A CATHOLIC FOUNDATION Education at Notre Dame is firmly grounded in an abiding trust in the goodness of God and in the goodness of our students. Our students explore the Catholic mission, their own spirituality, and examine how it applies to their lives.

A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE At Notre Dame, we prepare young women to take their place as leaders in a global society. Students explore political, social, and economic systems; participate in collaborative learning experiences with our international network of sister schools through the Academy’s Center for Global Leadership, and develop a deeper understanding of the challenges facing our interconnected world. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur live and work on five continents, and are models of caring and service for our students.

“The teachers and students are all so kind and caring and we’re just like a family.”

— CHI-CHI MADU, SEVENTH GRADE

Academy of Notre Dame de Namur 560 Sproul Road Villanova, PA 19085 610.971.0498 www.ndapa.org