51��Ƶ

BALTIMORE, Md. – 51��Ƶ President Marylou Yam was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the 2026 Commencement, celebrating her extraordinary leadership, visionary accomplishments, career scholarship, and enduring contributions to the University and broader community.

The 51��Ƶ Board of Trustees unanimously voted to confer Dr. Yam with the honorary degree to recognize her leadership in guiding the University through a period of transformational growth and strategic innovation that has positioned 51��Ƶ for a vibrant future.

“Dr. Marylou Yam has served with distinction as the fourteenth President of 51��Ƶ since 2014, providing visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to the mission and values of the School Sisters of Notre Dame,” said the Board of Trustees resolution which conferred the degree.

During Dr. Yam’s presidency, the University enjoyed record new student enrollment growth after the successful transition to a gender-inclusive undergraduate program, with total undergraduate and graduate enrollment increasing by 38% since 2022. The Baltimore Business Journal ranked 51��Ƶ the #1 and #2 fastest-growing college in greater Baltimore in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

She led the most successful comprehensive campaign in the University’s history, raising more than $52.6 million to support student scholarships, faculty excellence, and campus transformation. She strengthened the fiscal stability of the university, raised the endowment by 48% to a historic high, and significantly enhanced the campus infrastructure and student experience with the renovation of major facilities.

The Board also recognized Dr. Yam as a champion for academic innovation with the launch of numerous academic programs and the creation of 51��Ƶ Online, which expanded access to 51��Ƶ’s mission. She led the historic merger of the Maryland University of Integrative Health to establish the new School of Integrative Health at 51��Ƶ—making 51��Ƶ the first comprehensive university with a school solely dedicated to integrative health.

The Board noted that Dr. Yam’s influence extended well beyond the University through her leadership and service to the state of Maryland and the national higher education community. During her career she published numerous scholarly articles and book chapters on topics including domestic violence, nursing research and case management.  She is a trustee of the National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities and is a past chair of the Maryland Independent Colleges and Universities Board. She has been widely recognized, including multiple selections to The Daily Record’s Maryland Top 100 Women, induction into the Circle of Excellence, recognition as one of Maryland’s Most Admired CEOs, and designation as an Icon Honors Award recipient.

Established in 1895, 51��Ƶ ( 51��Ƶ) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.