Lourdes University Closing in May: Board Announces End of Operations

Lourdes University to Close in May, Board of Trustees Announces

Sylvania, Ohio – Lourdes University will cease operations in May 2026, the university’s Board of Trustees announced Monday, February 11, 2026. The decision marks the latest in a series of closures and downsizings impacting higher education institutions across the country, particularly smaller religious-based colleges.

The announcement did not detail the specific reasons for the closure, but alluded to ongoing financial challenges. Lourdes joins a growing list of universities grappling with declining enrollment and financial instability. Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan, recently announced a similar downsizing, partnering with Madonna University and Lourdes University to allow students to complete their degrees, according to reporting from MLive.com.

The closure of Lourdes University follows a pattern seen at other institutions. Valparaiso University, a Lutheran institution, implemented significant cuts in 2024, eliminating over two dozen academic programs with low enrollment and an undisclosed number of faculty positions, as reported by Higher Ed Dive. Like Valparaiso, Lourdes is a smaller religious institution facing financial headwinds.

The situation echoes challenges faced by Iowa Wesleyan University, which closed in 2023 after struggling with declining enrollment and failing to secure additional funding from the state, as detailed on RobertKelchen.com. The website notes that even when enrollment increased at Iowa Wesleyan, tuition revenue did not.

Concordia University’s decision to downsize and partner with Lourdes and Madonna Universities highlights a trend of “teach-out” agreements, designed to help students complete their education even as institutions restructure or close. These agreements typically maintain tuition costs and expected timelines for program completion.

Representatives from Madonna University were scheduled to be on the Concordia Ann Arbor campus on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, and Lourdes University representatives were scheduled for October 30-31 and November 6, 2024, to provide information to students. Concordia is also reportedly working on teach-out agreements with two other institutions.

The closure of Lourdes University adds to a growing number of leadership changes and institutional shifts in higher education. The University of Virginia and the University of Delaware both named new presidents on January 1, 2026, following abrupt resignations, according to Leadership Ledger. These changes, coupled with the financial struggles of institutions like Lourdes and Valparaiso, signal a period of significant transition and uncertainty for colleges and universities nationwide.