Lourdes University, a private Catholic institution nestled in Sylvania, Ohio, has announced it will close its doors at the end of the current academic year, ending nearly seven decades of Franciscan higher education in northwest Ohio. The announcement, delivered on February 11, 2026, by the Board of Trustees and the Sisters of St. Francis, sent ripples through the local community and the broader landscape of faith-based education in the region.
The decision to shutter the university, which was established in 1958 but traces its roots back to the early 1940s as an extension program of the College of St. Teresa, was not made in haste. According to a statement from the Board of Trustees, "After careful deliberation with the Board of Trustees of Lourdes University, the Sisters of St. Francis have resolved that the University will close at the end of the academic year. This decision is one we do not make lightly, but it is one we are charged to make." The board cited mounting financial pressures, declining enrollment, and rising operational costs as the main drivers behind the closure. Over the past 15 years, Lourdes has struggled to sustain its traditional undergraduate programs and athletic offerings amid a funding model that, in their words, "is unsustainable."
President William Bisset, who had been leading the university, stepped down immediately following the announcement. Sister Dr. Nancy Linenkugel, a long-serving member of the Sisters of St. Francis, has been appointed as the 13th and final president of Lourdes University. She now faces the formidable task of overseeing the institution's closure and guiding its students, faculty, and staff through this period of transition. "The Sisters’ focus and ministry has always been on education and the individual student’s success. This was true when the Sisters opened Lourdes College in 1958 and it will remain true until the day our last class on this campus ends. Unfortunately, the Sisters can no longer continue to subsidize the University at the level required to sustain its operations. A Franciscan education is a relational one and we mourn with the students and faculty that this time has come," Sister Linenkugel said in a statement quoted by WTOL.
For many, the closure marks the end of an era. Lourdes University, originally founded as Lourdes Junior College, received regional accreditation in 1964, became independently incorporated in 1973, and transitioned from a college to a university in 2011. Its Franciscan values and small, close-knit campus environment have left a lasting imprint on generations of students. The campus itself, located on the Sylvania Franciscan grounds, has been a hub for not just academic pursuits but also community and spiritual engagement.
The financial challenges facing Lourdes are not unique. As the Board of Trustees noted, "Due to the myriad of challenges for similar institutions across higher education today, Lourdes has faced mounting financial pressures driven by declining enrollment, rising costs and a funding model that is unsustainable." The Sisters of St. Francis, who have supported the university with "extraordinary generosity, faith and commitment," can no longer subsidize operations at the necessary level. The board stated, "With this knowledge, the Board of Trustees, along with the Sisters of St. Francis, have devoted considerable time to reviewing the University’s financial outlook and long-term viability. We have worked closely with University leadership, consulted other stakeholders and weighed our responsibilities with prayerful discernment."
For current students, faculty, and staff, the university has promised a transition plan to help them navigate the coming months. All classes and operations will continue through the end of the academic year, and the university has assured that the quality and integrity of education will be preserved until the final day. Sister Linenkugel emphasized, "Right now, our immediate priority is supporting students, faculty and staff through this transition, and ensuring they are able to complete their academic pathways with clarity, dignity and care." Information regarding degree completion, transfer options, and individualized support will be shared as it becomes available.
Several meetings have been scheduled to address the concerns of the Lourdes community. According to WTVG, a Zoom meeting for parents is set for 6 p.m. on February 17, 2026, while a student Zoom meeting with the University of Toledo admissions leadership—focused on the transfer process—is scheduled for 1 p.m. on February 18, 2026. A townhall meeting for students is also planned for the evening of February 12, 2026. The University of Toledo has stepped forward as a "teach-out partner," offering Lourdes students in good standing the opportunity to transfer and complete their degrees in programs aligned with their majors. Dr. James Holloway, president of the University of Toledo, expressed his support: "It was with sadness that I learned of the closure of Lourdes University, a valued educational institution in our region. This closure creates uncertainty for Lourdes' students and The University of Toledo is here to support them to complete their educational journey. All interested Lourdes students in good standing will be admitted to UToledo in a program aligned with their major and, to the fullest extent allowed by our accreditors, be supported to finish their degrees."
Local organizations have also weighed in on the closure. Sylvania Schools, which shares athletic fields with Lourdes, confirmed that there would be no immediate impact on its own athletes, stating, "The fields used by Lourdes athletics are on our campus. Lourdes will continue to use the fields through the spring season. There is no impact on our athletes." The Diocese of Toledo, meanwhile, lamented the loss of the region’s only Catholic liberal arts university. Bishop Daniel Thomas, informed of the decision only a day before the public announcement, offered prayers and encouragement to the Sisters of St. Francis and the entire Lourdes community as they seek a new home.
The closure of Lourdes University comes amid a broader trend of financial instability at small private and faith-based colleges across the country. Nearby Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan, is also expected to close at the end of the 2025-2026 school year, underscoring the systemic challenges facing institutions with similar missions and funding structures.
For now, the focus at Lourdes remains on supporting its community through the transition. As Sister Linenkugel put it, "There are several unresolved details still, and I am working with a dedicated team to ensure a smooth transition for our students as well as for our faculty. We plan to have all things in place in coming weeks and will be updating students, parents, and faculty continually." While the doors will close, the legacy of Lourdes University—and the spirit of its Franciscan founders—will linger in the lives it has touched and the community it has served.