A New Chapter for Notre Dame de Namur University
July 8, 2026
By Kurt Allen, Vice President, Enrollment, Marketing and Communications, NDNU
For more than a century, the Belmont campus of Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) has stood as a place of quiet transformation, where ivy-covered paths, the historic Ralston Mansion and the rolling hills above Water Dog Lake have shaped generations of students.
NDNU continues to lease the campus space while exploring new campus locations and expanding its digital and hybrid learning environment.
Now, that storied setting is entering a new chapter. With the sale of its 96.5-acre campus to University of California Investments, NDNU is not simply closing a chapter; it is redefining its future. What may appear to be a straightforward real estate transaction is, in fact, a thoughtful evolution of a 175-year-old mission in a rapidly shifting higher education landscape.
Founded in 1851 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and relocated to Belmont in 1923, the university has long embraced change as part of its identity. This moment is no different. “Selling our campus does not mean abandoning our mission,” said President Lizbeth “Beth” Martin, Ph.D. “It ensures continuity for our students and honors a legacy rooted in social justice, service and education.”
That legacy will remain visible. UC Investments has committed to preserving the campus’s most iconic landmarks, including Ralston Mansion and the Carriage House, ensuring that the history etched into the landscape endures.
For now, daily life continues uninterrupted. Students will still walk the same paths, attend classes and gather in familiar spaces as NDNU leases the campus for up to five years. Behind the scenes, however, the university is starting to reimagine what comes next, which will include exploring new campus locations in San Mateo County while it continues to expand its digital and hybrid learning environment.
For a university with nearly two centuries of history, change is nothing new. The Belmont campus may no longer define NDNU’s identity in the future, but the spirit that gave rise to it, the commitment to education, service and community, remains as strong as ever as NDNU charts its path toward the next century.
