Sister Jean Stoner Passes the Gavel at NDNU
June 16, 2026
Committed to educating women and men in the values of excellence, integrity and service, Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) has been a fixture of higher education in California since its founding by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1851.
NDNU President Beth Martin and Sister Jean Stoner
This year, Sister Jean Stoner, SNDdeN stepped down as board chair at NDNU, a leadership role she has held since 2018.
Her entire term has been focused on securing a more sustainable future for the historic school. That plan included the sale of the 96.5-acre Belmont campus to UC Investments.
Sister Jean says, “After partnership efforts and feasibility studies indicated that continuing as a traditional undergraduate residential institution was not viable, NDNU closed its undergraduate programs in 2020.”
The sale, completed in 2025, opens the door for NDNU to continue its tradition of excellence with robust online and graduate programs for adult learners.
Sister Jean’s interest in the success of NDNU, her alma mater, runs deep: “With a personal touch and community spirit, NDNU continues to provide a transformative, professionally-oriented education designed for learners who reflect the diversity of our world. I am proud to support its continued growth as we steadily move forward into the next 175 years!”
For the next several years, NDNU will lease back the property, ensuring that current students are not affected during the transition to a new location. Sister Jean will continue to serve on the board as a trustee, as she has since 2016. The incoming board chair is Manny Nungaray, chief development officer at the YMCA of the East Bay.
