The Shockwaves of Recent College Closures in American Higher Education

In a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities facing small private colleges across the United States, two institutions—Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio, and Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California—have announced their permanent closures at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year. These decisions, revealed in early February 2026, underscore the intensifying pressures of declining enrollment and escalating financial burdens that have plagued higher education for years. As the nation grapples with a demographic cliff and post-pandemic economic shifts, these closures highlight a broader crisis threatening the sustainability of similar institutions nationwide.

Lourdes University: A Franciscan Legacy Comes to an End

Founded nearly 70 years ago by the Sisters of St. Francis, Lourdes University has long served as a beacon of Franciscan values, emphasizing service, compassion, and holistic education in northwest Ohio. However, on February 11, 2026, the Board of Trustees and the sponsoring Sisters announced the university's closure, citing insurmountable financial pressures. The institution, which shifted focus over the past 15 years toward traditional undergraduate programs bolstered by extensive athletic offerings, could no longer sustain its operations amid declining student numbers and rising costs.

Enrollment at Lourdes has plummeted dramatically—from a peak of around 2,600 students near 2012 to just 964 by fall 2024, a drop exceeding 60 percent. Fall 2023 figures showed 1,014 total students, with 827 undergraduates, and a striking 72 percent of undergraduates participating in varsity athletics—a strategy many small colleges adopted to boost numbers but which proved costly in the long run. The Sisters of St. Francis, who have sacrificially subsidized the university for decades, determined they could no longer bridge the funding gap.

In response, Sister Dr. Nancy Linenkugel was appointed as the final president to oversee an orderly teach-out. All classes, housing, and services will continue uninterrupted through spring 2026, with partnerships forming for seamless student transfers to nearby institutions like the University of Toledo and Walsh University.

Providence Christian College: Challenges in the Heart of Southern California

Just days earlier, on February 7, 2026, the board of Providence Christian College—a small Reformed Christian liberal arts school established around 2005—voted to cease operations after 20 years. With only 147 students enrolled in 2023, the college faced acute vulnerabilities: low enrollment, soaring operational costs in high-rent Pasadena, stringent accreditation demands, and the loss of federal grant funding. Public records revealed a minuscule endowment of $25,322 and nearly $1 million in annual operating losses.

Despite exploring options like relocating the campus, cutting expenses, and forging partnerships, leadership concluded no viable path to sustainability existed. Over half of current full-time students are on track to graduate in May 2026, while underclassmen benefit from teach-out agreements with Biola University, Concordia University Irvine, and The Master's University—offering automatic admission, credit transfers, and comparable tuition. President Steven B. Kortenhoeven emphasized stewardship and providence in the announcement, framing the closure as a faithful close to a mission-driven chapter.

Declining Enrollment: The Demographic Cliff Hits Home

At the core of both closures lies America's enrollment crisis, exacerbated by the 'demographic cliff'—a projected 15 percent drop in high school graduates starting in 2026, stemming from birth rate declines in the early 2000s. Nationwide, undergraduate enrollment fell 15 percent from 2010 to 2021, with small private nonprofits hit hardest. Regional disparities amplify this: the Midwest and Northeast face steeper declines, directly impacting schools like Lourdes.

• Post-COVID shifts: Many traditional-age students opted for workforce entry or alternatives amid rising tuition skepticism.
• Increased competition: Online programs and community colleges draw cost-conscious learners.
• International enrollment dips: Visa uncertainties and geopolitical tensions reduced foreign students by notable margins in 2024.

For faith-based colleges like these, niche missions limit recruitment pools further, as prospective students prioritize larger, better-resourced peers.

Photo by Lisa Bresler on Unsplash

Financial Pressures Mounting Across Small Institutions

Beyond enrollment, skyrocketing costs—facilities maintenance, insurance, compliance, and staffing—erode margins. Lourdes' heavy athletics investment (72 percent athlete participation) exemplifies how enrollment-boosting tactics backfire when revenues lag. Providence grappled with Southern California's premium real estate and accreditation upgrades, while both lost donor consistency and federal aid amid policy flux.

Endowment gifts to colleges dropped 9.2 percent in fiscal 2025 to $14 billion, hitting smaller schools without reserves hardest. A Federal Reserve analysis predicts 80 closures over five years, averaging 16 annually—matching 2025's tally.

Human Impacts: Students, Faculty, and Communities Affected

Students face disrupted paths but benefit from proactive teach-outs. At Lourdes, Zoom sessions with transfer partners like University of Toledo aid transitions; Providence's dedicated team handles advising and SEVIS transfers for internationals. Faculty and staff, often deeply invested, now seek new roles—prompting a surge in higher education jobs searches.

Communities lose anchors: Lourdes' closure ripples through Sylvania's economy, while Providence's end affects Pasadena's Christian networks. Yet, legacies endure through alumni networks and transferred credits.

Strategic Responses and Lessons for Surviving Colleges

Survivors adapt via mergers, online pivots, and program specialization. Key strategies include:

• Target non-traditional students (adults 25+, up 18.7 percent in 2024).
• Leverage data analytics for recruitment, as in machine learning closure predictors.
• Diversify revenue: Partnerships, corporate training, career advice programs.
• Cost controls: Shared services, athletic rightsizing.

Explore Rate My Professor for insights into faculty transitions or university jobs for opportunities.

Broader Implications for US Higher Education Landscape

With 16 closures in 2025 and more looming, policymakers eye aid reforms and accreditation tweaks. New England saw 32 four-year closures since 2010; national trends signal consolidation. Positive notes: Overall fall 2024 enrollment rose 1 percent, buoyed by adults and transfers.

Photo by Josh Hild on Unsplash

Future Outlook: Adaptation and Resilience Ahead

By 2041, 13 percent fewer 18-year-olds mean intensified competition, but opportunities abound in lifelong learning and workforce-aligned credentials. Institutions succeeding invest in equity, tech, and branding. For professionals eyeing stability, resources like faculty positions and academic CV tips prove invaluable.

As Lourdes and Providence wrap legacies, their stories urge proactive stewardship across higher ed.