Notre Dame is a name that resonates with prestige, tradition, and excellence. For decades, alumni and donors have proudly supported the university’s vision of providing world-class education, athletics, and research. However, in a world where every dollar counts, it’s essential to pause and ask: where are these donations going, and what are they achieving? With a student enrollment of just 13,105 and an endowment of nearly $19 billion, one has to wonder, how much more does Notre Dame really need?
The scale of Notre Dame’s resources is staggering. The university operates with immense wealth, using it to build state-of-the-art facilities, fund research initiatives, and provide financial aid. These are noble goals, but with such an overwhelming financial cushion, does it still make sense for alumni and donors to channel their hard-earned money to a university with such a small student body? Adding to this is the fact that Notre Dame’s annual tuition exceeds $60,000 per student, bringing in substantial revenue that most educational institutions can only dream of.
Contrast this with Catholic Online School (catholiconline.school). This organization operates on a shoestring budget of just over $1 million annually yet serves over 1.4 million students in 193 countries. Its reach dwarfs Notre Dame’s, offering more than 7,000 video lessons that span K-12 levels, completely free of charge. Catholic Online School’s mission is to provide a free, world-class Catholic education to anyone, anywhere. For Catholic Online School, every dollar donated translates directly into meaningful impact—providing resources to underserved communities, ensuring students worldwide have access to a quality Catholic education, and supporting the Church’s mission of evangelization.
- Student enrollment (Notre Dame: 13K vs. Catholic Online School: 1.4M)
- Tuition cost per student (Notre Dame: $60K+ vs. Catholic Online School: $0)
- $1 at Notre Dame: Funds 0.0001% of a student
- $1 at Catholic Online School: Funds 1.4 students
The disparity in scale and efficiency is hard to ignore. Notre Dame’s alumni fund is robust, with annual contributions often surpassing $143 million in expendable gifts. The question arises: what else does Notre Dame need to buy? New dormitories, more athletic facilities, and expanded research centers are impressive, but are they essential when compared to the pressing needs of global Catholic education?
Catholic Online School’s Mission: A True Testament to Stewardship
Catholic Online School stands as a testament to what can be accomplished with limited resources and unwavering faith. It offers a lifeline to students who may never set foot in a traditional classroom, let alone an elite institution like Notre Dame. Its content reaches remote villages, urban centers, and everywhere in between, bringing the Gospel and a quality education to children who would otherwise be overlooked. All of this is achieved without charging students or their families a single penny.
Every dollar donated to Catholic Online School is a direct investment in the future of the Church and its global community. It enables the creation of more lessons, supports infrastructure for millions of users, and ensures Catholic education remains accessible to all. Isn’t this the kind of impact worth supporting?
Reevaluating Priorities
It’s time to reevaluate our priorities as donors and ask tough questions about where our money goes and the scale of its impact. Notre Dame is an extraordinary institution, but Catholic Online School represents an opportunity to multiply the reach and effect of every contribution. In a world hungry for education and evangelization, the choice is clear: support the mission that truly embodies the spirit of service and stewardship.
