Mercyhurst university

 

Introducing …


It’s official. Mercyhurst College is now Mercyhurst University.

In announcing what is largely considered the biggest change impacting the institution since going co-ed in 1969, Mercyhurst University stands at the threshold of a new era.

Embracing the moment with pride and anticipation, Mercyhurst University President Tom Gamble noted that: “Over the last couple of years we have been talking about a birth at Mercyhurst College, the birth of a diverse and vibrant Catholic University in the Mercy spirit. Yesterday, the signature of the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education made it official. We are Mercyhurst University.”

After more than a year of navigating the application process, Mercyhurst received word from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) of its favorable decision Jan. 23. Today the college assumes its new name and unveils its new look in the form of the Mercyhurst University logo.

The logo, done in the traditional colors of blue, green, black and white, incorporates the college shield; the Mercy Cross, which symbolizes the founding Sisters of Mercy; and the Carpe Diem motto and date of founding.

Changing from a college to a university is an ongoing process with hundreds of little details, from stationery to signage, to be addressed in the months ahead. This May’s commencement marks the official kickoff of what Mercyhurst is calling “The Year of the University.” Mercyhurst will launch a new website, christen a new academic building, unveil a history of Mercyhurst, and engage the community in its yearlong celebration of this historic event, details of which will be forthcoming.

While the change from a college to a university marks an important milestone in Mercyhurst’s 86-year history, the transition in status won’t be evident in the overall function of the institution. Many colleges that adopt university status are quick to make programmatic changes. Such is not the case with Mercyhurst, which is already widely recognized as a university in practice.

In general, a college has one emphasis, typically offering four-year baccalaureate degrees, while a university has many. In the past two decades, Mercyhurst has added a number of programs not usually offered by a traditional residential baccalaureate college. It is home to more than 1,000 associate degree students and hundreds more in its adult and graduate programs. It also offers online and off-site graduate certificate programs. That diversified growth has resulted in both the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and U.S.News & World Report moving Mercyhurst from the category of “baccalaureate colleges” to “master’s universities.”

Changes that will become apparent in the days ahead are focused primarily on the college’s structure. Mercyhurst University will incorporate three colleges: the college of baccalaureate studies located on the hill in Erie; the college of associate degrees headquartered in North East but with sites in Girard, Corry and at the Booker T. Washington Center; and the college of graduate studies.

Going forward, Gamble said the traditional baccalaureate enrollment on the Erie campus is not expected to grow in size, but the university looks forward to further enhancing its reputation as a high-quality liberal arts college at the heart of a top-tier Catholic university. Mercyhurst does anticipate expansion in its two-year, graduate, adult and online programs. Thus, taken as a whole, Mercyhurst University aims to become bigger and better.

“While we’ve long known and celebrated who we are, Mercyhurst can now officially tell its students: You are getting the best of both worlds – a university-quality education with the personal attention and flavor of a liberal arts college,” Gamble said.

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Mercyhurst gets $1.5 million PDE grant to establish after-school learning centers in 7 Erie schools

Mercyhurst College announced today a grant of $1.5 million from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to launch the school’s Carpe Diem Academy, an academic enrichment program designed to help K-2 students in seven schools within the Erie School District meet state and local academic standards.

Coming on the heels of its new college education program at the Booker T. Washington Center and its partnership in the Erie Together poverty initiative, the Carpe Diem Academy opens a new chapter in Mercyhurst’s ongoing efforts to help enhance the quality of life in Erie.

PDE’s 21st Century Community Learning Center grant, administered by Mercyhurst in collaboration with the Erie School District, will be allotted in annual installments of approximately $500,000. The term of the grant is three years, starting now through Sept. 30, 2014. This valuable program is used to facilitate extended learning day centers to meet state and local academic standards in low-performing schools.

“Mercyhurst is looking forward to working with Erie School District to create a progressive arts, wellness and academically rich environment for this vulnerable population,” said Mercyhurst College President Dr. Tom Gamble. “We have so much we can learn from each other to raise the achievement of all students in our community, and we’re excited to have our institution, particularly our students, be part of this K-2 collaborative effort.”

Mercyhurst's education department will work with school district officials to establish Carpe Diem Academy centers in the following elementary schools: Burton, Edison, Irving, Lincoln, Perry, Pfeiffer-Burleigh and Wayne. They will be open four days a week from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. and open to approximately 60 students per school on a first-come first-served basis.

The staff will include one site director, a certified teacher who is enrolled in Mercyhurst’s graduate program and clinical support teachers who are Mercyhurst education majors in high standing. Students from Mercyhurst’s pre-service teacher education program will provide small group instruction and one-to-one support as they fulfill clinical requirements.

Teaching teams will execute a math and reading curriculum, facilitate arts and cultural experiences in partnership with local organizations, conduct daily health and wellness activities and provide a healthy snack and dinner.  The Carpe Diem Academy will involve many community partners, among them Arts Erie, the Erie Art Museum, Jump Bunch Sports and Fitness, Healthy Youth Development, and Penn State CORE, according to Dr. Leanne Roberts, associate dean of the Hafenmaier School of Education and Behavioral Sciences.

The Carpe Diem Academy, named after the Mercyhurst College motto (Seize the Day), will also involve parents, offering seminars ranging from public health issues to nutrition.

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Mercyhurst gets high marks for serving special needs students

“Best Colleges Online” ranked Mercyhurst ninth in its recent listing of “20 Incredible Colleges for Special Needs Students” and third among its “10 Impressive Special College Programs for Students With Autism.”

The blog said the Asperger Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM), part of the Learning Differences Program, makes Mercyhurst “a strong contender for students who have an autism spectrum disorder.”

The AIM program focuses on assisting those with Asperger’s and other high-functioning forms of autism adapt to campus life. Mercyhurst also offers support to students with other special needs through its Learning Differences Program. The latter gives participants access to special accommodations, which can help them better cope with any learning disabilities they might have — from offering aid with physical impairments to getting additional tutoring.

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