Misericordia University
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| Misericordia University | |
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| Established: | 1924[1] |
| Type: | Private[1] |
| President: | Michael A. MacDowell |
| Dean: | Kit Foley |
| Staff: | 257[1] |
| Students: | 2,355[1] |
| Undergraduates: | 2,068[1] |
| Postgraduates: | 290 |
| Location: | Dallas[1], Pennsylvania, USA |
| Campus: | Suburban |
| Colors: | Blue and Yellow |
| Mascot: | Cougar |
| Affiliations: | Roman Catholic Church, Sisters of Mercy[1] |
| Website: | http://www.misericordia.edu/ |
Misericordia University is a four-year, Catholic, co-educational liberal arts university located on a 100 acre campus in Dallas, Pennsylvania, near the cities of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. It was founded by the Religious Sisters of Mercy on August 15, 1924. The university offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees as well as post-master's and post-bachelor's certificates.[1]
On August 24, 2007 Misericordia achieved university status. It carried the college designation prior to August 24, 2007.
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[edit] Fast Facts [2]
Founded: 1924 by the Religious Sisters of Mercy
Affiliation: Roman Catholic Church
Campus: 123-acre residential campus in suburban setting in Dallas, Pennsylvania
Total Enrollment: 2,355, 74% women, 26% men. Full-time Enrollment: 1,476, 72% women, 28% men
Part-time Enrollment: 599, 78% women, 22% men. Graduate Enrollment: 280, 75% women, 25% men
Financial Aid: Approximately 98% of students receive some form of financial aid.
Retention Rate: 85%, First-year to sophomore = 81%
Faculty: 94 full time; 82% hold Ph. D. or other terminal degree*
- This includes all academic departments except for the Health Sciences where the accepted terminal degree varies. All Health Science faculty are fully credentialed in their respective area.
Student/Faculty Ratio: 12:1
Average undergraduate class size is 17 students, and 24% of classes have 9 or fewer students, 61% have 19 or fewer.
Four-year, on-time graduation rate: 61%.The six-year graduation rate is 66%.
Incoming freshmen have an average SAT of 1012 and 48% of them rank in the top 25% of their high school graduating class.
These fast facts can be found in entirety on the Misericordia University website
[edit] History [3]
The Religious Sisters of Mercy were of the order of Mercy founded in Dublin in 1831. The Sisters vowed to be of service to the impoverished, sick and uneducated. The Sisters of Mercy came to the Wyoming Valley area of Pennsylvania in 1875, continuing their mission of praying, teaching and caring for the sick. The sisters established a school for children and a night school for adults in the coal mining region.
On August 15, 1924, the Sisters of Mercy established Luzerne County’s first four-year institution of higher learning, Misericordia, on nearly 100 acres of land in Dallas, Pennsylvania, purchased by the Sisters for this purpose in 1914.
More than 2,500 people witnessed the dedication of Misericordia (whose name means “heart of mercy”). That September, 37 students began their studies.
Misericordia continues to be as a university, a broad-based liberal arts and pre-professional studies institution offering education to those of all faiths. The university has been co-educational since the 1970s and offers graduate programs. Today, Misericordia University is located on the original grounds, but has expanded to 120 acres, situated in a suburban setting eight miles from downtown Wilkes-Barre.
Misericordia's history can be verified on the institutions webpage
[edit] University Status [4]
Prior to August 24, 2007, Misericordia operated as "College Misericordia." The process to determine whether or not to become a university began in August 2005 with the introduction of the concept to faculty, staff and students.
A University Status Task Force was formed with representatives from alumni, current students, the Board of Trustees, and the faculty and staff to provide a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. The task force recommended to the Board of Trustees on June 9, 2006 that the college make application to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to pursue university status.
The PDE Visitation Team conducted a site visit at Misericordia in January 2007 and submitted a written response in March 2007 to our application (submitted 2006).
Final approval was received on August 15, 2007 and institution began operations as Misericordia University on August 24, 2007.
Misericordia--University Status Timeline, Pennsylvania Legal Requirements to Become a University, Misericordia University Task Force Members
[edit] Academics
Misericordia gives students a choice from 30 majors in three Academic Colleges:[5]
[edit] Guaranteed Placement Program
Misericordia's Guaranteed Placement Program (or GPP) is a development program pertaining to a student’s education.
Established in 1999, the GPP assists students entering the workforce or graduate school after graduation. Any student, that participates in the GPP for all four years of their college experience, and does not receive a job offer or is not accepted into graduate/professional school within six months of graduation, the university provides that student a paid internship in their chosen field.[6]
[edit] Athletics
Misericordia University competes in the NCAA Division III, Eastern College Athletic Conference and the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference. In 2008, MU will join the Middle Atlantic Corporation's Freedom Conference. Women's sports include basketball, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, swimming, softball, cross-country, cheerleading, lacrosse, tennis and track and field. Men's sports include basketball, soccer, swimming, cross-country, baseball, golf, lacrosse, tennis and track and field.
The school has had an athletics program since 1932, when it introduced intramural sports.[7]
[edit] Student Life
24 clubs, service organizations and special interest organizations.[8]
Special Organizations: Assistive Technology Research Institute; Diversity Institute; Ethics Institute of Northeast Pennsylvania; Institute of Gerontology (Aging Religious); Institute of Law and Religious Life; Institute of Sacred Scripture.
Special Programs: Alternative Learner's Project (ALP) for students who learn differently; Center for Service Learning; incorporating community service into academic study; Distance Learning Program, providing college level courses to students in the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania; Fun and Fitness Program, providing a variety of athletics and other activities for the community at the Anderson Sports-Health Center; Cultural Events, providing a variety of programs usually at no cost to the community.
[edit] Freshmen Year Experience
FYI is for first-year students to the institution. It integrates them into the university community. Through an introductory session at orientation and six follow up weekly classroom workshops during the Fall semester, all first year students become familiar with key offices, services and resource on campus and to explore issues related to university life, i.e., diversity, wellness, thinking, learning, peer pressure and drugs and alcohol. During the Spring semester, all First Year students participate in another FYE Program devoted to leadership development. Students work with their facilitators and classmates to assess their leadership potential on and off campus.[9]
[edit] Student Government Association
Misericordia's Student Government Associationis a student-run, student-elected executive board which represents the students at Misericordia University. Members of the board and delegates represent the students on various college committees. Student Government also is the governing body of the various clubs on campus and keeps records of each club's activities.[10]
[edit] Student Media [11]
"The Highlander” is a student written and published newspaper. It is published bi-weekly during the semester.
“Cougar Radio” is a student operated radio station. It is streamed over the internet 24/7.
Misericordia University Television creates video programming for the university's closed circuit TV system and local cable providers.
“Instress” is the campus literary magazine which prints original material by students and members of the university community. Instress is published once a year in the spring.
[edit] Financial Aid
The University participates in financial aid programs. These programs generate funds from Federal, State and College resources. Additional financial aid monies are contributed by alumni and friends of the University. The financial aid office packages aid from a combination of sources to meet indicated need.[12] View the list of Misericordia University's Tuition and Fees
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h [1986] (2006) in Oram, Fern, A: Peterson's Colleges in the Middle Atlantic States. Peterson's, 76. ISBN 978-0-7689-2421-3. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ Misericordia University Fast Facts Reference
- ^ Misericordia University's History Reference
- ^ Misericordia University - U Status Reference
- ^ Misericordia University Academics Reference
- ^ Misericordia University Guaranteed Placement Program
- ^ Misericordia University Athletics Reference
- ^ Misericordia University number of clubs
- ^ Misericordia University FYE
- ^ Misericordia University SGA Reference
- ^ Misericordia University Student Media Reference
- ^ Misericordia University Financial Aid Reference
[edit] External links
- Official site
- CougarConnect is Misericordia's Alumni Site
- Misericordia's Admissions Site
- Misericordia's Virtual Tour Page
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