Mercyhurst College

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Mercyhurst College


Motto	Carpe diem (Latin: Seize the Day)
Established	1926
Type	Private, Catholic college
Endowment	$22.4 million
President	Dr. Thomas Gamble
Faculty	124 full-time
Staff	403
Students	3,080
Undergraduates	2,856
Postgraduates	224
Alumni	12,000+
Location	Erie, Pennsylvania, USA
Address	501 East 38th Street, Erie, PA, 16546
Telephone	1-800-825-1926
Campus	Urban - 70 acres
Athletics	Mercyhurst Lakers
Sports	2 Division I/23 Division II
Colors	Blue, Green, & White
Nickname	Lakers
Affiliations	NCAA Division II; GLIAC
Website	www.mercyhurst.edu

Mercyhurst College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.

1 History
2 Today
3 Athletics
4 Notable alumni
5 Trivia
6 External links

[edit] History

It took a century and a quarter for Erie's classrooms to reach the ridge crowning the city. In 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors on a wind-swept hill overlooking Lake Erie, just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. Today, the college is in its 79th year after being founded by the Sisters of Mercy of the Erie Catholic Diocese, who were led by Mother M. Borgia Egan, first president of Mercyhurst College. The heritage of Mercyhurst, however, can be traced back to Mother Catherine McAuley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland.

From its roots on 75 acres of farmland on the bluffs overlooking Lake Erie to Mercyhurst's modern campus, the college has undergone dynamic change. Today Mercyhurst covers six blocks and is the largest piece of unbroken real estate in Erie. More importantly, Mercyhurst has emerged as a major force in the educational landscape of the region, while remaining true to its mission as a private Catholic liberal arts college in the Mercy tradition.

From the beginning, Mother Borgia was determined to make Mercyhurst the "beauty spot in the diocese of Erie." Wanting the institution to be a masterpiece of harmony, she directed that the exterior of the college be given as much attention as its interior. Under her direction, the Sisters hired prominent architect F. Ferdinand Durang of Philadelphia to create Old Main. It became a masterpiece of English Gothic design and stateliness that has a suggestion of medieval castle in its lines. With the addition of the college gates in 1950, the Mercyhurst campus became a city landmark.

Mother Borgia Egan was the foundress and first president guiding the college from 1926 to 1959. Sister Carolyn Herrmann, who led the college through the challenge of coeducation, was the most recent Sister of Mercy serving as president from 1963 to 1972. Since then the college has been led by lay presidents who share the commitment to Mercy higher education.

In Mercyhurst history, four dates stand out above all others: Sept. 20, 1926, when the college opened; Oct. 5, 1928, when the school received its charter; Feb. 3, 1969, when the board of trustees voted to admit the first class of men to Mercyhurst; and March 27, 1991, when the 100-year old Redemptorist Seminary in North East was purchased for use as a branch campus.

In the past two decades, Mercyhurst has become one of the top comprehensive colleges in the North and the second largest Mercy college in America. Between its two campuses, enrollment has grown to a record 4,000 students, full-time faculty members number 168, the endowment has increased to more than $20 million and its budget to more than $80 million.

An unprecedented $40 million program of buildings and campus renovations has dramatically changed the look of Mercyhurst during the past 20 years. Old Main remains the spiritual center of a campus that has blossomed to include more than 50 structures. In fall 2002, the $7.5 million Audrey Hirt Academic Center opened on the southeast edge of campus. The much-anticipated, technology-rich classroom building was funded largely through the college’s $22.8 million capital campaign.

In addition to the pace-setting growth on the main campus, in 1991 Mercyhurst purchased the 100-year-old Redemptorist Seminary in North East. Nearly 900 students are enrolled in two-year and certificate programs at the 84-acre campus. In August 2005, the $5 million Michele and Tom Ridge Health and Safety Building was dedicated at Mercyhurst North East. A $1.3 million residential apartment complex opened in time for the academic year.

In April 2005, the board of trustees authorized the purchase of 400 acres in the community of Girard in west Erie County as a first step toward developing Mercyhurst West, a two-year campus envisioned to serve west Erie County, northwest Crawford county and northeast Ohio. Classes will begin in September 2006.

Following a nation-wide search by a 17-member committee, the board of trustees elected Dr. Thomas J. Gamble as 11th president of Mercyhurst College. Dr. Gamble, who previously served as vice president of academic affairs at the college, assumed the presidency March 1, 2006.

The college is no longer run by the order, but the high school adjacent to the campus, Mercyhurst Preparatory School, is. The Sisters of Mercy have a motherhouse south of the college and several sisters still work for the college. The school's crest says, "Carpe Diem," which is Latin for seize the day, though it is actually the admonition to enjoy the pleasures of the moment without considering their effect on your future.

[edit] Today

Enrollment at Mercyhurst College is at its highest ever level, with nearly 3,500 students. Dr. Thomas Gamble is the current President. The college is one of the few schools in the region on a trimester academic period system.

The Schools of Mercyhurst College

The School of Arts & Humanities
The Walker School of Business & Communication
The Hafenmaier School of Education & Behavioral Sciences
The Zurn School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics
The School of Social Sciences

The school is best known for its programs in archaeology, intelligence (MCIIS &CIRAT), forensics, dance, and music.

The College has a campus 18 miles east at North East, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former St. Mary's Seminary. At this campus, known as Mercyhurst North East, students can enroll in an opportunity college for one-year certificates in health fields, computers, or culinary arts, or two-year associate degrees in nursing, liberal arts, culinary arts, and computers. Students may also advance to four-year institutions.

[edit] Athletics

Mercyhurst College Athletics Logo

The Mercyhurst College competes in two NCAA Division I and 23 NCAA Division II sports. Mercyhurst, is known as the "Lakers". The Lakers are a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Around 15 percent of the student body are considered student-athletes.

NCAA Division I Sports

Men's Ice Hockey (Atlantic Hockey)
Women's Ice Hockey (College Hockey America)

NCAA Division II Sports

Baseball
Men's & Women's Basketball
Men's & Women's Cross Country
Field Hockey (Independent)
Football
Men's & Women's Golf
Men's Lacrosse (East Coast Conference)
Women's Lacrosse (Independent)
Men's & Women's Rowing (ECAC)
Men's & Women's Soccer
Softball
Men's & Women's Tennis
Men's Volleyball (Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association)
Women's Volleyball
Men's & Women's Water Polo (Collegiate Water Polo Association)
Wrestling (Independent)

National Championships

2004: Women's Rowing - NCAA Division II

[edit] Notable alumni

Seth Lucas, guitar player, band Super No. 7
John Costello, former Major League Baseball player.
Jeff Daisley, 2006-2007, Buffalo Silverbacks (ABA)
James "Buster" Douglas, 1981-1999, Professional Heavyweight Boxer (First to defeat Mike Tyson)
David Lee, Major League Baseball player.
Mike McLellan, 2005-Present, New York Titans (NLL)

[edit] Trivia

"Mercyhurst's City" was a clue in the January 8th edition of Cooper's Gigantic Crossword

Mercyhurst is mentioned in the Movie "That Thing You Do" as the site for the featured band's first real gig.

[edit] External links

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Ashland • Ferris State • Findlay • Gannon • Grand Valley State • Hillsdale • Lake Superior State • Mercyhurst • Michigan Tech • Northern Michigan • Northwood • Saginaw Valley State • Wayne State Associate Member: Indianapolis

Atlantic Hockey
Men's Division: Air Force • American International • Army • Bentley • Canisius • UConn • Holy Cross • Mercyhurst • RIT • Sacred Heart

College Hockey America
Men's Division: Alabama Huntsville • Bemidji State • Niagara • Robert Morris • Wayne State Women's Division: Mercyhurst • Niagara • Robert Morris • Wayne State

Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association
Shondell/Dunlap League: Ball State • IPFW • Lewis • Loyola • Mercyhurst • Ohio State • Quincy Coleman League: Carthage • Clarke • Central State • MSOE