Niagara University

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Niagara University
Motto Ut Omnes Te Cognoscant ("That All May Know You")
Established 1856
Type Private
President Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M.
Faculty 130
Students 3200
Undergraduates 2,800
Location Lewiston, NY, USA
Campus Suburban
Athletics 19 varsity teams
Mascot Purple Eagle
Website www.niagara.edu

Niagara University is a Roman Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition, located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York. Originally founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1856 as Our Lady of Angels Seminary, it became Niagara University in 1883. Now in its 150th year, Niagara is still run by the Vincentian Fathers. All of Niagara's 25 presidents, including its current president, Father Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., have been Vincentian priests.

Niagara has 3,200 undergraduate students in 50 academic programs. Approximately half of the students are residents, while the other half commutes from the surrounding area. The college is known as a liberal arts school, but offers programs in technical and pre-professional disciplines as well.

Contents

[edit] Academics

[edit] College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences forms the foundation of the university's curriculum and serves as the basis for its designation as a liberal arts college. A majority of Niagara's academic departments are housed in Arts and Sciences, including Biology, Chemistry, Communications, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, English, History, International Studies, Mathematics, Political Science, Philosophy, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology, Social Work, and Theatre Studies. All Niagara students complete a portion of their coursework in the College of Arts and Sciences, as numerous foundational courses are housed within this unit.

[edit] College of Business

With programs in Accounting, Business Administration, and Commerce, the College of Business continues to enhance its academic standing at the local, regional, and national levels. Each year, students in the College of Business conduct tax return processing as a community service for area residents.

On January 23, 2006, the University announced a gift of $5 million from College of Business alumnus Gerald Bisgrove, Class of 1968. It was the largest single gift in Niagara's 150-year history. $4.5 million of this gift has been appropriated to expand the College of Business facilities. Groundbreaking occurred on this project in May 2006. Upon its completion, the new complex will be called Bisgrove Hall, superseding the old building known as Perboyre Hall. The remainder of Mr. Bisgrove's gift will be allocated to academic scholarships in the College of Business.

[edit] College of Education

Niagara has a long-standing commitment to training teachers for K-12 schools. Education students major in the College of Education and choose a concentration in the College of Arts and Sciences. Student teaching takes place in area schools, many of which are located in low-income urban and rural districts.

[edit] College of Hospitality and Tourism Management

The College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Niagara's newest, is an offshoot of earlier tourism programs at the university. The College includes course offerings on tourism, hotel, restaurant, recreation, and sports management. Many students supplement their classroom experience with internships in local hotels. In addition, the College boasts a popular study abroad program in Lake Como, Italy.

The College of Hospitality and Tourism Management is ranked 6th in the nation among hospitality programs. In recent years, graduates have a near-100% job placement rate. Faculty members come from around the world and most hold the terminal degree in their field. The College is located on the top floors of the newly-renovated St. Vincent's Hall, which features a modern hotel atrium and spectacular views of the Niagara River Gorge and Canada.

[edit] College of Nursing

The College of Nursing, long a Niagara institution, graduated its last class in 2003. Although nursing alumni objected to the administration's decision to close the college, many remain active members of the alumni community.

In response to the chronic shortage of nurses, Niagara recently created a new department in the College of Arts and Sciences to offer a Bachelor of Science completion program for nurses with associate's degrees. The so-called cohort program started in 2006 and offers a flexible degree-completion format for the working nurse.

[edit] Graduate Education

Niagara has an expanding graduate education program. Currently, master's degrees are offered in Business Administration, Criminal Justice Administration, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Education.

[edit] Continuing & Community Education

In the past five years, Niagara's renewed emphasis on community enrichment and regional development has produced a substantial increase in its continuing education offerings. Currently, over 1000 students register annually for online courses and certificate programs. In addition to biannual brochures distributed throughout the Niagara Frontier, the Continuing and Community Education website (www.niagara.edu/cce) provides access to registration information online.

[edit] Student life

[edit] ROTC

The Reserve Officers Training Corps of the Army has an award-winning unit at Niagara. Cadets are awarded full or partial scholarships in exchange for service as Army officers. ROTC students participate in regular university classes and majors, as well as military science instruction throughout their college careers. Each Thursday, cadets participate in military lab exercises and, by tradition, wear their dress uniforms to classes for the remainder of the day. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, ROTC students wake up early to participate in physical training exercises. In 2004, Niagara ROTC was ranked as the #1 Army ROTC program in the nation.[1]

[edit] Community service

The Niagara University Community Action Program (NUCAP) and Learn & Serve Niagara are the lead offices for the university's renowned community service program. All Niagara students are encouraged to give back to their community by participating in the numerous NUCAP and Learn & Serve opportunities offered throughout the academic year. Many courses at Niagara include a service learning component as a part of the class curriculum. Generations of Niagara students have served as volunteers for area nursing homes, hospitals, and schools, the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, and the Upper Mountain Volunteer Fire Company, among others.

[edit] Campus activities

The Campus Activities office sponsors hundreds of opportunities to get involved in campus life, including trips, student government, and Greek life. There is usually at least one Campus Activities event planned each night, and most events are free to Niagara students. Currently, Delta Chi Epsilon is the only active fraternity on the Niagara campus and there are two active national sororities, Alpha Sigma Alpha and Phi Sigma Sigma.

[edit] Student media

The Niagara Index, originally called the Niagara Tribute, is the school's newspaper. The first issue of the Tribute was published on January 1, 1870, making it the third oldest college newspaper in the United States. The next year, the Tribute was renamed the Index Niagarensis, Latin for its current title, which was adopted on December 15, 1874. The Index's founder and original editor was Fr. John W. Hickey, C.M.

[edit] Athletics

The Niagara University Athletics Department sponsors 19 Division I sports for both men (9) and women (10). The Purple Eagles compete in College Hockey America in men's and women's ice hockey, and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in all other sports. The Athletics Director is Ed McLaughlin.

Niagara's athletic teams have fared well in the 21st Century. The men's basketball team won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship in 2005 and in 2007, earning automatic bids to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, known colloquially as the "Big Dance". Niagara's first appearance in the Dance came in 1970, when All-American Calvin Murphy led the Purple Eagles to the Sweet Sixteen. On March 13, 2007, Niagara defeated Florida A&M 77-69 in the so-called "Play-In Game".

The men's hockey team won the College Hockey America Championship in 2000 and 2004, appearing in the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship both years. In 2000, the "Purps" upset the University of New Hampshire to advance to the Elite Eight. Two years later, the women's hockey team shocked the college hockey world by advancing to the Frozen Four, eventually tying the University of Minnesota in the third-place game.

Three other Niagara teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in their respective sports: softball (1998); women's soccer (2006); and women's tennis (2003 & 2005).

The Athletics Department also operates the Kiernan Center -- Niagara's on-campus fitness facility -- and sponsors a comprehensive slate of intramural sports, including basketball, broomball, flag football, indoor soccer, softball, street hockey, and rugby.

[edit] Controversy

In 2006, scandals involving hazing on the women's lacrosse team[2] and an alleged assault by six members of the men's basketball team against a Niagara baseball player[3] received national attention. With respect to the latter incident, charges against three of the men's basketball players were later dropped. The remaining three players have reached separate agreements that will result in the dismissal of all charges provided that certain conditions, including counseling and community service, are met.[4]

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] References

  1. ^ NU ROTC Ranked #1!. Niagara University. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
  2. ^ Niagara sanctions women's lacrosse team for hazing. ESPN.com (2006-04-07). Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
  3. ^ 6 Niagara players face suspensions over assault. ESPN (2006-10-11). Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
  4. ^ Two Niagara players reach plea deal. ESPN (2007-03-07). Retrieved on 2007-03-16.

[edit] External links


Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Canisius • Fairfield • Iona • Loyola (MD) • Manhattan • Marist • Niagara • Rider • Siena • Saint Peter's
College Hockey America
Men's Division: Alabama Huntsville • Bemidji State • Niagara • Robert Morris • Wayne State
Women's Division: Mercyhurst • Niagara • Robert Morris • Wayne State
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