Northeast Catholic College

Northeast Catholic College
Former names
 Magdalen College[1]
The College of Saint Mary Magdalen[2]
Motto Duc In Altum (Go out into the depths)
Established 1973
Type Private, Roman Catholic, Liberal arts
President Dr. George A. Harne[3]
Dean Dr. Mary Mumbach [3]
Chaplain Fr. Roger Boucher[4][5]
Students 68
Location Warner, NH, USA
Colors Blue, yellow, white
Nickname NCC
Website northeastcatholic.edu

Coordinates: 43°18′49″N 71°50′1″W / 43.31361°N 71.83361°W

Northeast Catholic College (formerly The College of Saint Mary Magdalen)[2] is a non-profit, liberal arts, co-educational, four-year Catholic college located in Warner, New Hampshire, United States. It is recognized as a Catholic college by the Diocese of Manchester[6] and recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society.[7] NCC offers associates and bachelors degrees in liberal studies.[2] Its curriculum is based on the study of the Great Books, both in its core and in its majors. NCC possesses degree-granting authority from the State of New Hampshire[2] and candidacy for accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.[8]

NCC was founded as Magdalen College by Catholic laymen in 1973.[9] From 1974 to 1991 the college operated at its original campus in Bedford, New Hampshire; in 1991, it moved to its current site in Warner.[10]

History

Founding

Catholic laymen Francis Boucher, John Meehan and Peter Sampo[11] founded Magdalen College in 1973, responding to the Second Vatican Council's call for the education of lay Catholic leaders, and with the encouragement of the Bishop of Manchester, Ernest John Primeau.[12] The college was chartered by the State of New Hampshire August 22, 1973, and enrolled its first students in September 1974.[10]

From 1974 to 1991, the college operated at its original campus, a former motel building in Bedford, New Hampshire. In 1979, there were 70 students and 20 alumni.[13]

Under the presidency of co-founder John Meehan, the college followed a policy of standing in loco parentis and closely supervised students' dress, manners, and behavior in order to maintain a moral atmosphere.[14]

Move to Warner campus

In 1988, there were 39 students. New Hampshire state education officials questioned the college's financial stability. A benefactor's support enabled the college to continue operation.[15] Within three years, Magdalen College had purchased and developed a new campus property.[16]

St. Paul's Multipurpose Building at the Northeast Catholic College in Warner, NH

The college relocated to its current site in Warner, New Hampshire, in 1991.[12]

Outreach and reform

From 2007 to 2011, the college owned the Durward's Glen retreat house in Baraboo, Wisconsin, formerly a novitiate for the Order of St. Camillus, and operated it as a site for retreats, religious events, and educational programs.[17][18][19][20]

From 2008-2010, Magdalen College discussed a merger or "unification" with Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack, New Hampshire. The merger was cancelled, but both institutions incorporated elements of the other's program into their own.[21]

Chapel of Our Lady, Queen of Apostles, at Northeast Catholic College

From 2008-10 the college underwent a process of reform to shed its image of severity; the student handbook was revised[22][23][24] and the college's policy on dating was reversed[25] (it had previously prohibited dating).[26]

In October 2010, the college was renamed The College of Saint Mary Magdalen. It modified its curriculum to include studies of ancient Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and post-Modern culture, and a four-year cycle of music and art courses.[27][28]

In 2011, the students and faculty of the Erasmus Institute of Liberal Arts, founded by Magdalen's first president Peter V. Sampo, joined the college, bringing with them the institute's four-year liberal arts curriculum inspired by educators Donald and Louise Cowan.[29] However, by the end of the first semester of having two programs, the Great Books and the Cowan, it became clear that the dual program approach "would not work".[30] The Cowan Program faculty and parts of the program itself would be merged with the Great Books Program, and the remaining Cowan students would be grandfathered in and allowed to continue according to the Cowan Program.[30] The curriculum merger lead to the introduction of concentrations and the optional study of Greek into the Great Books Program.[31]

As of 2010, enrollment was reported to be 68 students.[32]

In January 2015, the College adopted the name Northeast Catholic College.

Catholic identity

The Cardinal Newman Society has recognized Northeast Catholic College for its fidelity and Catholic Identity[33]

Presidents of the college

  1. Dr. Peter V. Sampo, 1974-1978
  2. John Meehan, 1978-1998
  3. Jeffrey Karls, 1998-2011[34][35]
  4. Dr. George Harne, 2011—[36]

Academics

A classroom building at Northeast Catholic College

The college offers curricula based on studying the "Great Books" of Western civilization both within the curriculum’s core and in its five majors.[37] The Great Books Program follows a Socratic pedagogy of questioning and discussion. Courses of study are based upon the classical trivium and quadrivium. Students may also receive a Vatican-approved Apostolic Catechetical Diploma.[36]The college offers majors, as of 2015, in Theology, Politics, Philosophy, Literature, and the Great Books.[37] Students also have the opportunity to spend one month each summer in Rome and Norcia.[7]

With the exception of two major courses per semester in the junior and senior years, all students follow the same Great Books curriculum. The course of studies includes a four-year philosophy and humanities sequence of seminars, studies in Rome, three years of theology leading to an Apostolic Catechetical Diploma, four years of music and art, two years of Greek or Latin, three years of science, and courses in logic, geometry, grammar, rhetoric, and non-Western cultures. Students complete a junior project based in their major and as seniors complete comprehensive exams and have the opportunity to write a senior thesis[7]

Degrees

Students may obtain an Associate of Liberal Arts[38] and a Bachelor of Liberal Arts.[38]

On October 17, 1983, the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy granted the college permission to award the "Diploma for Religious Instruction". Now called the "Apostolic Catechetical Diploma",[36][16] this diploma is awarded to Catholic students who complete the eight-semester sequence of theological studies with at least a 2.0 in each course and who pledge to teach Catholic doctrine in communion with the Holy See.

Accreditation

Until 2010, the college was accredited through the American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE). In 2010, the AALE lost its recognition as an accrediting agency with the U.S. Department of Education.[39] For institutions accredited by AALE in 2010 or earlier, accreditation remained valid through July 1, 2012.[40] In May of 2013, the College officially withdrew from the AALE.

In 2009, the college reported the start of a self-study process for possible regional accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).[41] As of 2013, the college has "candidate" status with NEASC[42][43]

Student organizations

Arched bridge on the campus of Northeast Catholic College

Student organizations include:

The College also offers intramural sports. Sporting events take place between student teams from both Northeast Catholic and the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in football, soccer and basketball. There are also sporting events between faculty/staff and student teams.[50]

Student Life hosts a "student organization night" in the fall semester. Each organization has a booth to promote its activities.[45]

References

  1. ↑ "College Changes Name after 37 Years", Magdalen.edu, accessed 12-25-2012
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Education.nh.gov, accessed 1-19-2015
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Faculty and Staff", Magdalen.edu, accessed 12-25-2012
  4. ↑ Magdalen.edu, Faculty and Staff, accessed 9-19-2013
  5. ↑ Magdalen.edu, "Academic Mass of the Holy Spirit", accessed 9-19-2013
  6. ↑ CatholicNH.org, accessed 1-19-2015
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 CardinalNewmanSociety.org, accessed 1-19-2015
  8. ↑ NEASC.org, accessed 1-19-2015
  9. ↑ Concord Monitor, Now You Know", accessed 10-3-2013
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Our History: Responding to the Call for Spiritual Renewal". The College of Saint Mary Magdalen. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Magdalen College celebrates 30th anniversary". Catholic Exchange. December 11, 2003.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "The Newman Guide: Magdalen College". Cardinal Newman Society.
  13. ↑ Adolphe V. Bernotas (November 24, 1979). "A backward step: tiny Magdalen College operates without frills". Milwaukee Sentinel (AP story).
  14. ↑ Mary Jo Weaver (1995). Being right: conservative Catholics in America. Indiana University Press. p. 318.
  15. ↑ Adolphe V. Bernotas (March 10, 1988). "Tiny Magdalen College is determined to grow stronger". Nashua Telegraph (AP story).
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 History, Magdalen.edu, accessed 24-Jan-2013
  17. ↑ Mesely Luis (June 11, 2007). "Celebrating Corpus Christi at Durward's Glen". Catholic Online.
  18. ↑ Kathleen Bushman (May 3, 2007). "Durward's Glen: Purchased by a Catholic college". Madison Catholic Herald.
  19. ↑ "A peaceful place, an uncertain time". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. January 21, 2007.
  20. ↑ Mary C. Uhler (May 26, 2011). "Celebrating the purchase of Durward's Glen". Catholic Herald (Madison, Wisconsin).
  21. ↑ NCRegister.com, "College Merger Canceled", accessed 10-3-2013
  22. ↑ Student Handbook. Warner, NH: Magdalen College. 1992.
  23. ↑ Student Handbook. Warner, NH: Magdalen College. 2009.
  24. ↑ Patti Maguire Armstrong (August 1, 2011). "Re-branding the College of St. Mary Magdalen". Catholic Lane.
  25. ↑ Simcha Fisher (June 24, 2011). "Some Specifics About the College of Saint Mary Magdalen". National Catholic Register.
  26. ↑ Self-Study, pg. 89
  27. ↑ "Catholic college gains new name and renewed purpose". Spero News. October 18, 2010.
  28. ↑ NCRegister.com, "The College of Saint Mary Magdalen", accessed 9-26-2013
  29. ↑ "Erasmus Institute Joins the College of Saint Mary Magdalen (press release)". College of Saint Mary Magdalen. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Self-Study, pg. 15
  31. ↑ Self-Study, pg. 14
  32. ↑ Magdalen College - At a Glance, College Board College Search website, accessed March 26, 2010
  33. ↑ "Newman Guide College Planning Guide". Cardinal Newman Society. 8-1-14. Retrieved 4-15-15. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  34. ↑ Concord Monitor, "Magdalen has new president", accessed 10-3-2013
  35. ↑ Diocese of Madison Catholic Herald, "Former college president returns to help Catholic Center", accessed 10-3-2013
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 The Newman Guide, "The College of Saint Mary Magdalen", accessed 9-19-2013
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Zagrobelny, Kathryn (30 January 2015). "Five New Majors at Northeast Catholic College Set to 'Attract Many Young Scholars'". The Cardinal Newman Society. Cardinal Newman Society. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Accreditation, Magdalen.edu, accessed 24-Jan-2013
  39. ↑ "Report of the Meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity" (PDF). Department of Education. ed.gov. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  40. ↑ "Domestic Standards, Applications, and Publications". American Academy for Liberal Education. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  41. ↑ "Community News". Magdalen College. February 10, 2009. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010.
  42. ↑ NEASC.org, "College of Saint Mary Magdalen, The", accessed Dec-19-2013
  43. ↑ Magdalen.edu, "Accreditation", accessed Dec-19-2013
  44. ↑ Joseph Pronechen, "College Men Encourage Each Other to Be Like St. Joseph", National Catholic Register (NCRegister.com), published 22-Dec-2012, accessed 30-Jan-2013
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 45.3 45.4 45.5 45.6 45.7 45.8 45.9 Self-Study, pg. 86
  46. ↑ Magdalen.edu, "Knights of Columbus Council Founded at the College of Saint Mary Magdalen", accessed 30-Jan-2013
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 "Student Organizations", NortheastCatholic.edu, accessed 1-28-2015
  48. ↑ Magdalen.edu, "Pro-Life Club President Addresses Faculty, Parents, and Students", accessed 5 Apr 2013
  49. ↑ Magdalen.edu, "Student Organizations", accessed 5 Apr 2013
  50. ↑ Self-Study, pg. 87

Bibliography

Comprehensive Self-Study for The New England Association of Schools and Colleges by The College of Saint Mary Magdalen, Student Edition (Warner, NH: The College of Saint Mary Magdalen, 28 February 2013), herein referenced as "Self-Study, pg.___"

External links