Misericordia University is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

university in

Dallas, Pennsylvania Dallas is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,692 at the 2020 census. The local government describes the borough as the "Pride" of the Back Mountain (a 118 square mile region in northern Luzerne County). ...

. It was founded by the

Religious Sisters of Mercy The Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan is a religious institute of pontifical right dedicated to the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. It was established in 1973 in response to the renewal called for in the Second Vatican Council. ...

in 1924 as College Misericordia; in 2007 it became a university and changed its name. The university offers

bachelor's A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...

master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

and

doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' l ...

degrees as well as post-master's and post-bachelor's certificates. The university operates a campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where it offers an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in partnership with Orbis Education.

History

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 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 , situated in a suburban setting from downtown Wilkes-Barre. Prior to August 24, 2007, Misericordia operated as "College Misericordia." The institution began operations as Misericordia University on August 24, 2007.

Campus

Recently (2009–2021), numerous changes have been added to the campus: * The Shakespeare Garden: Misericordia University features the only Shakespeare garden in northeast PA and won a 2011 Greening Award from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society * Pauly Friedman Art Gallery * The College of Health Sciences - Passan Hall * Insalaco Hal * Metz Field House * MacDowell Hall * Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Science Center

Academics

Misericordia gives students a choice of 32 majors in three Academic Colleges: * College of Arts and Science * College of Health Sciences and Education * College of Business Environmental Studies In the spring of 2020, the university announced it had received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to establish an interdisciplinary BA program in environmental studies.

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. Students participate in the GPP for all four years of their college experience. If they do not receive a job offer or are not accepted into graduate/professional school within six months after graduation, the university gives them a paid internship in their chosen field.

BA to MA in English

Launched in September 2014, the Misericordia University/University of Reading BA to MA in English is a five-year program in which students complete a four-year Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Misericordia and a one-year Master of Arts degree in English Language and Literature at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Students may study for an MA in Children's Literature or English, including pathways in Renaissance studies, Victorian Literature and Culture, or Modern and Contemporary Writing.

Athletics

Misericordia University competes in the

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their ...

Eastern College Athletic Conference The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 15 sports (13 men's and 13 women's). It has 220 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location fr ...

and the

MAC Freedom The MAC Freedom, in full Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom, is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. It is one of the three conferences that operate under the umbrella of the Middle Atlantic Conferences; ...

within the

Middle Atlantic Conferences The Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC) is an umbrella organization of three athletic conferences that competes in the NCAA's Division III. The 18 member colleges are in the Mid-Atlantic United States. The organization is divided into two main c ...

. 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, football, soccer, swimming, cross-country, baseball, golf, lacrosse, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. The school has had an athletics program since 1932, when it introduced intramural sports.

Student life

Misericordia University has 41 clubs, service organizations and special interest organizations. 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. The Ruth Matthews Bourger Women with Children Program, a unique program that empowers economically disadvantaged single mothers by providing the opportunity to complete a college degree.

Student Government Association

Misericordia's Student Government Association is 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. The Student Government Association is made up of eight members.

English Department

''Instress'' is the campus' annual literary magazine published each spring. It prints original material by students and members of the university community.

Notable alumni

Karen Boback Karen Boback is an American politician and educator serving as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 117th legislative district. Education Boback was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor's d ...

, member of the

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

* Mike Dunleavy,

Governor of Alaska A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Dave Kern Dave Kern (born March 23, 1981 in Glenolden, Pennsylvania) is an American soccer player who last played for the Real Maryland Monarchs of the USL Second Division, and for Baltimore Blast in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Career College K ...

, professional

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player *

Maria Pallante Maria A. Pallante (born February 5, 1964) is the president and chief executive officer of the Association of American Publishers, a publishing industry trade association. Pallante is an American attorney who previously served as the 12th United St ...

, United States

Register of Copyrights The Register of Copyrights is the director of the United States Copyright Office within the Library of Congress, as provided by . The Office has been headed by a Register since 1897. The Register is appointed by, and responsible to, the Librarian ...

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.

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Catholic universities and colleges in Pennsylvania Sisters of Mercy colleges and universities Educational institutions established in 1924 Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Universities and colleges in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Former women's universities and colleges in the United States 1924 establishments in Pennsylvania