Mount St Mary's University

Mount St. Mary’s University Emmitsburg, Maryland www.msmary.edu

Overview Within cannon shot of the hallowed Gettysburg battlefield, and across the historic Mason-Dixon line (bordering Pennsylvania and Maryland), stands the nation’s second-oldest Catholic university responsible for educating religious leaders and laypeople since 1808. Recently completing a year-long bicentennial celebration, Mount St. Mary’s University is poised to enhance its national reputation while remaining faithful to its original mission. The history of the Emmitsburg, Maryland, university includes two legendary figures in American Catholicism. Mount St. Mary’s was founded in 1808 by the Frenchborn Father John DuBois, friend and spiritual advisor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint. Seton founded the Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg and often brought classes from her Saint Joseph’s Academy and Free School to Mary’s Mountain for Mass and religious study. Father DuBois led the “Mount,” as the university is popularly known, for 18 years until he was appointed Bishop of New York, where he served until 1839. Today the institution has three corporate parts—the university, a seminary and a national shrine—each of which has had an important impact on the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the nation. The seminary, the second oldest in the United States, is often referred to as the “Cradle of Bishops” because 51 of its graduates have become bishops, including one 19th-century cardinal. The Na-

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quick facts Founded: 1808 Type of institution: Medium-size university Setting: Rural Undergraduate enrollment: 1,641 (2008–09 academic year) Total undergraduate cost: $38,298 (tuition, room and board for 2009–10) Undergraduate majors: More than 40

Five Key Points 1. The second oldest U.S. Catholic college, it celebrated its bicentennial in 2008. 2. The university continues to strengthen its Catholic identity. 3. A 19-course core curriculum in the Catholic tradition. 4. The university corporation includes a prominent seminary and Lourdes Grotto. 5. Draws students especially from Mid-Atlantic states.

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tional Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, a replica of the shrine located in France, has been receiving thousands of pilgrims since 1875 and is a welcome retreat for students and seminarians. The Mount became a university in 2004 to reflect its expansion into graduate programs in education, business, divinity and theology. The 120-foot tower and golden statute of the Blessed Mother at the Grotto, which looms large over the campus, is an unmistakable symbol of the Mount’s Catholic identity. Dr. Thomas Powell, president for the past six years, has worked to enhance that identity by heavily promoting the university’s mission statement, which emphasizes four pillars: Faith, Discovery, Leadership and Community. By design, “Faith” comes first. The university’s core curriculum includes a two-semester Freshman Seminar, required courses and choices among several required liberal arts disciplines. The first goal of the undergraduate program is: “An understanding of the Western humanist tradition, including its American expression, particularly as that tradition has been interpreted in Catholic thought and practice. As part of its new Third Century Plan for Excellence initiative, the university implemented a reorganization plan in July 2009. To help focus the academic program, a College of Liberal Arts, School of Business, School of Education and Human Services, and a School of Science were created. The Catholic tradition and the opportunity to study on a beautiful 1,400-acre campus in the Catoctin Mountains attracted undergraduate, graduate and seminary students from 35 states and 13 foreign countries in 2008–09. Nearly 70 percent of the undergraduates are Catholic. Students can pursue more than 40 undergraduate majors, concentrations and minors. These include the traditional liberal arts

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From the Financial Aid Office “Can you afford us? Yes, we offer liberal financial aid packages… and lots of them. We try to make a Mount education available to all qualified students. “Most families at Mount St. Mary’s receive a wide variety of financial aid—including scholarships and grants—that significantly reduces the cost of attending the Mount. “In 2008, more than $33 million was awarded to Mount students, with an average freshman award of $17,925. Every year we support over 95 percent of Mount families with financial aid ranging from $6,000 to full tuition. “All applicants for admission are considered for academic scholarships based on several criteria, including: high school course selection, course achievement, SAT and/or ACT results and involvement in extracurricular activities. “Other scholarship opportunities are available for students whose parents are Catholic educators as well as those interested in campus ministry, athletics, ROTC and fine arts. For more information visit www.msmary.edu/financialaid. “In addition to scholarships, financial aid applicants may receive additional aid that includes grants, work-study jobs and/or student loans to further help defray the cost of attendance. “For further information contact David Reeder or Amy Wilkinson by calling 800448-4347 (toll-free) or 301-447-5207 or emailing [email protected].”

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Mount St. Mary’s University

disciplines as well as more modern ones such as computer science and environmental science. Among the university’s academic partnerships is a six-year, undergraduate-graduate program offered in occupational therapy with Sacred Heart University. Mount St. Mary’s offers an M.B.A. and two master’s degrees in education at a campus in Frederick, Md., 20 miles south of Emmitsburg. It also offers its M.B.A. in Hagerstown, Md. and part-time continuing studies programs in Frederick and Westminster, Md. The university is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission of Higher Education. When compared to other private institutions in Maryland, the tuition rate at Mount St. Mary’s is substantially below the state average. Tuition, room and board cost $38,298 in 200910. The average freshman financial aid package was $17,925, including scholarships, grants, work-study and federal loans.

Governance A predominantly lay, 38member board of trustees governs the university. Many of the members are prominent business leaders from Maryland and elsewhere. Eleven members of the board are clerics, including Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of Baltimore, Bishop Francis Malooly of the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, and Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Bishop Rhoades, who attended Mount St. Mary’s College, was rector of the seminary for seven years before he was appointed to his current position in 2004. The Newman Guide

Dr. Powell, the 24th president of the university, was appointed in 2003. Four of the last five presidents have been lay academics. Dr. Powell had previously served as president of Glenville State College, a central West Virginia institution which specializes in teacher preparation. Even there he emphasized values, launching a program to focus on the key virtues of academic integrity. Dr. Powell earned his Ed.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University and has written four books, including Brothers and Sisters: A Special Part of Exceptional Families. He and his wife Irene have three children.

Public Identity President Powell has made the university’s Catholic identity a priority. The university’s 2006–12 strategic plan, “A Community Growing Together: A Vision for Future Generations,” identifies as the University’s first priority “to continue to enhance our strong Catholic identity.” Among the seven goals identified to promote that objective is to infuse the university’s Governing Documents with a commitment to Ex corde Ecclesiae. That was partially done when the board of trustees adopted a robust statement on Catholic identity in June 2007. Noting that a “strong Catholic identity is central to the mission of Mount St. Mary’s University,” the board emphasized the primacy of the Gospel and the Church teachings, “full compliance with both the letter and spirit of Ex corde Ecclesiae,” and deference to the Holy See and the Archbishop of Baltimore.

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The university also has a hiring-for-mission program. The president personally meets with faculty and staff upon hiring and seeking tenure. He expects respect for and public commitment to Catholic teaching. The university’s Catholic identity was an integral part of the current bicentennial celebration. Bishop Rhoades celebrated the opening event, the Founders Mass, on August 24, 2007. Later that day, a three-ton statue of Father DuBois was dedicated in the center of the campus. Among other events during the 2007–08 academic year was a Bishops’ Mass in November 2007 and a Bicentennial Mass celebrated at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City in October 2007. The seminary, also celebrating its bicentennial, held a number of separate events, concluding with a Marian Retreat. Of the seminary one professor said, “The presence of the seminary on campus has helped out in many indirect ways.” There are the Masses and various spiritual activities at the seminary’s St. Bernard Chapel. Seminarians also are seen around campus and initiated a series of annual retreats for teenagers, the most recent taking place in February 2009. Another initiative launched by Dr. Powell has been to assign seminarians as chaplains to each of the university’s 19 intercollegiate sports teams. They normally attend the home games, lead the teams in prayer before games and are present at the sports banquets. Athletic director Lynne Phelan Robinson told us, “The chaplains may stay with their team for several years, up through their

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ordination to the priesthood. We have had cases where a seminarian has been chaplain to a team for four years. Recently, one who had been chaplain to the soccer team was ordained, and the soccer coaches and a number of team players attended his ordination.” Leo Patalinghug, director of Pastoral Field Education at the Seminary and leader of the “Grace Before Meals” family prayer movement, has said, “Our chaplains are there to help men and women ask, ‘What am I going to do with these God-given talents? Who am I playing for, and to what end?’” The seminary currently has students from 26 U.S. dioceses and one from Togo, Africa. Among recent graduates were those from the Archdiocese of Grenada in Spain and the Diocese of Cajamarca in Peru. Men from three religious orders also are there. In the spring 2009 semester there were 140 seminarians. The seminary has trained 2,000 priests since 1808; about 1,200 are currently serving in 45 dioceses. The National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is a beautiful haven of spiritual tranquility and a great asset to the university. It includes the Chapel of St. Mary on the Hill, the small Corpus Christi Chapel, an outdoor Stations of the Cross, and Rosary paths and several statues. The impressive Pangborn Memorial Campanile bell tower, which is 95 feet tall, has the gold-leafed 25-foot statue of the Blessed Mother at the top. A printed guide to the grotto says the 14 pealing bells have been

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Mount St. Mary’s University

a call to reflection: “Tradition has it that when John DuBois built his church on this lofty site, he did so in order that the people in the valley at their daily tasks would look up, see the Cross and their Blessed Mother, and would keep the faith.” Aside from the Grotto, there are other physical manifestations of Catholicism on campus such as Catholic artwork, crucifixes and statues. There is a lounge identified as the John Paul II Plaza; a building named for a

former archbishop of Baltimore, Archbishop William Borders; and the Seminary dining room dedicated to Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore. A recent addition to the seminary is named John R. Keating Hall, honoring the late Bishop of Arlington, Virginia, who was a strong supporter of vocations. One unique religious observance at Mount St. Mary’s is the annual Mass to bless college rings. The Class of 2010 Ring Mass was held in November 2008.

Message from the President Dear Parents and Prospective Students: The story of Mount St. Mary’s University is a uniquely American one—quite simply, the story of the Catholic Church in America. Father John DuBois, on a voyage filled with courage, faith and determination, settled on our spectacular mountainside and founded Mount St. Mary’s in 1808. Now, more than 200 years later, the Mount’s outstanding faculty, staff and students are on a voyage of faith, discovery, leadership and community—one that I’d like to invite you to become a part of. •

Faith: we are proudly a robust and contemporary Catholic university. Discovery: at the Mount you’ll not only learn and encounter the world, but more importantly, you’ll learn about yourself.

•

Leadership: our charge is to prepare leaders for society and we take that charge seriously; we expect leadership at all levels.

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Community: you will become part of the Mount family the instant you step foot on campus… and remain part of it long after you graduate.

I invite you to become more familiar with our campus by coming for a visit. You are certain to find a comfortable place here at the Mount. I look forward to our paths crossing soon!

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Sincerely,

Thomas H. Powell

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The university has a speaker’s policy which ensures vigilance that speakers who might contradict church teachings do not speak on issues of disagreement. Mother Teresa is one prominent Catholic who visited in 1975 and again in 1995. The commencement speakers have been strong. The recent speakers were the Most Reverend Gordon Bennett, Bishop of the Diocese of Mandeville, Jamaica; Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States; Archbishop Edmund O’Brien of the Archdiocese of Baltimore; and, in 2009, theologian and papal biographer George Weigel.

Academics The university is proud of its sequenced core curriculum of 19 courses. Students focus on cultural studies the first year, while two courses of philosophy are taken in the second year and two courses of theology are taken in the third year. Among other requirements are foreign language and non-Western studies. All first-year students take the Freshman Seminar in the fall and spring semesters. They are taught study skills and are intellectually oriented to college work. In the 2008–2009 academic year at the Mount, 36 percent of freshmen were majoring in liberal arts disciplines, 28 percent in the business and accounting programs, 19 percent in science and nine percent in education. 178

The theology department is strong. There is a theology major—with the opportunity for an emphasis in religious education, pastoral ministry or youth ministry—and a theology minor. Theology professors see their role as teachers to include a pastoral component, and they strive to help their students integrate academic work into their personal development. Facult y members in the theology department are Father James Donohue, C.R., whose interests are in liturgy, sacraments, pastoral theology and systematic theology; Dr. David McCarthy, systematic and moral theology; and Dr. William Collinge, who pursues Catholic social teaching and the history and philosophy of religion. Also notable is Monsignor Stuart Swetland, who has been serving as vice president for Catholic identity. A popular speaker and former Rhodes Scholar, Monsignor Swetland was named to the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Endowed Chair of Christian Ethics in spring 2009. The philosophy department also is solid. No philosophy courses or professors promote teachings in opposition to the Catholic faith. The department recognizes, according to one professor, “a Catholic intellectual tradition and that you don’t understand the history of philosophy without understanding the Catholic tradition.” Two particularly impressive philosophy professors are Dr. Michael Miller, a specialist

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in medieval philosophy and the philosophy of religion, and Dr. Joshua Hochschild, dean of the new College of Liberal Arts and former head of the Master of Arts in Philosophical Studies program. Many courses have been developed for the seminary’s pre-theology programs, and the department works closely with the seminary in many areas. There is apparent collegiality between the theology and philosophy departments. For example, they have joined in a faculty development seminar group to enhance their effectiveness and share teaching strategies for the capstone senior ethics course, which can be taken in either theology or philosophy. They also have collaborated on a new student journal, Tolle Lege, which was launched in the fall 2007 semester. This publication features student essays on theology and philosophy; the first issue, 62 pages long, was published in 2007 and is published annually. The title of the publication is a reference to St. Augustine’s conversion. Among other standout Catholic scholars are Dr. John Larrivee of the business and economics faculty; Dr. Dana Ward, professor of science and recipient of a grant for heart research; and Dr. Caroline Eick, an assistant professor of education. Dr. Powell is working to strengthen the Catholic identity and the academic reputation in departments throughout the university. His personal involvement and his strong endorsement of Ex corde Ecclesiae are vital to the success of these goals.

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Mount St. Mary’s University

As part of its priority to strengthen its academics (priority two of five in its 2006–12 strategic plan), the university is seeking to establish a Center for Catholic Social Justice. It hopes that this initiative will include an endowed professorship and internships. The education department, which became the School of Education and Human Services in 2009, was granted accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education in 2008. Newly created under the new School of Education is the Center for Catholic School Excellence which seeks to provide guidance to administrators, teachers and other lay personnel in Catholic education. An honors program is available to students. Included in the program are seminartype classes and an opportunity to present research to the school at large. Honors students are able to attend special lectures, social and cultural events, and periodic dinners at the university president’s home. There is a study-abroad program that during the period 2006–09 offered semester-long programs in Austria, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Faculty members join students and in most cases teach courses on location. In October 2008, 12 Mount students toured Russian businesses and worked with Russian business students as part of a program arranged through Students in Free Enterprise, an organization which encourages students to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to their community.

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The Mount has an active Service Learning Program, which encompasses what is known as the 4th Credit Option and Integrated Service Learning. The former allows students to add an additional credit to a course, without financial charge, by doing 30 hours of pertinent outside service and writing about it. Integrated Service Learning is service work integrated into the syllabus of a course.

Spiritual Life The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, opened in 1910, is the site of what the university calls the “principal university Mass” on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. It is also the location of a Saturday vigil Mass. Daily Masses, Monday through Friday, are offered at St. Bernard’s Chapel at the seminary, and at noon and 10 p.m. (except Friday) at Mary Queen of Peace Chapel in Pangborn Hall, a residence facility. Masses are reverent. Confessions are available twice a week and by appointment. The Campus Ministry Orga n izat ion presents opportunities for students to serve as lectors, ushers, Extraordinary Eucharistic ministers and in other capacities. There also are retreat weekends, Bible study, prayer groups and women’s and men’s vocation discernment groups. A peer ministry program, in which older students work with younger ones in the residence halls and interact with the chaplain, was begun in 2006. 180

There also is a Building Unified Mount Spirit (B.U.M.S.) group, which provides social opportunities for students involved in campus ministry and community service activities, and a chapter of Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), which helps evangelize students. Four FOCUS “missionaries” were at the Mount in the 2008-09 academic year. The Mount’s Callings Program, funded by a Lilly Endowment grant, sponsors numerous ways “to explore faith and life choices.” This has been done through campus ministry activities as well as an annual conference on campus. More than 1,000 students, faculty and others attended the March 2007 conference. The 2008 conference focused on “The Way Forward for Lay Ministry.” Other spiritual opportunities, including Masses, confessions, Benediction, novenas and Eucharistic Adoration, are available at the adjacent National Shrine Grotto of Lourdes. Another unexpected religious site was found in 2009. While doing routine const r uct ion work, the first chapel—in fact, the first college building—was uncovered. The university has reconstructed the chapel on the original site, reviving an older tradition of having the chapel in a residence hall available for students night and day. There are three Catholic parish churches in the immediate vicinity. Saint Anthony Shrine Parish is about one-quarter mile south

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Mount St. Mary’s University

of the campus and its related church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, is five miles away; each offers two Masses each Sunday. Less than three miles away in the town of Emmitsburg is Saint Joseph’s Church, a Vincentianrun parish. Emmitsburg is also home to the national shrine and museum of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Student Activities Students can choose from about 70 clubs to join. These run the gamut of typical groups such as a chess club, chorale, a student government association and career-related clubs. There is the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, which has brought the Mount state and national recognition for its activities. There are also chapters of the Knights of Columbus and the Legion of Mary for students who wish to join. The Mount Students for Life participates in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., and other activities. Two busloads of students attended the March in 2009. The president of the group added, “We pray a weekly Rosary at an on-campus memorial for the unborn, and we pray at a local abortion center on Saturdays.” Outdoor activities are available through a group called Challenging Recreation, Unleashing Experience (CRUX). Among its activities have been backpacking, canoeing, caving, hiking, rock climbing, snowshoeing and whitewater rafting. The Newman Guide

The university has a student-run newspaper, The Mountain Echo, which dates back to 1879; it is available in print and online. There also is a campus radio station, WMTB 89.9 FM, which broadcasts 17 hours a day. Students get involved in service projects which include food drives, help for the homeless, working with individuals with disabilities, soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity and tutoring. Among some specific activities are visiting Villa Saint Michael, a Daughters of Charity retirement home, and St. Catherine’s Nursing Center in Emmitsburg. Four hundred students also participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in February 2009. Students have participated in overseas service trips to Mexico and Peru. Mount St. Mary’s fields 19 intercollegiate teams in NCAA Division I, making it the fourth smallest university in that top division. Since 1989 they have competed in the Northeast Conference, which is composed of 11 universities in five states. The 1,000-seat Waldron Family Stadium Complex, which accommodates lacrosse and soccer, was dedicated in August 2007. The E.T. Straw Family Stadium for baseball also was dedicated in 2007. Legendary men’s basketball coach Jim Phelan amassed 830 wins for the university during his 49-year career that ended in 2003. He won a national championship for the Mount in 1962 and was elected to the Nation-

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al Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. The basketball court has been renamed the “Jim Phelan Court” for the quiet leader who was famous for his bowties. The men’s basketball team won the Northeast Conference title in 2008 and participated in the 2008 NCAA basketball tournament. In March 2009 the team played in the first CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. For others interested in sports, there are club sports in dance, equestrian, ice hockey and rugby. Intramural opportunities are available in nearly two dozen sports, from bocce to volleyball. One respondent said that about onequarter of all students are engaged in sports. Students also participate in the university’s Annual Crab Feast, the Christmas Dance and concerts performed at the Knott Athletic Recreation Convention Complex (ARCC), which seats 3,500 people. Among recent performers at Knott were the Young German Symphony Orchestra and Quartet San Francisco.

Residential Life About 85 percent of Mount St. Mary’s students live on campus. Housing arrangements separate men and women by floor, and each floor has a resident advisor. The newest residence for students, Bicentennial Hall, opened in 2008 with an emphasis on “green initiatives”

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such geo-thermal heating and cooling. Some students elect to participate in the Lifestyles of Fellowship, Opportunity and Temperance (LOFT) initiative. These students have an interest in outdoor activities, service projects, healthy living and abstinence from alcohol. They live either in Pangborn Hall or in the Bradley Annex Suites. There also is a floor at Pangborn reserved for Women in Science. Off-campus rental opportunities are identified on the university’s website. Our interviewees noted that student drinking does take place, but we have been told that it seems not to be a serious problem. One university official said, “For any student who wants to live a good spiritual life and live uprightly, they won’t have trouble here.” In an effort to keep parents and families informed about activities at the Mount, the university sponsors a Mount Family Association, coordinated by Dr. Powell’s wife, Irene Quinn Powell. Its activities include a newsletter, the online Mount Family Prayer Memo, orientation and a fall Family Fest. Remarkably, all students and parents are given the Powells’ home telephone number and are encouraged to call to address any issues or concerns with Dr. Powell or Mrs. Powell. The university operates a wellness center. The nearest hospital, Gettysburg Hospital, is about 15 minutes away. Major research hospitals are located in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., metropolitan areas.

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Mount St. Mary’s University

The Community Mount St. Mary’s is located outside the town of Emmitsburg, which was founded on the frontier in 1757 and today has a population of 2,400 people. One of the landmarks of the town is the National Fire Academy, run by the U.S. Fire Administration and which provides advanced firefighting training to firemen from across the United States. Both serious crime and property crime in Emmitsburg are well below the national average. The campus is only a few miles from the Maryland-Pennsylvania border, and Gettysburg is about 10 miles to the north. Frederick is about 20 miles to the south. All three localities are off U.S. Route 15, which also provides easy access to the Catoctin Mountain Park, part of the U.S. National Park Service, and Cunningham Falls State Park, which offers hiking and water sports and is home to the President’s Mountain cabin at Camp David. The nearest national highway is Interstate 70, which can be accessed at either Frederick or Hagerstown. The highway runs from Baltimore in the east to Utah in the west. Emmitsburg is one hour to the west of Baltimore, Maryland’s largest city, and one hour north of Washington, D.C., and all the attractions of the nation’s capital. Both major cities offer a large number of cultural, social and sports opportunities, including two Major League Baseball and two National Football League teams as well as professional hockey, basketball and soccer teams.

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Three major international airports are located about one hour away: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles International Airport. Virtually every major domestic and international carrier flies into one or more of these airports.

The Bottom Line Mount St. Mary’s University is linked to the rich Catholic heritage of the United States. As the university celebrated its bicentennial in 2007-2008 with a rich array of events, its Catholic identity was prominently featured. The university has greatly strengthened its Catholic mission, and President Thomas Powell has been at the heart of this effort. His leadership—coupled with the active support of the board of trustees—comes at the right time as many long-established Catholic colleges struggle with issues of growth, academic freedom and economic constraints. Dr. Powell has said the Mount is “the best kept secret in the Mid-Atlantic region.” But because of its Catholicism, solid curriculum, vibrant student life and impressive location, it is becoming increasingly well known not only in the region, but throughout the nation. It is a university that offers much as it begins its third century with a commitment to Faith, Discovery, Leadership and Community.

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