Holy Family University
Encyclopedia
History
Holy Family University is a liberal arts university that offers graduate, undergraduate, and non-degree programs. The university strives and believes that it has a lifelong responsibility towards God, Society and Self. The mission statement of Holy Family Includes six core values that the administration, employees and students work diligently to exemplify on a daily basis. These values include:- Family- Family is based on a community brought together by a common mission. Holy Family has a welcoming atmosphere and promotes spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical needs.
- Respect - Holy Family believes in openness, dignity, and respect for all people.
- Integrity - The university believes and is an advocate for the pursuit of truth and the responsible use of knowledge.
- Service & Responsibility - Service and Responsibility is a core value where Holy Family educates individuals to become professionals and responsible citizens.
- Learning - Holy Family works to instill wisdom and knowledge truthfully and passionately by each individual.
- Vision - Holy Family's vision towards education is that it is dynamic and an exchange between wisdom and contemporary developments in knowledge.
Holy Family University Timeline
1954-Sisters of the Holy Family of NazarethSisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are a Roman Catholic religious order which was founded in Rome in 1875 by Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd . The Sisters of the Holy Family are an apostolic, international congregation, located on four continents and in thirteen countries. There are...
in Torresdale, Philadelphia founded Holy Family College.
1954-1959-Sister Neomisia Rutkowska is the founding President of the University.
1959-1971-Sister Aloysius Sabacinska is second president of University.
1971-Holy Family acquired 16 acres on the North side of Stevenson Lane.
1975-Men's basketball is formed.
1976-New science labs are renovated.
1977-Lady Tigers softball team begins competed in intercollegiate athletics.
1981-Sister Francesca Onley is appointed president. She currently holds this position as of
December 2010.
1988- September 1988, The Campus Center opened. It is an 85000 square feet (7,896.8 m²)
facility with classrooms, a gymnasium, a full-service cafeteria, student lounges, meeting rooms, and a chapel.
1997-Holy Family University-Newtown was opened in February. Newtown is a 44000 square feet (4,087.7 m²), two story educational facility.
2002-In December 2002, Holy Family College was granted University Status.
2003-Woodhaven opened in Bensalem.
2005-August 2005, Education and Technology Center was opened.
2006-Garden Residence apartment-style dorms were opened in December.
2007-Holy Family became just the 26th University in the United States to earn full membership in
the International Federation of Catholic Universities, due to the efforts of Sister Francesca after celebrating her 92nd birthday.
In 1954, Sister Neomisia Rutkowska was the one to oversee the construction of Holy Family hall, followed by the construction of Lourdes Hall, which is now known as St. Joseph’s Hall, in 1959.
In 1959, Sister Aloysius Sabacinska was appointed as Holy Family’s second President. She served as Holy Family’s first Registar, as well as the business manager and admissions officer during 1954 upon its opening. Many things happened during her tenure, such as Holy Family acquired Marian Hall, opened a student residence, added programs in elementary education and nursing, constructed and dedicated the Library, established a Reading Center, and allowed men to attend. It was also thanks to her focus on upgrading faculty expansion, credentials, and fundraising that led to Holy Family’s first accreditation.
In 1971, Sister Lillian Budny was appointed as Holy Family’s third President. Her dedication for the mission led her to focus on many things (technology, campus extension, etc.). In 1976, she oversaw the construction of the Nurse Education Building, as well as acquired the Green estate, along with additional property on Stevenson Lane. During her tenure, the offices of Admissions, Institutional Advancement, and Continuing Education were established, and the University renewed its accreditation from the Middle States Commission of Higher Education.
On November 22, 1981, Sister Francesca, PhD, CSFN, was inaugurated as Holy Family University’s fourth President and Chief Administrative Officer. She has overseen the growth of the University for more than 29 years. In 2002, with her guidance, Holy Family made it to University status. During all of her years as President, Holy Family has grown, constructing many buildings, including the Campus Center (1988), the University building in Newtown (1997), the John M. Perzel Education & Technology Center (2005), the Garden Residence (2006), and Stevenson Residence Hall (2009). She has also overseen the re-structuring of the University’s Board of Trustees, as well as maintained the integrity of the University’s educational philosophy and academic programs.
Presidents
Holy Family University is a fully accredited Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, private, co-educational, four-year university located in the Torresdale
Torresdale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This article is about a place in Pennsylvania; for the United Kingdom locations, see Torrisdale Torresdale, also formerly known as Torrisdale, is a neighborhood in the Far Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
section of Philadelphia. It provides liberal arts and professional programs for more than 2,100 undergraduate students through day, evening, and summer sessions.
Founded by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are a Roman Catholic religious order which was founded in Rome in 1875 by Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd . The Sisters of the Holy Family are an apostolic, international congregation, located on four continents and in thirteen countries. There are...
in 1954, the establishment of the University marked the culmination of an evolutionary cycle begun in 1934 with the opening of the Holy Family Teacher Training School. During the early years, Holy Family functioned as an affiliate of the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
. The University achieved full accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
seven years after its founding, a status that was renewed in 1971, 1981, 1991, and 2001.
In addition to the main Torresdale campus, there are satellite locations in Newtown
Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Newtown is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,248 at the 2010 census. It is located just west of the Trenton, New Jersey metropolitan area, and is part of the larger Philadelphia metropolitan area. It is entirely surrounded by Newtown Township, from which...
, on Bristol Pike
U.S. Route 13 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 13 passes through the Philadelphia metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route enters the state from Delaware in Marcus Hook, Delaware County. It continues in a northeasterly direction through Delaware County, passes through Philadelphia, and continues into Bucks...
in Bensalem, and in Quakertown.
Academics
Holy Family University has four academic schools: Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Nursing and Allied Health Professions. Along with these programs, there is also an accelerated degree option and cooperative education and internship programs.More information on Cooperative Education can be found here.
The undergraduate student-faculty ratio for the average class is 11:1.
There are numerous degree programs for both undergraduate and graduate studies. Common undergraduate studies include nursing, criminal justice, education, and business. Graduate studies include counseling psychology, education, nursing, criminal justice, and resources management.
In January 2011, a new doctoral program was introduced for those pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Professional Studies.
Residence Life
There are four different housing options: St. Joseph's Hall, Garden Residence, Duplex Apartments, and the Stevenson Lane Residence.The Stevenson Lane Residence is the newest residence building, accommodates 148 students and offers suite-style living with amenities in line with what students expect in contemporary campus housing. St. Joseph's Hall houses freshmen students and features a 24-hour computer lab, lounges, vending machines, and a recreation room designed by students. The Garden Residence, consisting of apartment-style dorms, is a short walk from campus to offer students more independence. The Duplex Apartments are located just off-campus, house three students each, and is a great alternative to living on campus.
Clubs & Organizations
There is a wide variety of clubs and activities for students to participate in including Student Government Association, Students At Your Service (a community-service organization), Campus Ministry, Drama Club, Tri-Lite (a student-run newspaper), and many more. No matter the major, there is a club for you.Athletics
Holy Family University has 15 varsity sports teams, nine women’s and six men’s teams. Their nickname is the Tigers and their colors are Copenhagen blue and white. Since 1985 the director of athletics has been Sandra Michael, who oversees the university’s 15 NCAA Division II sports. The teams at HFU compete in the CAC conference and are affiliated with the NCAA Division II. CACC is the Central Atlantic Collegiate ConferenceCentral Atlantic Collegiate Conference
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA’s Division II. Member institutions are located in the northeastern United States in the States of Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.The conference was founded...
composed of 14 colleges and universities located in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The CACC finished 3rd nationally among Division II conferences.
The women’s teams are basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross-country running, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, soccer, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. The women's basketball team became the first CACC team to participate in the NCAA Championship tournament and won its sixth Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference crown in nine seasons in 2007; and in 2009 the women's softball team won 22 of 28 games during their regular season. Holy Family University Men’s Teams: consist of a Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Track (indoor and outdoor).
Available to all athletes, as well as other students, are the cardio and weight rooms, campus center gym, and Tiger Field. The Albert and Carolyn Smith Cardio Room was completed in 2003 and is equipped with ten treadmill
Treadmill
A treadmill is an exercise machine for running or walking while staying in one place. The word treadmill traditionally refers to a type of mill which was operated by a person or animal treading steps of a wheel to grind grain...
s, six elliptical machines, six stationary bikes, two stair climbers, two rowing machines, and two Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
wii’s. It also has an open area for abdominal and leg workouts. The weight room was also completed in 2003 and has 40 pieces of Hammer strength apparatus and three full racks of free weights. The Campus Center Gym houses the men’s and women’s basketball teams and the women’s volleyball team; and Tiger Field is used by the soccer and lacrosse teams.