Mercyhurst College is a
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
liberal arts collegeLiberal arts colleges are primarily colleges with an emphasis upon undergraduate study in the liberal arts. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise defines "liberal arts" as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in...
in
ErieErie is an industrial city on the shore of Lake Erie in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth largest city , with a population of 104,000...
,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
,
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
On September 20, 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. It was founded by the
Sisters of MercyThe Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
of the
Erie DioceseThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie is a Roman Catholic diocese in western Pennsylvania. It was founded on July 29, 1853. It is one of seven suffragan sees in Pennsylvania that make up the Ecclesiastical Province of Philadelphia, which is headed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.-...
, who were led by Mother M. Borgia Egan, the first president of Mercyhurst College. The college received its
charterA charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
on October 5, 1928.
F. Ferdinand Durang was hired to design the Old Main building.
Mercyhurst College is a
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
liberal arts collegeLiberal arts colleges are primarily colleges with an emphasis upon undergraduate study in the liberal arts. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise defines "liberal arts" as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in...
in
ErieErie is an industrial city on the shore of Lake Erie in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth largest city , with a population of 104,000...
,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
,
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
On September 20, 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. It was founded by the
Sisters of MercyThe Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
of the
Erie DioceseThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie is a Roman Catholic diocese in western Pennsylvania. It was founded on July 29, 1853. It is one of seven suffragan sees in Pennsylvania that make up the Ecclesiastical Province of Philadelphia, which is headed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.-...
, who were led by Mother M. Borgia Egan, the first president of Mercyhurst College. The college received its
charterA charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
on October 5, 1928.
F. Ferdinand Durang was hired to design the Old Main building. It was modeled after the English
GothicGothic architecture is a style of architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
design. The iron gates at its main entrance on 38th Street were put up in 1950.
On February 3, 1969, the board of trustees voted to make Mercyhurst a coed college.
From its foundation in 1926 until 1972, members of the Sisters of Mercy had been presidents of the college. After 1972, the college was led by lay presidents.
On March 27, 1991, Mercyhurst purchased the 100-year old Redemptorist Seminary in
North EastNorth East is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Erie. Fruit growing was an early economic endeavor, and is still to this day, as this is a popular area for especially cherries and grapes. They hold an annual Cherry Festival in the summer and an annual in the fall. It contains...
to become a branch campus.
In the past two decades, Mercyhurst has become one of the top comprehensive colleges in the North and the second largest Mercy college in America. Between its two campuses, enrollment has grown to 4,000 students, full-time faculty members number 168, the endowment has increased to more than $20 million and its budget to more than $80 million.
A $40 million program of buildings and campus renovations has changed the look of Mercyhurst during the past 20 years. Old Main remains the center of a campus that includes more than 50 structures. In fall 2002, the $7.5 million Audrey Hirt Academic Center opened on the southeast edge of campus. The building was funded largely through the college’s $22.8 million capital campaign.
In August 2005, the $5 million Michele and Tom Ridge Health and Safety Building was dedicated at Mercyhurst North East. A $1.3 million residential apartment complex opened in time for the academic year.
In April 2005, the board of trustees authorized the purchase of in
GirardGirard is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,164 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Girard is located at ....
as the first step towards developing Mercyhurst West, a two-year college serving west
Erie CountyErie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 280,843. Its county seat is Erie.- Geography :...
and northwest
Crawford CountyCrawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 90,366.Crawford County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named for Colonel William Crawford...
and northeast
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
.
The construction of a $14 million freshman residence hall began fall 2008, and will open to house students fall 2009. The 100,000 ft. building will house approximately 300 students and contain a convenience store, conference rooms and a fitness center.
The board of trustees elected Dr. Thomas J. Gamble as 11th president of Mercyhurst College. Dr. Gamble, who previously served as vice president of academic affairs at the college, assumed the presidency March 1, 2006, replacing Dr. Garvey who resigned.
The college is no longer run by the Sisters of Mercy, but they have a Motherhouse south of the college and several sisters work for the college.
Today
Enrollment at Mercyhurst College is nearly 3,500 students. Dr. Thomas Gamble is the current President. The college is one of the few schools in the region on a trimester academic period system.
The College has a campus 18 miles east at
North East, PennsylvaniaNorth East is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Erie. Fruit growing was an early economic endeavor, and is still to this day, as this is a popular area for especially cherries and grapes. They hold an annual Cherry Festival in the summer and an annual in the fall. It contains...
, at the site of the former St. Mary's Seminary, known as
Mercyhurst North EastMercyhurst North East is a Catholic liberal arts college located in North East, Pennsylvania, and is a branch campus of Mercyhurst College ....
.
The College added a third campus known as Mercyhurst West located in Girard, Pennsylvania. The site of this campus on the site of a former church known as Faith Lutheran Church. Classes began here in the Fall of 2006.
Notable faculty include Archaeologist James Adovasio, two American Board of Forensic Anthropology certified Forensic Anthropologists: Dennis Dirkmaat, and Steven Symes, and Physical Anthropologist Steven Ousley, co-creator of
FORDISCFORDISC, an interactive discriminant functions program created by Stephen Ousley and Richard Jantz, is widely used by forensic anthropologists to assist in the creation of a decedent's biological profile when only parts of the cranium are available. The program compares potential profiles to data...
.
The Schools of Mercyhurst College
- The School of Arts & Humanities
- The Walker School of Business & Communication
- The Hafenmaier School of Education & Behavioral Sciences
- The Zurn School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics
- The School of Social Sciences
The school is best known for its programs in
archaeologyArchaeology or archeology is the science that studies human cultures through the recovery, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of material culture and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, and landscapes...
and
forensic anthropologyForensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical anthropology and human osteology in a legal setting, most often in criminal cases where the victim's remains are in the advanced stages of decomposition...
,
intelligenceIntelligence refers to discrete information with currency and relevance, and the abstraction, evaluation, and understanding of such information for its accuracy and value...
(
MCIISThe Mercyhurst College Institute for Intelligence Studies , located on the campus of Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania, offers undergraduate and graduate studies programs in intelligence analysis. The program also offers graduate certificates in Applied Intelligence, Counterintelligence and...
&
CIRATCirat is a municipality of Valencia in the province of Castellón, Spain. It has a population of approximately 240 and is the capital of Alto Mijares.-Sources:*...
), forensic science,
danceDance is a sport and art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, and
musicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Athletics
Mercyhurst College competes in two NCAA
Division IDivision I is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States....
and 22 NCAA
Division IIDivision II is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It offers an alternative to both the highly competitive level of intercollegiate sports offered in NCAA Division I and to the non-scholarship level offered in Division III...
sports. Mercyhurst, is known as the
"Lakers". The Lakers are one of the newest members of the
Pennsylvania State Athletic ConferenceThe Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference that participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. The conference is composed of 16 full-time members within Pennsylvania and one associate member in New York...
(PSAC). Around 15 percent of the student body are considered student-athletes.
NCAA Division I Sports
- Men's Ice Hockey (Atlantic Hockey
Atlantic Hockey is a college athletic conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. Unlike several other Division I college hockey conferences, Atlantic Hockey has no women's division...
)
- Women's Ice Hockey
The Mercyhurst Lakers women's ice hockey team is the hockey team that represents the Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania. The program started in 1999 and Michael Sisti has been the only coach in the history of the program. From 2000 to 2002, the Lakers were part of the Great Lakes Women's...
(College Hockey AmericaCollege Hockey America is a college athletic conference with teams ranging geographically from New York to Alabama and Minnesota. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. When the NCAA no longer sanctioned Division II hockey, this conference formed among schools who...
)
NCAA Division II Sports
- Baseball
- Men's & Women's Basketball
- Men's & Women's Cross Country
- Field Hockey
- American Football
- Men's & Women's Golf
- Men's Lacrosse (East Coast Conference
The East Coast Conference is a collegiate athletics conference affiliated with the NCAA’s Division II. Member institutions are located in the northeastern United States in the States of Connecticut and New York.-History:...
)
- Women's Lacrosse
- Men's & Women's Rowing (ECAC
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 35 men's and women's sports...
)
- Men's & Women's Soccer
- Softball
- Men's & Women's Tennis
- Women's Volleyball
- Men's & Women's Water Polo (Collegiate Water Polo Association
The Collegiate Water Polo Association is a conference of colleges and universities in the Eastern United States that compete in varsity water polo...
)
- Wrestling
National Championships
- 1976: Men's Tennis - NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA permits membership to colleges and universities...
- 2004: Women's Rowing - NCAA Division II
- 2009: Josh Shields (165 lbs), Wrestling - NCAA Division II
National Runner-up
- 2007: Men's Lacrosse - NCAA Division II
- 2009: Women's Ice Hockey - NCAA Division I
- 2009: Women's Rowing - NCAA Division II
Mercyhurst College Club Sports
American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHAThe American Collegiate Hockey Association is the governing body of club ice hockey, teams not sanctioned by the NCAA. The organization provides structure, regulations and promotes the quality of collegiate ice hockey....
) - Division I
- Men's Ice Hockey (Eastern Collegiate Hockey League
The Eastern Collegiate Hockey League is an ACHA Division I club hockey league consisting of teams in the Northeast United States. The League consists of 6 teams from schools in New York and Pennsylavania.-2008-2009 Teams:* University at Buffalo,* SUNY Canton...
)
Notable alumni
- John Reilly Costello, (MLB Pitcher) 1988-1990, St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball...
; 1990, Montreal ExposThe Montreal Expos is the name of a Major League Baseball team that was located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until the end of the 2004 season, when the team was moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals....
; 1991 San Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times.The Padres are one of four teams...
- David Emmer Lee
David Emmer Lee is an American former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Lee played for the Colorado Rockies , San Diego Padres , and Cleveland Indians . Lee currently lives in a boro of Pittsburgh called Pleasant Hills coaching 6-7-8 year old baseball.-External links:**...
, (MLB Pitcher) 1999-2000, Colorado RockiesThe Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993, the Rockies play in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains, which pass through Colorado, just west of Denver...
; 2001, San Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times.The Padres are one of four teams...
; 2003-2004, Cleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field . The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
- Jeff Daisley, 2006-2007, Buffalo Silverbacks (ABA); 2007-2007, Mayas-USA
Mayas-USA is a team of the World Basketball Association that began play in 2007. It is owned by the Liga Nacional Balonocesto Professional 's Mayas de Yucatan, and plays its games in Dallas, Texas. Mayas-USA defeated the Gwinnett Ravia-Rebels 114 to 104 in the 2007 league championship...
(WBA); Rio Grande Valley SilveradosThe Southeast Texas Mavericks are a franchise of the American Basketball Association based in Beaumont, Texas. They play their home games at Ford Arena....
2007-Present (CBA)
- James "Buster" Douglas, 1981-1999, Professional Heavyweight Boxer (First to defeat Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion and remains the youngest man ever to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles. He won the WBC title at just 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old, after defeating Trevor Berbick by a TKO in...
)
- Terrance Patrick, (Defensive End) 2005-Present, Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
(CFL)
- Mike McLellan
Mike McLellan is a lacrosse player for the Orlando Titans in the National Lacrosse League. Nicknamed "The Maestro", he played college lacrosse at Mercyhurst College and was named a two-time Division II All-American....
, (Forward) 2005 Edmonton RushThe Edmonton Rush is a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League that started playing in the 2006 NLL season.The NLL announced that Edmonton, Alberta, Canada would receive an NLL franchise on May 5, 2005. They play their home games at Rexall Place...
(NLL); 2005-2006,Arizona StingThe Arizona Sting was a member of the National Lacrosse League from 2004 to 2007. They played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, from 2001 to 2003 as the Columbus Landsharks. On August 28, 2003, it was announced that the team was relocating to Glendale, Arizona...
(NLL); 2006-Present, New York Titans (NLL)
- Patrick Merrill
Patrick Merrill is a lacrosse player for the Orlando Titans in the National Lacrosse League and the Toronto Nationals in Major League Lacrosse.-Professional career:...
, (Defence) 2003-2007, Toronto RockThe Toronto Rock are a lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The Rock of the late 1990s / early 2000s has been called a dynasty, having won five NLL championships in seven years. From 1999 to 2003, the Rock appeared in an NLL-record...
(NLL); 2007, Boston BlazersThe Boston Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1997. They were called the New England Blazers from 1989 to 1991 while based in Worcester, Massachusetts, and were renamed the Boston Blazers in 1992 when they moved to Boston. While in Worcester, the Blazers played...
(NLL); 2007-Present, New York Titans (NLL)
- Pat Harkins
Patrick J. "Pat" Harkins is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for 1st District and was elected in 2006.-Personal:...
, Member of the Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe 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. Elections are held in November of even numbered...
(2007-present).
- Anthony Maher, 1998-2002, Professional Soccer Player (2002-present).
- Grace Gentiluomo 2004-2008- World class bocce player and former european darts champion.
Trivia
"Mercyhurst's City" was a clue in the January 8th edition of Cooper's Gigantic Crossword
Mercyhurst is mentioned in the Movie "That Thing You Do" as the site for the featured band's first real gig.
External links