Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, Canadian Microcollege

A fascinating extended article offers insights on several levels into a Canadian microcollege, "Our Lady Seat of Wisdom President talks candidly." President Christine Schintgen was interviewed by Barry Conway of The Eganville (Ontario, CA) Leader.

Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy began in the fall of 1999 "...as a small study centre with a few dedicated teachers and a group of six eager young students. The small “proto-college” was named, appropriately enough, after a title of Our Lady officially authorized by the Second Vatican Council, Mater Ecclesiae. Students and teachers would meet in living rooms, hay lofts, basements, wherever they could find room, and together discuss the truths of our faith, history, and civilization."

Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, is now officially a college, offering a three-year Bachelor of Catholic Studies degree and enrolls roughly 100 students. The college is located in Barry's Bay, Ontario, CA.

President McGuire of Trinity Washington University Provides Insight Into Financial Impact of the Pandemic

Interesting reporting by Jonathan Capriel of the Washington Business Journal focusing on Trinity Washington University and the budgetary impact of pressures small institutions are facing as 2020 nears an end, "Trinity Washington University was staring at a big 2020 deficit. Then enrollment jumped and PPP came through.".

Pat McGuire, Trinity Washington's president, notes that retention played a big role in increased enrollment and highlights some budget areas where decreased costs played a role in achieving a balanced budget.

Leadership with a Focus on What Really Matters...Lessons from Dr. Pat McGuire and Trinity Washington University

Patricia McGuire, the president of Trinity Washington University,  was recently featured on the Partnering Leadership podcast talking about how she led the transformation of Trinity, the leadership principles that she has learned, and advice she has for other leaders, as they're looking to lead their organizations through transformation. 

You can also find an interview in a Small College Garden post from roughly a year ago with Kavitha Cardoza on WAMU radio, "The Evolving Legacy Of A Women’s College: Trinity’s Pat McGuire." 

Successfully Navigating the Pandemic at Emmanuel College

Interesting article from the Global Sisters Report focusing on the response of Emmanuel College during the pandemic, "How a longtime Catholic college president is navigating the pandemic."

Sr. Janet Eisner, President of Emmanuel College in Boston "...credits the school's handling of the pandemic to faculty, staff and students — everyone but herself. Yet her colleagues say her ability to listen to every viewpoint then act decisively has allowed the school to weather the crisis so far."

I also found it interesting that "Eisner...has been at the helm of Emmanuel since taking office in 1979, 41 years ago, making her both the longest currently serving female college president and the longest serving current president of a Catholic college or university.

Emmanuel College is located in Boston, MA and celebrated the centennial of its founding in 1919 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur as the first Catholic college for women in New England.

Evolving Legacy of a Women's College: Interview with Dr. Pat McGuire

Dr. Pat McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University provides a fascinating & powerful interview for Kavitha Cardoza on WAMU radio, "The Evolving Legacy Of A Women’s College: Trinity’s Pat McGuire." 

The interview describes a change in mission for Trinity that began after McGuire assumed the presidency in 1989 and the institution's success in continuing to meet the needs of students they serve.

You can also read more of Dr. McGuire's thoughts in a powerful commentary written for The Chronicle of Higher Education Importance of Institutional Diversity: Call for a New Balance of Mission and Metrics.

Emphasis on the Sciences at Assumption College

The Worcester (MA) Business Journal published a very good article on Assumption College and its renewed focus on science, "Assumption, the science university."  Reporter Grant Welker provides details for several new majors and how the institution is working to respond to changing student needs and interests.

Assumption College was founded in 1904 Augustinians of the Assumption. It is located in Worcester, MA and enrolls just over 2,000 undergraduate students.

Marian University and Saint Joseph's College Partner to create new 2-Year College

Gregg Toppo reports for Inside Higher Ed in "Marian, Saint Joseph's to Open 2-Year College," that Marian University of Indianapolis and Saint Joseph's College of Rensselaer, IN are planning to partner in the opening of a new institution in Indianapolis.  The partnership will be known as Saint Joseph's College of Marian University-Indianapolis.  You can read a press release on the Saint Joseph's web site.

Saint Joseph's was founded in 1891 and operated briefly as a minor seminary from 1925-1931. Collegiate programs were added again and a full baccalaureate program was operating by the end of the decade. A second campus was opened in Calumet, IN after 1951 and evolved to become what is now Calumet College of St. Joseph. Saint Joseph's suspended classes in 2017.

Marian University was founded in 1851 as St. Francis Normal School for Women in Oldenburg, IN. It became Immaculate Conception Junior College in 1924. The institution moved to Indianapolis in 1937 and the name changed to Marian College. The name changed again to Marian University in 2009.

Two Detroit Publications Provide Excellent Reporting on Changes at Marygrove College

Nancy Kaffer and the Detroit Free Press offer an excellent in-depth look at Marygrove College and the neighborhoods it serves in northwest Detroit, "Marygrove Collegefinds new life as graduate-only institution: What's next for Marygrove College, the nuns who founded it, the foundation that's supporting it, and theneighborhoods around it?"

Marygrove has experienced a steady decline over the years and previous efforts designed to improve institutional fortunes were not successful.  Kaffer's reporting provides details of how the possibility of closure has been pushed aside and the Kresge Foundation stepped in to help fund significant changes.

Crain's Detroit Business posted, "Struggling Marygrove College to transfer campus to new nonprofit."  Reporter Sherri Welch also offers details of changes with more emphasis on the transfer of Marygrove's campus 53 acre campus to a nonprofit Marygrove Conservancy. 

Three Milwaukee Women are Featured for Higher Education Leadership

The Shepherd Express, Milwaukee's alternative news source, published an article with profiles of women who are leading the city's higher education institutions, "Milwaukee's Three Women Presidents."   Cindy Gnadinger of Carroll University, Andrea Lee of Alverno College, and Christine Pharr of Mount Mary University are the presidents featured by reporter Selena Milewski. 

Milewski begins by noting that that more institutions are turning to women for leadership and that women now serve as presidents for one-third of the nation's colleges and universities.  Each of the presidents provide insights into what drew them to their institutions and the things they are focusing on to insure future success.

A Catholic Women's College Thrives by Refocusing on Mission

Maryanne Stevens, president of the College of Saint Mary in Omaha was featured this month at Faith & Leadership, "Focus on what's core to your mission." Stevens assumed the leadership of a Catholic women's college twenty-one years ago that by all accounts was headed toward closure.  Stevens led her learning community in a remarkable turnaround by refocusing on the institution's mission of serving women, particularly single mothers and immigrants.  

An earlier Small College Garden post from late 2016 coincided with an article in the Omaha World-Herald that recognized Stevens for twenty years of service as president at the College of Saint Mary.

Possible Lessons from Revival of Antioch College for St. Joseph's and other Small Colleges

The Lafayette, Indiana Journal & Courier and the USA Today Network of papers published "The fall and rise of a college," with excellent reporting by Meghan Holden on April 14, 2017.  

Holden sets the stage by initially describing the emotional events surrounding recent news that St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana is closing.  She then shifts her focus to Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH and weaves together interviews with students, alumni, administrators, and community members to identify lessons that might be helpful to the those trying to revive St. Joseph's.  

Three central themes emerge from her discussions with different Antioch constituents:

• emotional and financial support of alumni and the broader community are critical.
• the effort will take more time and money than anyone can envision.
• and, reliance on traditional funding models will not be successful over the long term.  

This initial article is also accompanied by a companion article, "The Antioch College experience," where Holden provides more information on Antioch's history and the evolution of its relatively unique mission and campus culture.

College of Saint Benedict Announces Large Gift

The College of Saint Benedict announced a large gift this week that will be used to complete construction of new athletic fields.  The Corborn Family Foundation committed $500,000 for the College Avenue Athletic Fields that will include two soccer/lacrosse fields, two softball fields, three intramural/multi-use fields, and an athletic center featuring locker rooms and a training room, with restrooms and concessions for spectators.

CSB is located in St. Joseph, MN and enrolls just over 1,900 students.  The institution was founded by the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict in 1887 and was initially known as St. Benedict's Academy.  It became St. Benedict's College and Academy in 1913 and the College of St. Benedict after 1927.

President Maryanne Stevens and the College of St. Mary are Featured

Michael Kelly's column for the Omaha World-Herald, "In 20 years since Maryanne Stevens took over College of St. Mary, her vision became a reality," highlights both the institution's president and a number of successful initiatives.  I thought the focus on single mothers was particularly interesting with CSM building a residence hall with suites for 48 mothers and their children.  Kelly notes that CSM enrolls 1,046 students.

Ursuline College Campus Architecture is Featured

Steven Litt's article for Cleveland's The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com, "Ursuline College campus nears half-century as a treasure of mid-century modernism," focuses on the architectural history of the Ursuline College campus in Pepper Pike, OH and includes 30 images.  The institution was founded in 1871 by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland and was initially located in Cleveland on Euclid Avenue.  The institution relocated to the current campus in Pepper Pike in 1966.

Can small struggling colleges benefit from greater recognition of their religious identity?

Adam Wilson addresses the issue of Catholic identity and the closing of Marian Court College in a June 25, 2015 post for the National Catholic Register.

Wilson includes a link to a more extensive report he also authored for The Cardinal Newman Society  where he contrasts the emphasis on Catholic identity evident at Marian Court College with the approaches of two other small institutions, Christendom College in Front Royal, VA and Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, CA.  Marian Court enrolled 266 and decided to close.  In contrast, Thomas Aquinas with 366 students and Christendom with 433 appear comfortable articulating missions that depend in part on their small size.