Mount Aloysius College is a Catholic, private college in Cresson, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a liberal arts college that awards bachelor’s, associate’s, and master’s degrees in the arts and sciences fields. The undergraduate enrollment totals approximately 3,000 students.
Mount Aloysius College was established in 1853 by a small community of sisters from the Sisters of Mercy, during which time St. Aloysius Academy was constructed. The Academy became Mount Aloysius Junior College in 1939, and later became Mount Aloysius College in 1991 after amending its charter to allow the conferment of bachelor degrees.
Mount Aloysius is located on a rural 193 acre (0.78 km2) campus in the Allegheny Mountains region of west-central Pennsylvania. Mount Aloysius’ 12 sports teams compete in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference of the NCAA Division III.
History and tradition
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The history of the College is rooted in the life of the Religious Sisters of Mercy who founded and sponsor Mount Aloysius College. Catherine McAuley founded the Religious Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831 as a congregation devoted to service.
Mount Aloysius College traces its heritage to the small community of sisters who were sent to Pittsburgh in 1843. From Pittsburgh, they established a community in Chicago in 1845 and by 1848 they settled in nearby Loretto. On St. Mary's Street in Loretto, the Sisters built a school in a tinner's shop, which was to be the forerunner of St. Aloysius Academy. The Academy, built in 1853, was moved to its present site in 1897. In 1939 Mount Aloysius Junior College was founded through the initiative of Sister M. de Sales Farley, R.S.M. In 1991, Mount Aloysius amended its charter and scope of programs to include bachelor degrees. In the Spring of 2000, the College's charter was again amended to include master's degrees. The U.S. News & World Report college guide ranks Mount Aloysius as one of the top comprehensive colleges in the northern U.S.
The College
Mount Aloysius College is a small, private, comprehensive, Catholic liberal arts college sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy. Established in 1853, the College today specializes in both undergraduate and graduate education. Since the founding of the College, more than 14,500 students have become Mount Aloysius College graduates. The College is committed to small classroom size, providing a highly structured environment. Mount Aloysius College students come from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but many other states are represented on campus, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Seventy-one percent of the College's students are women. There are approximately 2,500 (unduplicated headcount) students enrolled.
Mount Aloysius College is one of sixteen Mercy College's nationwide. As part of the Mercy College curriculum, students are encouraged to evaluate ethical issues and form a sound character consistent with traditional Mercy values. Social growth is seen as a vital element of a complete liberal arts education, encompassing the important ability to relate closely to people.
The College recognizes that student activities play a distinctive role in the total campus educational program. There are approximately 100 organized clubs, groups, honor societies, and intramural sports programs, including a newspaper, residence hall associations, student government, cheer leading, dance team, step team, scholarship-funded theater and choir programs, and a student activities planning board. Student activities include many social events, intramural sports programs, NCAA Division III sporting events, comedians, cultural and educational events, campus forums, and lectures by guest speakers.
Twelve buildings make up the 193-acre (0.78Â km2) campus. The main building dates back to 1897 and houses the admissions, financial aid, security, health, and academic offices, along with the Office of the President, classrooms, tele-nursing research facilities, and the Wolf-Kuhn art gallery. Cosgrave Center is the main hub on campus, serving as the Student Union. That building has the dining hall, snack bar, bookstore, child-care center (part of the elementary education/early childhood program at the College), lounges, recreational rooms, student affairs offices, career services, and meeting rooms. The College's Health and Physical Fitness Center is adjacent to Cosgrave Center. Its main athletic arena has a seating capacity of approximately 2,000 and serves as the home to all Mounties. The facility provides space for three basketball courts, three volleyball courts, a weight and exercise room equipped with a sauna, two locker rooms, office areas, changing rooms for sports officials, public restrooms, a lobby, and a vestibule. Misciagna Residence Hall was first occupied by 100 resident students in 2006. This residence hall comprises twenty-five suites. Each suite has a living room area, kitchenette area, and two bedrooms. The three-story building has laundry facilities and common space on each floor. Ihmsen Halls are key housing facilities for residential students. Alumni Hall is a historic, multipurpose room that is used for College drama, musicals, and many performing arts events. Mount Aloysius recently began construction on new residence hall, McAuley Hall, which opened in 2009, houses more than 100 sophomore students. This facility is also home to a large multipurpose room. The College operates twelve months per year and opens its facilities to the outside community.
The College is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. All nursing programs and health studies programs are fully accredited by their professional accrediting bodies, including the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, the American Association of Medical Assistants, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation for Programs of Surgical Technology.
Mount Aloysius is a college that offers master's degrees in business administration (MBA), community counseling, criminal justice management in correctional administration, education, and psychology.
Mount Aloysius College is located in the scenic southern Allegheny Mountains of west-central Pennsylvania. The College is located in the small town of Cresson, which is adjacent to U.S. Route 22. The College's setting is rural, with two middle-sized cities, Altoona and Johnstown, within a very short distance. Facilities in the area are available for outdoor activities, including biking, golfing, swimming, skiing, horse-back riding, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, spelunking, picnicking, and amusement and water parking.
Athletics
Mount Aloysius College sports teams are represented by their equine mascot "Victory" -- The Mountie. The Mount Aloysius "Mounties" are members of the NCAA Division III, competing in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) . The following athletic programs are available to both women and men: basketball, cross-country, soccer and tennis. Men's golf and baseball, as well as women's bowling, softball and volleyball, are also offered. The women's basketball team won the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA)'s championship in 2003. Both intercollegiate and intramural athletes benefit from the new Ray S. and Louise S. Walker Athletic Field Complex, which includes a softball and soccer field. The Calandra-Smith Baseball Field was added in 2007.
Majors and degrees
Mount Aloysius College awards bachelor's and associate degrees in the arts, sciences, and health-studies fields in both career-oriented and traditional liberal arts programs.
Masters degrees offered:
- Business Administration (MBA)
- Community Counseling
- Psychology
Baccalaureate degrees are available in:
- Accounting
- American Sign Language/English Interpreting (accredited by Commission of Collegiate Interpreter Education - CCIE)
- Behavioral and Social Science
- Biology
- Business Administration (Sports Management Concentration)
- Computer Science
- Criminology
- Education Level Pre K-4
- English
- General Science
- History/Political Science
- Humanities
- Information Technology
- Math/Science
- Medical Imaging
- Nursing (RN-B.S.N. program)
- Nursing (2+2)
- Occupational Therapy (3+2)
- Physical Therapy (4+2)
- Physician Assistant Studies (3+2)
- Pre-law
- Psychology
- Undecided/Exploratory
Associate degrees are offered in:
- Applied Technology
- Business Administration
- Criminology
- Early Childhood Studies
- General Studies
- Legal Studies
- Liberal Arts
- Medical Assistant Studies
- Nursing
- Nursing (LPN to RN)
- Physical Therapist Assistant Studies
- Radiography/Medical Imaging, and Surgical Technology.
Academic programs
Whether to preparing students for careers upon graduation or for graduate school, Mount Aloysius recognizes the importance of a broad and liberal arts education. Thus, in addition to receiving solid preparation for a chosen career, every student at the College receives a foundation in the arts, sciences, and humanities through a core curriculum. Strong emphasis is placed upon the specialized courses within each program of study, and many academic programs combine classroom experience with internships and related training at area clinical sites, agencies, and institutions. In addition to our regular academic programs, Mount Aloysius offers independent and directed study with a commitment to service, which is a key ingredient in a Mercy education. The College has an honors program and Educational Enrichment Center. The academic calendar has two traditional semesters and two or three optional summer sessions.
Off-campus programs
An important feature of many academic programs is off-campus training. The majority of the College's programs of study require credit-yielding practicums, through which students work and receive training at local and regional hospitals, public and private schools, or health or human service agencies. Students in all health programs participate in required on-the-job training during their time at the College. The college also has its very own basketball camp, started by Coach Lance Loya. At this camp, the Mount Aloysius team, coaches, and a few other people help to improve younger kids abilities by going through stations and having game tournaments.
Academic facilities
In 1995, Mount Aloysius College opened both a new library and a new era, signifying greater access to information for the College community. This state of art facility is the campus hub for technology and studying. With a Buhl Electronic Classroom and more than 70,000 print and nonprint titles, the library is an impressive, 31,000-square-foot (2,900Â m2) facility with ample seating space, four group-study rooms, a reading lounge, a law library and classroom, and additional room for future expansion. This facility is also completely automated, with an online catalog and access to remote libraries and the World Wide Web at more than thirty public workstations. Also located in the library is the Information Technology Center, home to fifteen multimedia computer workstations and some of the latest offerings in educational software.
Pierce Hall serves as the science center on campus and is a state-of-the-art, 31,000-square-foot (2,900Â m2) facility that was completed in 1997 and houses all science laboratories, health science centers, and offices of faculty members in the health studies programs. Academic Hall is an impressive facility that is home to the College Honors Program. It also has classrooms, labs, seminar rooms, faculty offices, and electronic rooms. The College is proud of its bridge to the past and its progress in providing not old buildings.
Costs
Annual tuition and fees for the 2011-12 academic year for full-time undergraduate students in Biology, Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Medical Laboratory Tech are $20,180. For those students in the Arts, Business, General Science, Professional Studies, Medical Assistant, Surgical Technology, and all other programs, costs are $17,930. Room costs range from $4,020 to $4,930, while the board cost for a 19 meal plan is $4,020. Additional costs may arise depending on the program of study.
Financial aid
Mount Aloysius recognizes the expense involved in acquiring a liberal arts education and encourages all students to apply for all available aid. Through the Office of Financial Aid, the College assists students in applying for state and federal grants, loans, work-study awards, and College merit scholarships and grants. The College awards academic monies based on GPA and SAT or ACT scores; these awards are renewable over a four-year period and range from $1000 to $8000 per year. Mount Aloysius College participates in all federal and state programs. In 2003, the College awarded more than $10 million in student financial aid. Ninety percent of the College's students receive some form of financial aid. U.S. News & World Report ranked Mount Aloysius College number one among private liberal arts colleges in the Northeast for the least amount of loan debt among students as they graduate.
Faculty
The Mount Aloysius faculty consists of approximately 60 full-time teachers, whose primary responsibility is teaching. Most full-time faculty members hold advanced or terminal degrees and are expected to maintain close instructional ties with students. Many professors hold national professional certificates in such disciplines as criminology, law, nursing, and occupational therapy. The Mount Aloysius student-faculty ratio of 14:1 allows extremely close contact between students and faculty members, providing extremely personal attention in an extremely personal environment.
Student government
The Student Government Association (SGA) represents students on all issues that concern the College. The SGA appoints student representatives to all student-oriented College committees. The College encourages active student participation in the general governance structure and in other matters concerning the development and implementation of policies on residential student life. The current president for the 2014-2015 academic year is Adam Pernelli.
Admission requirements
The College admits a freshman class of approximately 500 students, which mounts to a total class of 550 with transfer students. Admission is less selective and is based on academic promise, as indicated by a student's secondary school performance and activities, standardized test scores, and special experience and talents. Applicants are required to have, or expect to earn, a diploma from an approved secondary school or a GED diploma. Submission of official transcripts and SAT or ACT scores is required. In addition to the general admission requirements, specific admission requirements exist for the health programs.
Notable alumni
- Patricia Egan Jones, politician who has represented the 5th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2015.
References
External links
- Official website
- Official athletics website
