President's Message
As I accepted the presidency of this wonderful college, I looked around at what lay ahead. The growth that Mercyhurst has experienced over the past several years never ceases to amaze me and because of this growth, Mercyhurst College has become the second largest Mercy College in the United States.
Today more than 4,000 students walk through our three campuses and more than 900 full- and part-time faculty, staff, administration and adjunct faculty are here to help them reach their goals. This is amazing if you consider that just 80 years ago, Mercyhurst was a dream for Mother M. Borgia Egan and the Sisters of Mercy.
With such a large and growing network of people, I feel that it becomes increasingly important to have experts working with me. I am proud to say that at Mercyhurst we have some of the brightest and best in the country, if not the world, on staff to teach our students and serve as administrators. Just this year, we were fortunate enough to welcome another "dynamic dozen" highly qualified faculty members and many other staff and administrators to the Mercyhurst family.
As the president, I see my role emerging as a mentor or a guide who enables those who are here to build their areas in the best way they know how toward the mission of the college. My role is to act as a midwife - not dictating how the system should operate, but rather enabling others to flourish while guiding and assisting in the birth of new ideas and ventures. This is how Mercyhurst will most efficiently and effectively move toward our future vision.
Despite the changes, there are many aspects of Mercyhurst that remain the same. Mercyhurst continues to remain dedicated to the mission of the college. Mercyhurst continues to focus on academic excellence. We continue to see the value in the liberal arts and the dignity of work. We also continue to focus on the Mercy tradition and values of truth, individual integrity, human dignity, mercy and justice. But, I think most importantly, Mercyhurst continues to be about people - about seeking understanding, living values and making a difference in our community and the world today and in the future.
Every year we open the gates to all of you, our alumni, during the Homecoming celebration. With your arrival come the stories about your days on the Hill. These stories are rich in what makes Mercyhurst, Mercyhurst. These stories are also what allow the mystery and memories of the Mercy tradition and character of Mercyhurst to live on.
I can only hope that you will continue to read about the people who are shaping the Mercyhurst of today and tomorrow. I also encourage you to stay connected with us so that you can continue to make new stories so that the generations can continue to know what has flourished from the simple seed the Sisters of Mercy planted on a hilltop in Erie, Pa.