West Campus

2011-2012 Mercyhurst West Profile

As Mercyhurst College continues to emerge as a leader in sustainability among Pennsylvania colleges and universities, operations at its West campus are embracing that focus, this fall with new curriculum offerings, including landscape design and plant science.

These courses also represent two offerings in a new 31-credit certificate program in sustainable horticulture and landscaping being phased in at West. The program features a flexible course sequence that may be started at any Mercyhurst campus: Erie, North East or Girard. It integrates training facilities, like the Girard farm operation, with the classroom work, field trips and other experiential learning opportunities. Course offerings include natural landscaping, landscape construction & maintenance, introduction to soils, entomology and pest management, sustainable organic food production, plant propagation and commercial and institutional composting, among others.

The West campus continues to expand its sustainable garden, selling produce at multiple farmers markets in the community and donating the remainder to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwestern Pennsylvania. The garden is also a center for faculty and student research, particularly in the fields of biology, archaeology and related sciences.

Further, West has embraced a community-focused agenda with assorted public programs on everything from water quality to sustainable agriculture methods.

About West

In April 2005, the Mercyhurst College Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 405 acres along the north side of Route 20 straddling the Girard Township-Girard Borough line. The property once was the location of the former Divine Word Seminary, a landmark in the Girard area until it was demolished in 1986. In May 2005, the college closed the $1.85 million deal on the property and immediately began laying the groundwork for establishing a new campus that would be known as Mercyhurst West. Classes began in fall 2006 in a temporary facility, the former Faith Lutheran Church at 824 Main Street East, just west of the college's 405 acre property, as long-range plans are finalized.