President's Welcome

A Welcome from Michael A. MacDowell

President of Misericordia University

Welcome to Misericordia University. You've certainly found us at an exciting time, as the first class to enroll at the newly named Misericordia University completes its first year, new doctoral programs are well underway, and we finish construction work on the new Insalaco and McGowan halls. New programs and facilities mean new opportunities!

What makes this campus so special? Ranked as one of the ‘Best Northeastern Colleges’ by the Princeton Review, and appearing in the top tier of master’s North universities in U.S. News and World Report, Misericordia University’s liberal arts curriculum provides challenging academics. The campus offers 30 majors, 24 minors, 13 certificate programs, 3 entry-level 5-year master’s degree programs and 2 doctoral programs - plenty of opportunities to take your education as far as you would like it to go!

With an 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, average class size is less than 20, allowing our dedicated faculty and administrative staff to provide personal attention, support and opportunities that enable our students to Learn to Succeed.

In fact, after graduation 97% of our students are employed in a field directly related to their major or enrolled in graduate school six months after graduation. We are so sure that students will succeed in their careers, that we offer a Guaranteed Career Placement Program (GPP) through our Insalaco Center for Career Development. If a student chooses to participate, the GPP will guarantee a paid internship in their field should they not obtain employment or attend graduate school within six months of earning a MU degree.

We are confident in the success of our students, and our students have confidence in us. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) regularly asks students at over 500 schools about their experience at the college or university they are currently attending. In the 2009 survey, here’s what our students have to say: 

• 91% of our first-year students say they love this place compared to 88% at other schools.
• 88% of seniors report that MU faculty are available, helpful and sympathetic.
• Our students report a high level of academic challenge-placing MU in the top 20 percent of colleges nationally.
• And most importantly, 85% of our seniors would choose Misericordia University for their undergraduate education if they had to do it over again! 

Our 1,000 adult and part-time learners also place us in the top 10 percent nationally in important measures of student satisfaction.

We have a wide variety of scholarship and financial aid opportunities based on both academic and leadership abilities.

Misericordia University offers the benefits of a small college and the scope of a large university. Founded in 1924 as Luzerne County's first four-year college, MU is one of 18 Mercy colleges and universities across the country, and is dedicated to the values of the Sisters of Mercy: mercy, service, justice and hospitality. These values can be found throughout the community from programs of study to service projects.

Located in suburban Dallas, Pennsylvania, our 123-acre campus includes an outdoor athletic complex with a state-of-the-art synthetic field and six-lane track, six all-weather tennis courts, new classrooms, and one of the finest library facilities in the region.

Come visit us! You will find MU a warm, welcoming and vibrant university. I try to meet as many visitors as I can, so I look forward to seeing you on campus soon.