Seton Hill University is a Catholic liberal arts university of about 2,500 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002. Seton Hill has been named a national leader in mobile technology and offers signature programs in performing and visual arts as well as health and natural sciences.
History
The school was founded in 1885 by the Sisters of Charity. It is named for Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774â€"1821), who founded the Sisters of Charity and who, after her death, was canonized as the United States' first native-born saint. (Seton Hall University and the College of Saint Elizabeth in New Jersey are also named after Elizabeth Ann Seton.)
In 1914, Seton Hill Junior college was opened by the Sisters of Charity. With the approval of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Seton Hill College was created four years later.
In 2002, Seton Hill was officially granted university status by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. After president JoAnne Boyle formalized the school's new status as a university, the teams' nickname was changed from "Spirits" to "Griffins," and several men's athletics teams were added, including American football. In 2006, Seton Hill announced it was transferring to NCAA Division II and joining the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). They had belonged to the NAIA. In 2012, Seton Hill announced its move to the PSAC.
Centers
- National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education
- The Wukich Center for Entrepreneurial Opportunities
- Center for Family Therapy
- SHU Center for Orthodontics
Undergraduate programs
Seton Hill offers academic programs in six core areas: social sciences, natural and health sciences, humanities, education, business, and the visual and performing arts. The University also requires students to experience a comprehensive liberal arts program that emphasizes critical and creative thinking as well as leadership skills to ensure that students are not only prepared for their first job after graduation, but for their entire career.
Seton Hill continues to innovate new academic programs that ensure that it prepares students for not just today, but also for jobs that have yet to be created. In 2016, Seton Hill announced that the creation of the Office of Academic Innovation and Planning to align academic programs with lucrative career opportunities for Seton Hill students. Among Seton Hill's signature degree programs include:
- Pre-Medicine, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Denstistry (Partnership for admission with the nation's largest medical school, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine)
- Physician Assistant (99% First-Time Pass Rate on the Physician Assistant Certification Exam, PANCE)
- Dietetics and Nutrition (Awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense for nutrition research)
- Exercise Science (Highly sought by students interested in graduate work in Physical or Occupational Therapy)
- Cybersecurity
- Data Anallytics
- Music, Musical Theatre, and Sacred Music (Seton Hill is only one of 100 schools to receive designation as an All-Steinway School)
- Visual Arts (metalsmithing, woodworking, painting, drawing, printmaking, graphic design, and art history)
- Dance (Established partnership, masterclass, and residency with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre)
With a 97% placement rate, Seton Hill continues to launch students into careers that are in the making right now.
Graduate programs
Seton Hill offers several graduate programs:
- Master's of Business Administration (Healthcare Administration, Management, Entrepreneurship)
- Elementary Education
- Physician Assistant
- Orthodontics
- Writing Popular Fiction
- Marriage and Family Therapy
- Genocide and Holocaust Studies (Certificate)
Athletics
Seton Hill athletics, known as the Griffins, compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). During the 2012â€"2013 academic year, Seton Hill was a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). As of July 1, 2013, following the breakup of the WVIAC, along with the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, also from the WVIAC, Seton Hill is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
Seton Hill varsity men's and women's sports include football, men's & women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's wrestling, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's track and field, softball, baseball, women's cheerleading, women's field hockey, women's equestrian, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, women's golf, and women's tennis.
In 2005, 60% of the entering class was male, due to an influx of male students who were interested in new sports programs such as football. In 2008, the football team had a 10-3 record. The football team and the men's soccer team each won the inaugural West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's team sportsmanship award in 2008.
The baseball team received a berth in 2006 to the NAIA World Series in the program's third year of existence. In 2014, the baseball team had its most successful season; winning the PSAC, the Atlantic Regional, and advancing to the College World Series. The team ended up finishing top six in the country. The men's baseball program has sent two MLB drafts and a free agent to Major League Baseball.
Campus life
A Dynamic and Active Campus Life
Campus life at Seton Hill University is active, dynamic, and engaging. Alumni and students alike often say that they feel comfortable and at home at Seton Hill and that the quaint campus atmosphere creates lifelong friendships. Seton Hill is also located in the heart of downtown Greensburg, a third-class Pennsylvania city, that has a strong urban feel. Coffee shops, chocolatiers, and confectionaries are walkable around town and are accessible through the campus's shuttle.
There are a variety of opportunities for Seton Hill students to be involved. Active clubs representing the diverse cultural and student interests include the Chemistry Club, Biology Club, Forensic Science Club, Math Club, Respect Life Club, Model United Nations, Students in Free Enterprise, and the Griffins @ Work club.
Welcoming Students of All Faiths and Backgrounds
Seton Hill, even though Catholic in orientation, welcomes students from all faiths and backgrounds. Seton Hill has a long tradition of fostering interfaith dialogue with other faiths and ensuring social and racial equality. Seton Hill invites to students to participate in service-learning activities and engage in study abroad to discover new cultures and perspectives.
Students Feel Close to Faculty
Seton Hill's size means that students receive a quality education, because they are directly in touch and mentored by Ph.D. faculty. While many schools employ teaching assistants and have overwhelmingly large class sizes, Seton Hill gives each student personal attention and a commitment to ensure that they can succeed. Seton Hill has a student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The typical class size for courses in the major is about 20-25. Liberal arts core classes tend to be larger, at 30-45 students.
Exciting Developments on Campus
Recent changes on campus include the addition of a site of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), and two arts facilities in downtown Greensburg: a visual arts center and a new performing arts building (devoted to music, theater, and dance). In early 2013, the university received a $7 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The grant is the largest in Seton Hill's history and is a component of the university’s $75 million plan for campus expansion and renewal.
A Destination for World and National Leaders
Seton Hill has hosted international luminaries and national leaders to the University's campus. Among them have been:
- His Holiness, the Dalai Lama
- Lech Walesa, President of Poland
- Maya Angelou, Prolific Author and Poet
- Frank McCourt, Award-Winning Memoir Author
- David Sedaris, Renowned Comedian and Author
- Morgan Spurlock, Acclaimed Documentary Maker
- Ethel LeFrak, New York Philanthropist and Advocate for Holocaust Education
- Elie Wiesel, Author of "Night" and Holocaust Survivor
- The Honorable Thomas J. Ridge, Former Pennsylvania Governor and First Secretary of Homeland Security
Notable alumni
- Sr. Florence Marie Scott, Ph.D. '26, First Woman Trustee on the Board of Trustees at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory and Professor, Biology
- Justice Maureen O'Connor, alumna of 1973 and sixth woman to have served as an Ohio Supreme Court justice.
- Admiral Ronne Froman, who graduated from Seton Hill College in 1969, served 31 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a rear admiral, and was the first female US Navy admiral to be "in charge of naval bases and stations around the world". She then filled several high-profile civilian positions in San Diego, California.
- Dr. Patricia Gabow, alumna of 1965, became the chief of renal disease at Denver General Hospital in 1973 and is now the Chief Executive Officer of Denver Health.
- Michele Moore Ridge, alumna of 1969, former First Lady of Pennsylvania (1995â€"2001).
- Nalo Hopkinson, writer
References
External links
- Official website
- Official athletics website