Mission
As a Catholic university, Mount St. Mary’s graduates ethical leaders who are inspired by a passion for learning and lead lives of significance in service to God and others.
History
Father John DuBois, the founder of Mount St. Mary’s, came to America in 1791 to escape the French Revolution. He settled in Richmond, Virginia, where he tutored Patrick Henry’s children and learned English. He asked Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore, the first American bishop, for an assignment in 1794; Bishop Carroll sent him to Frederick, Maryland, 20 miles south of Emmitsburg.
Father DuBois soon opened a small school on a mountain near Emmitsburg and taught area children. Some years later the Society of St. Sulpice in Baltimore closed its preparatory seminary in Pennsylvania and transferred the seminarians to Emmitsburg. Their arrival in 1808 marked the formal beginning of Mount St. Mary’s. Father Simon Gabriel Bruté, another French émigré priest, joined Father DuBois in 1812; he remained at the Mount for the next 25 years and played a large role in the institution’s growth.
During these early years, Elizabeth Ann Seton lived on campus while her first home was built. The Mount helped her establish the Sisters of Charity and open parish schools-the work that led to her canonization as America’s first native-born saint. Father DuBois, named bishop of New York, left the Mount in 1826. Father Bruté and Father John Purcell, who became the Mount’s president in 1829, obtained the first official charter for the University from the state of Maryland in 1830.
Because of the work of its clerical graduates during its early history, Mount St. Mary’s became known as the “Cradle of Bishops.” Father John Hughes succeeded Bishop DuBois in New York, became New York’s first archbishop and directed the building of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Father John McCloskey, who succeeded Hughes, was the first native-born American cardinal. Mount alumni served as first bishops of 15 newly formed dioceses; in all, 32 dioceses in this country have been directed by at least one Mount graduate.
In addition to the founding fathers, graduates Archbishop Emeritus Harry J. Flynn of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Bishop Emeritus William B. Friend of Shreveport, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, Bishop Paul S. Coakley of Salina, Bishop Michael O. Jackels of Wichita, Bishop Edward J. Burns of Juneau Alaska, and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, former vice president and rector, continue the tradition of church leadership. Today, Mount priests serve in more than one-third of the nation’s dioceses.
Graduates of the Mount provide important contributions to virtually every facet of American life. Matthew F. McHugh, C’60 of New York, served nine terms in Congress. Rear Admiral William Maguire, C’74 (Ret. USN) was vice commander of the Naval Supply Systems Command, Admiral Thomas Brown, C’53, (Ret. USN) had command of the USS Midway. Thomas J. Harrington, C’78 is the Managing Director and Chief Information Security Officer, Citigroup, and Susan Janowiak, C’81 is the acting associate director of the Office of Preparedness & Response for the EPA, Region 3.
Alumni in the legal field include Fran O’Brien; C’78, Assistant Commonwealth attorney for Arlington, Va.; Jennifer Anderson, C’81, Associate Judge in the District of Columbia Superior Court; Julie Stevenson Solt, C’80, and Teresa O’Connell, C’77, are both Frederick County, Md., Circuit Court judges. Heath Tarbert, C’98 served under Chief Justice Clarence Thomas and currently serves as the Vice President and Deputy Director of The Committee on Capital Markets Regulation Organization. Former Maryland State Senator Leo Green, C’54, and his son, Leo Edward Green, Jr., C’81 Associate Judge, Prince George’s County Circuit Court, 7th Judicial Circuit.
Corporate leadership positions have been held by Paul J. Norris, C’70 (retired chair, president and CEO of global manufacturing giant W.R. Grace and Co.), John Ido, C’80 (CEO of Michael Kors), Scott Newkam, C’72 (retired CEO of Hershey Entertainment) and numerous others.
In the medical field, alumnus Dr. William F. Magee, C’66, heads Operation Smile, a major international charitable foundation for healthcare. Dr. Frank Delmonico, C’66, is a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and Dr. Joseph Daniel, C’81, is Chief, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine.
In the sports world, Susan F. O’Malley, C’83, became president of the Washington Bullets (now Wizards) NBA basketball team at age 30. Fred Carter, C’69, played and coached in the NBA and provides broadcast analysis of pro basketball for the ESPN2 network. Agnus McGlade Berenato, C’80, was the women’s basketball head coach at the University of Pittsburgh from 2003-13.
While the Mount’s history is long and its traditions are rich, the University does not rest on its history or its traditions. Mount St. Mary’s looks for its success in the lives of its graduates. The ongoing history of Mount St. Mary’s is the story of their lives.
Undergraduate Program Goals
The undergraduate program goals of Mount St. Mary’s flow from and embody the ideals found in the University mission statement.
As a Catholic University grounded in the liberal arts, we ask all students to complete a common, sequenced, and interdisciplinary core curriculum. The University intends the whole of its undergraduate program to enable students to:
The Catholic Vision of the Human Person: Understand and articulate the Catholic vision of the human person, particularly as it relates to the nature of the good, the relationship between faith and reason, and the human relationship with God;
The Western Tradition: Integrate diverse modes of human inquiry and expression through rigorous study of the Western tradition, including its American expression;
Competencies: Master the skills of analysis, interpretation, communication, and problem solving;
Major Field of Study: Understand the purposes and concepts of at least one major field of study and become proficient in its methodology;
Social Justice in a Global Community: Understand the diversity of human cultures in a global community, to see and seek to respond with justice and solidarity to all in the global community, to protect human dignity, to work for peace and freedom, and to respect the integrity of creation;
A Life Well-Lived: Continue a life of learning, growth in faith and mature spirituality, and service to the common good.
Accreditation
Institutional Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education:
1007 North Orange Street
4th Floor, MB #166
Wilmington, DE 19801
267-284-5011
www.msche.org
State Approval
State approval assures that colleges and universities have satisfied certain minimum requirements established by the State for all degree-granting institutions operating in Maryland. Accreditation goes beyond this to assure that an institution has attained a level of quality recognized by other colleges and universities of the same type.Mount St. Mary’s University is recognized by the Maryland Higher Education Commission as a state-approved university.
Maryland Higher Education Commission
6 N. Liberty St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-767-3301
800-974-0203
www.mhec.state.md.us
Specialized Accreditation
The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
2010 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036-1023
202-466-7496
www.ncate.org
The following programs are accredited by NCATE and Maryland State Department of Education:
- Art Education
- Certificate of Advanced Study in Reading
- Elementary Education
- Elementary / Special Education
- Master of Arts in Teaching
- Master of Education
- Music Education
- Reading and Technology Facilitation
- Secondary Education (Business, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Foreign Languages)
Learn more about NCATE accreditation >
International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE)
11374 Strang Line Rd.
Lanexa, KS 66215
913-631-3009
www.iacbe.org
The business programs in the following degrees are accredited by the IACBE:
- Bachelor of Science in Accounting
- Bachelor of Science in Business
- Concentrations include Finance, International Business and Economics, Management
- Bachelor of Science in Sport Management
- Master of Business Administration
Learn more about our IACBE accreditation >
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
Mount St. Mary’s University has been approved by Maryland to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education.
The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, in collaboration with the four regional higher education compacts, was established to develop and implement an effective and efficient reciprocal state-level authorization process for postsecondary distance education. Its mission is to provide broad access to postsecondary education opportunities to students across the country, to increase the quality and value of higher learning credentials earned via distance education, and to assure students are well served in a rapidly changing education landscape.
The provisions of this publication are not to be regarded as a contract between the student and Mount St. Mary’s University. The university reserves the right to change courses, schedules, calendars, and any other provisions or requirements when such action will serve the interest of the college or its students. Students are responsible for acquainting themselves with the regulations pertinent to their status. The university reserves the right to modify its regulations in accordance with accepted academic standards and to require observance of the modifications.
It is the policy of Mount St. Mary’s University not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, political or religious opinion or affiliation, age, sex or handicapping condition in the recruitment or admissions of students, or in the administration of the college’s educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and athletic programs, and other university-administered activities and programs. The compliance officer at Mount St. Mary’s University for Title IX and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is Kristin Hurley, director of human resources, 301-447-5522.
It is the policy of Mount St. Mary’s University to comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act in making its programs and facilities accessible. If you need special provisions made, please contact the admissions office at 800-448-4347
Campus Locations
Mount St. Mary’s University offers programs on two campuses:
Main Campus:
16300 Old Emmitsburg Road
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
301-447-6122
www.msmary.edu
Frederick Campus:
5350 Spectrum Drive
Frederick, MD 21703
301-682-8315
www.msmary.edu
Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, also located on the Main Campus, provides formation of men for the Roman Catholic priesthood.
For more information about the Seminary, see the Seminary Academic Catalogs.
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