Mount Senario College
Encyclopedia
Mount Senario College was a private non-profit college located in Ladysmith, Wisconsin
, in the Diocese of Superior.
for the Servants of Mary (Servite Sisters) by Eau Claire State Teachers College (now University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire). In 1952, courses were expanded to a junior college affiliated with the College of St. Scholastica.
Ten years later, the Servants of Mary established Mount Senario College as a four-year college. Enrollment was open to the public and emphasis was placed on teacher training. The college was named after the birthplace of the Servite Order, Monte Senario, near Florence, Italy. In 1963, it received approval for certification of elementary teachers by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction; approval for secondary certification was received in 1965.
Mount Senario College became a non-sectarian institution in 1972, when a plan for the reorganization of the school was adopted by the board of trustees and approved by the Servants of Mary. The college was granted academic accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
in 1975. Mount Senario had 28 satellite locations serving students mostly in the areas of criminal justice
, public administration
, business administration and liberal arts
.
Main campus
The main campus consisted of two major buildings. The largest was the college, consisting of college administration, library, bookstore, cafeteria, lecture hall, several classrooms, chemistry laboratory, biology laboratory and physics laboratory. Adjacent to the college building was the dormitory.
Fine arts campus
The fine arts campus was located a half mile east of the main campus, on the corner of Wisconsin Highway 27 and College Avenue, and consisted of one building. It had originally been erected in 1959 for Our Lady of Sorrows High School, which eventually became Servite High. When that facility closed in 1967, the building became the Fine Arts Center for Mount Senario College. This building housed MSC's music and art programs. The college used the gymnasium as a multi-functional space for basketball games, concerts and other large public gatherings.
. Mismanagement and corruption involving the school president led to the school's closing. The city of Ladysmith offered some financial assistance (purchasing the athletic fields); however, it was not enough to save "The Mount".
Official student transcripts became the responsibility of the State of Wisconsin Educational Approval Board in August 2003 by court action. The transcript responsibility was transferred in December 2005 to The Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
of Manitowoc, Wisconsin
began offering courses at Mount Senario, renamed "Mount Senario Education Center", beginning September, 2009.
.
Ladysmith, Wisconsin
Ladysmith is a city in Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,932 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rusk County. It is the former location of Mount Senario College, which closed in 2002 due to significant debt. For the 2006-2007 school year, part of the former campus...
, in the Diocese of Superior.
Early history
The College began in 1930, when summer extension courses were conducted in LadysmithLadysmith, Wisconsin
Ladysmith is a city in Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,932 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rusk County. It is the former location of Mount Senario College, which closed in 2002 due to significant debt. For the 2006-2007 school year, part of the former campus...
for the Servants of Mary (Servite Sisters) by Eau Claire State Teachers College (now University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire). In 1952, courses were expanded to a junior college affiliated with the College of St. Scholastica.
Ten years later, the Servants of Mary established Mount Senario College as a four-year college. Enrollment was open to the public and emphasis was placed on teacher training. The college was named after the birthplace of the Servite Order, Monte Senario, near Florence, Italy. In 1963, it received approval for certification of elementary teachers by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction; approval for secondary certification was received in 1965.
Mount Senario College became a non-sectarian institution in 1972, when a plan for the reorganization of the school was adopted by the board of trustees and approved by the Servants of Mary. The college was granted academic accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
in 1975. Mount Senario had 28 satellite locations serving students mostly in the areas of criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
, public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
, business administration and liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
.
Main campus
The main campus consisted of two major buildings. The largest was the college, consisting of college administration, library, bookstore, cafeteria, lecture hall, several classrooms, chemistry laboratory, biology laboratory and physics laboratory. Adjacent to the college building was the dormitory.
Fine arts campus
The fine arts campus was located a half mile east of the main campus, on the corner of Wisconsin Highway 27 and College Avenue, and consisted of one building. It had originally been erected in 1959 for Our Lady of Sorrows High School, which eventually became Servite High. When that facility closed in 1967, the building became the Fine Arts Center for Mount Senario College. This building housed MSC's music and art programs. The college used the gymnasium as a multi-functional space for basketball games, concerts and other large public gatherings.
Later history
Mount Senario closed on August 31, 2002 as a result of financial trouble. Although the college had been in poor financial health, some attributed the closing to the events of September 11, 2001 because the college had students activated by the United States National GuardUnited States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
. Mismanagement and corruption involving the school president led to the school's closing. The city of Ladysmith offered some financial assistance (purchasing the athletic fields); however, it was not enough to save "The Mount".
Official student transcripts became the responsibility of the State of Wisconsin Educational Approval Board in August 2003 by court action. The transcript responsibility was transferred in December 2005 to The Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Since closing
For the 2006-2007 school year, part of the former campus was operated as Concordia Preparatory School, a private Christian high school. That institution also faced financial problems and closed. Silver Lake CollegeSilver Lake College
Silver Lake College is a four-year, Catholic liberal arts college located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Green Bay. Founded as an academy in 1885 by the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, the college achieved four-year college status in 1935 and was then called Holy Family College...
of Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities...
began offering courses at Mount Senario, renamed "Mount Senario Education Center", beginning September, 2009.
Athletics
The school colors were blue and gold, with the athletic teams named the Fighting Saints. Prior to the school suspending all athletics in December 2001, the school was a member of the Upper Midwest Athletic ConferenceUpper Midwest Athletic Conference
The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference is a college-level athletic conference. The UMAC is a member-conference of the NCAA Division III. The UMAC was formerly affiliated with the NAIA. Corey Borchardt is the current commissioner of the UMAC, and was appointed to the position in 2008...
.