Saint Francis University
Encyclopedia
Saint Francis University is a four-year, coeducational Catholic
liberal arts university in Loretto, Pennsylvania
. It was founded in 1847 and conducted under the tradition of the Franciscan Friars
of the Third Order Regular. The university is situated on 600 acres (243 ha) in the forests and farmland of Loretto.
, Saint Francis University enrolls approximately 1,832 undergraduate students, of which 40.7% are male and 59.3% female; and 617 graduate students. The university offers 25 undergraduate and 7 graduate majors to its students including a Doctor of Physical Therapy. The university maintains an average graduation rate of 69.9%.
Saint Francis University has 21 men's and women's sports teams and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
Division I level.
The current president of the university is Fr. Gabriel Zeis, TOR.
Mount Assisi Friary, which is the former mansion of industrialist Charles M. Schwab
, is on the grounds of Saint Francis University.
Also contained in the grounds is the main building for the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art which has a number of smaller facilities across the local region.
Immergrün Golf Course is a 9-hole course located on the campus of Saint Francis University. Immergrün has never been altered since it was built by Donald Ross for Charles M. Schwab
in 1917.
Also on the campus are The DiSepio Institute for Rural Health and Wellness
and the Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Under-Served Areas (CERMUSA) a research and applied technology center.
Saint Francis University also runs a campus at Ambialet
, France.
to establish a school. The University was one of the first Catholic Universities in the United States and the first Franciscan college in the nation. Although it originally only admitted males, it became one of the first Catholic Universities to become co-educational. Loretto is the site of the first English-language Roman Catholic Church settlement established west of the Allegheny Front
, in what is now the United States, by Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
in 1799.
In 2001, Saint Francis College was accredited with university status and renamed to Saint Francis University.
. Men's Volleyball competes in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association
(EIVA). Their nickname is the Red Flash. The University has a total of 22 varsity sports teams, with nine men's teams and 13 women's programs all competing in NCAA Division I.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
liberal arts university in Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is officially part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area as recognized by the US Census Bureau, but local sources list it as part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania area due to its proximity to...
. It was founded in 1847 and conducted under the tradition of the Franciscan Friars
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
of the Third Order Regular. The university is situated on 600 acres (243 ha) in the forests and farmland of Loretto.
Overview
Located in Loretto, PennsylvaniaLoretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is officially part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area as recognized by the US Census Bureau, but local sources list it as part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania area due to its proximity to...
, Saint Francis University enrolls approximately 1,832 undergraduate students, of which 40.7% are male and 59.3% female; and 617 graduate students. The university offers 25 undergraduate and 7 graduate majors to its students including a Doctor of Physical Therapy. The university maintains an average graduation rate of 69.9%.
Saint Francis University has 21 men's and women's sports teams and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I level.
The current president of the university is Fr. Gabriel Zeis, TOR.
Mount Assisi Friary, which is the former mansion of industrialist Charles M. Schwab
Charles M. Schwab
Charles Michael Schwab was an American steel magnate. Under his leadership, Bethlehem Steel became the second largest steel maker in the United States, and one of the most important heavy manufacturers in the world....
, is on the grounds of Saint Francis University.
Also contained in the grounds is the main building for the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art which has a number of smaller facilities across the local region.
Immergrün Golf Course is a 9-hole course located on the campus of Saint Francis University. Immergrün has never been altered since it was built by Donald Ross for Charles M. Schwab
Charles M. Schwab
Charles Michael Schwab was an American steel magnate. Under his leadership, Bethlehem Steel became the second largest steel maker in the United States, and one of the most important heavy manufacturers in the world....
in 1917.
Also on the campus are The DiSepio Institute for Rural Health and Wellness
and the Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Under-Served Areas (CERMUSA) a research and applied technology center.
Saint Francis University also runs a campus at Ambialet
Ambialet
Ambialet is a commune of the Tarn department in southern France.Ambialet is also home to a campus of Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania. Classes are held in the centuries old former Franciscan Monastery in Ambialet, in Paris, France, and at Champollion campus of the University of...
, France.
History
Saint Francis College was established in 1847 by six Franciscan Friars from Ireland who were given land in Loretto by Bishop Michael O'ConnorMichael O'Connor (bishop)
Michael O'Connor, S.J. was an Irish-born clergyman of Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Pittsburgh and Bishop of Erie .-Early life and education:...
to establish a school. The University was one of the first Catholic Universities in the United States and the first Franciscan college in the nation. Although it originally only admitted males, it became one of the first Catholic Universities to become co-educational. Loretto is the site of the first English-language Roman Catholic Church settlement established west of the Allegheny Front
Allegheny Front
The Allegheny Front is the major southeast- or east-facing escarpment in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern West Virginia, USA. The Allegheny Front delineates the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to its east from the Appalachian Plateau to its west...
, in what is now the United States, by Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
Prince Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin was an emigre Russian aristocrat and Catholic priest known as The Apostle of the Alleghenies. Since 2005, he has been under investigation for possible canonization by the Catholic Church...
in 1799.
In 2001, Saint Francis College was accredited with university status and renamed to Saint Francis University.
Athletics
Athletically, Saint Francis competes in the NCAA's Northeast ConferenceNortheast Conference
The Northeast Conference is a college athletic conference whose schools are members of the NCAA. The NCAA designates the Northeast Conference to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for Division I Men's Football and to Division I Sports for all other sports.Founded in 1981 as the ECAC-Metro...
. Men's Volleyball competes in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association
Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association
The Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association is a college athletic conference whose member schools compete in men's volleyball. Its member institutions are located in the Northeast United States....
(EIVA). Their nickname is the Red Flash. The University has a total of 22 varsity sports teams, with nine men's teams and 13 women's programs all competing in NCAA Division I.
Notable alumni
- Tony BovaTony BovaAnthony J. Bova was a professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1940s. He graduated from Saint Francis University, located in Loretto, Pennsylvania in 1943...
- Pittsburgh Steelers 1942-1947. 1943 1st in NFL in yards per catch - Captain Paul BoytonPaul BoytonPaul Boyton , known as the Fearless Frogman, was a showman and adventurer some credit as having spurred worldwide interest in water sports as a hobby, particularly open-water swimming...
known as the Fearless Frogman, author, inventor, and a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Boyton opened the first "permanent" amusement park in Chicago in 1894, Sea Lion ParkSea Lion ParkSea Lion Park was a amusement park started in 1895 on Coney Island by Paul Boyton. He fenced the property and charged admission, the park becoming the first enclosed and permanent amusement park in North America. Up until the establishment of this park, amusement areas around the country consisted...
on Coney IslandConey IslandConey Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, New York in 1895, and Chutes Park in San Francisco, California in 1895. - Robert ConwayRobert Conway (admiral)Vice Admiral Robert T. Conway, Jr., was an officer in the United States Navy, who retired from active service on 1 April 2009. His last assignment was Commander, Navy Installations Command, Washington D.C., where he led a...
- Vice Admiral United States Navy - Dominic Joseph Mike RybaMike RybaDominic Joseph "Mike" Ryba was a Major League Baseball pitcher. A native of De Lancey, Pennsylvania, he attended Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania.. He was a right-hander and played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox...
- Known as the "One Man Team". He was a right-hander and played for the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1935–1938) and Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1941–1946). He pitched in the 1946 World Series. - Calvin FowlerCalvin FowlerCalvin Fowler was the captain of the United States gold medal basketball team at the 1967 Pan American Games. He also was co-captain of the U.S. gold medal team at the 1968 Summer Olympics. He graduated from Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania in 1962.In the early 1960s, Fowler was a...
- 1968 Olympic Gold Medal as co-captain Men's Basketball, ABA professional basketball player. - John Handrigan, Professional Golfer, semi pro hockey player
- Ashley Harlan, future wife of Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben RoethlisbergerBen RoethlisbergerBenjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
- Scott LaydenScott LaydenScott Layden is an assistant coach who is currently in his second season with the Utah Jazz. He is one of four assistants. Layden's objective as an assistant coach is to help Jazz players improve their basketball skills, prepare them for opponents with the use of scouting reports, and to coordinate...
- Former president and general managerGeneral managerGeneral manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
NBA basketball team and former general manager of the Utah JazzUtah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. - Brennan ManningBrennan ManningBrennan Manning is an author, friar, priest, contemplative and speaker.Born and raised in Depression-era New York City, Manning finished high school, enlisted in the US Marine Corps, and fought in the Korean War. When Manning returned to the United States, he enrolled at Saint Francis University...
(christened Richard Francis Xavier Manning) - Popular Christian author (e.g., The Ragamuffin Gospel), friar, priest, contemplative, and powerful speaker. - Teresa S. PolleyTeresa S. PolleyTeresa S. Polley is president and chief operating officer of the Financial Accounting Foundation, the private, non-profit organization responsible for administration and oversight of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, and their advisory...
- President and Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Accounting Foundation, the organization responsible for the oversight, administration and finances of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), and their Advisory Councils. - Kevin Porter - Former American professional basketball player, held the record for the most assists in one game with 29 assists.
- Charles M. SchwabCharles M. SchwabCharles Michael Schwab was an American steel magnate. Under his leadership, Bethlehem Steel became the second largest steel maker in the United States, and one of the most important heavy manufacturers in the world....
- Industrialist - Brian SellBrian SellBrian Sell is a retired American marathoner and distance runner who trained with the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project. He attended Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, where he ran on the Saint Francis University cross country team...
- Distance runnerSaint Francis University cross countrySaint Francis University cross country is an NCAA Division I athletic program, competing in the Northeast Conference. The team's fans call it "The Red Flash." Brian Sell, a 2008 Olympian, had earlier been on the team.-2009:...
and member of the USA 2008 Olympic men's marathon team. - Maurice StokesMaurice StokesMaurice Stokes was an American professional basketball player in the 1950s, whose career was cut short by a debilitating injury...
- Basketball player (Basketball Hall of FameBasketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
) - Norm Van LierNorm Van LierNorman Allen Van Lier III was an NBA basketball player and television broadcaster who spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls.-Biography:...
- NBA Basketball player - Thomas J. Meredith - DellDellDell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
CFO, MotorolaMotorolaMotorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
Executive Vice President and CFO, Sun MicrosystemsSun MicrosystemsSun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
Vice President and Treasurer