In an announcement made Wednesday by the school, Mercyhurst College will now be known as Mercyhurst University.
The change is considered the biggest one impacting the institution since going co-ed in 1969.
“Over the last couple of years, we have been talking about a birth at Mercyhurst College, the birth of a diverse and vibrant Catholic university in the Mercy spirit,” said Mercyhurst president Tom Gamble in a statement. “[On Tuesday], the signature of the Pennsylvania secretary of education made it official. We are Mercyhurst University.”
Changing from a college to a university is an ongoing process with hundreds of little details. This May’s commencement marks the official kickoff of what Mercyhurst is calling “The Year of the University.” Mercyhurst will launch a new website, christen a new academic building, unveil a history of Mercyhurst and engage the community in its yearlong celebration of this historic event, details of which will be forthcoming.
“While we’ve long known and celebrated who we are, Mercyhurst can now officially tell its students [that they] are getting the best of both worlds – a university-quality education with the personal attention and flavor of a liberal arts college,” Gamble said.
