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Out and about on campus
Middle States Reaccreditation Process Nears Completion
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fter years of work, Holy Family is in the final stages of its initiative to earn 10-year reaccreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the premier accrediting body for colleges and universities in the region. In March, the Middle States team evaluating the University’s reaccreditation bid visited campus for four days. The team subsequently issued a report on its visit, and Holy Family’s Middle States Reaccreditation Committee has drafted its institutional response. The heart of the reaccreditation effort is a comprehensive self-study in which the University evaluated its effectiveness based on the 14 Characteristics of Excellence—or standards—established by MSCHE. This process occurs every 10 years and represents the very definitions of self-reflection and assessment. The self-study contained a candid, analytical look at everything the University is doing, what it is doing well, where it needs modifications, and how it can accomplish specific goals. The Middle States team’s visit in March included meetings with trustees, senior administrators,
faculty, staff, and students and interviews with specific individuals and groups about points and issues raised in the self-study. Once Middle States approves of the University’s recommendations to meet the 14 Characteristics of Excellence, Holy Family will commence with implementation of those steps. “While the self-study was required by MSCHE every 10 years, it was not something we approached as something we simply ‘had to do,’” said Leanne Owen, PhD, Associate Professor, Graduate Chairperson of Criminal Justice, and Chairperson of the Reaccreditation Committee. “Rather, we viewed it as a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our strengths and areas for improvement and determine what each of us can do to ensure that Holy Family University is operating at an optimum level.” In its March exit report, the evaluators praised the University for its progress over the last decade. “We experienced your passion for mission,” added team Chairperson Sister Rosemary E. Jeffries. “It’s infectious.” —Thomas W. Durso
University’s Sponsoring Religious Order Marks 125 Years in the U.S.
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he Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth (CSFN), the religious congregation that founded and sponsors Holy Family University, is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its ministry in America. The international religious community was founded in Rome in 1875 and now has ministries in 13 countries around the world. The sisters provide schools and educational services, social services, hospitals, healthcare facilities, and pastoral ministry. The Congregation is especially committed to strengthening, supporting, and enhancing family life and to the moral and spiritual development of families. An official 125th anniversary celebration launched last July 4, and the American foundation is in the midst of an 18-month celebration. To mark this special anniversary, the Provincial Leadership Team has given the University $125,000 to
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create The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in America Merit Scholarship. Foundress Frances Siedliska, whose
religious name was Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, brought sisters to America in 1885 to serve the burgeoning immigrant population. They established headquarters in Des Plaines, Illinois, where the American province of the CSFN is now headquartered. During her last trip to Philadelphia, foundress Mother Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd drove through the Torresdale area and recognized the potential for growth. She died in 1902. Years later, in 1920, the sisters acquired 23 acres in Torresdale and established a provincial headquarters. On the property, they built a provincial house, administrative headquarters, and Congregationsponsored schools: Nazareth Academy High School for Girls, Nazareth Academy Grade School, and, in 1954, Holy Family College. These schools are thriving today thanks to the vision, dedication, and hard work of the sisters. —Naomi Hall
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