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From the President: Isabelle Cherney, Ph.D., Mount Mary University
Dear Mount Mary Alumni and Friends,
Willkommen to the spring edition of Mount Mary Magazine!
Spring is a season of renewal and growth. These ideas are visible in the creative, innovative initiatives seen throughout our curriculum and across our campus. Reflecting on both the fall semester behind us and the remaining year ahead, I am struck by the abundance of compassion, time and service that our community continues to invest in our mission – and in each other. MMU is truly a place with a vibrant soul!
We are building a bright future together. In spring we saw strong enrollment, while our new strategic plan continues to unfold. Despite the challenges that we – and all institutions of higher education – continue to face in a rapidly changing educational landscape, we are hopeful that the recruitment season will continue to build momentum.
We continue to demonstrate the value of a university degree by offering exciting and future-focused programs that will attract new students to Mount Mary. We are poised to launch a new master’s in social work (MSW) program this fall, as well as working on new undergraduate degrees in Cyber Security, Business Analytics and new courses in Digital Marketing. We also will continue removing barriers to learning by adopting eCampus, an online bookstore which offers an in-tuition model, providing all students with their required course materials each semester.
Our students are involved in unique educational opportunities that also provide value to our community. From displaying their fashion designs at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (see story on page 4) to studying conflict resolution abroad (see story on page 12), students gain valuable professional experience well before graduation. This winter, the Dietetics graduate program invited the community to participate in a Winter Wellness Challenge and free nutritional consultations, and our Counseling and Wellness Center continues to provide free mental health services on campus. Mount Mary will once again offer free housing and reduced tuition to students enrolled in summer courses.
Commitment to Student Success
Current and first year students completed the HEDS (Higher Education Data Sharing) Student Satisfaction survey this past fall showing that they value Mount Mary’s educational opportunities. Ninety-five percent of our returning students are satisfied or very satisfied with their undergraduate education. Ninety-seven percent of the respondents said that they would choose to attend MMU if they had it to do it all over again. At the same time, the survey also showed us the challenges that many face: 38% of returning students and 37% of new students worry about having enough food each day and 29% of the returning students and 32% of new students worry about having a safe, secure place to sleep. These statistics are heartbreaking. We continue to address these needs through raising grants, donations, scholarships and emergency funds.
I am encouraged as our retention continues to grow, reaching 88% overall from last fall through this spring. In fall, we also witnessed an invigorated interest in events sponsored by Student Engagement. There was a sizable increase in the attendance of our December hooding, mass, light of learning and commencement ceremonies. It is such a blessing to feel this energy and see how these traditions continue to bring our community together.
Recently, MMU has attracted the attention of some national and global organizations that are working with our faculty and students to develop innovative projects. In January, MMU was awarded one of Amazon Web Services’ Health Equity Initiative funds. This award enables students and faculty to leverage the cloud as they work on research to help create better health outcomes. This year several departments are also working with Target Corporation on projects to promote multicultural perspectives and visibility.
A Vision for the Future
The new Institute for the Advancement of Women and Children and its four Centers of Excellence (Advancement of Women in Technology; Women’s Wellness and Health; Children’s Rights and Women’s Leadership) will be a catalyst for innovation (see story on page 17). The Institute will serve as a resource for MMU to innovate beyond the boundaries of the traditional campus and enhance our mission as we test ideas in a dynamic, creative environment. Through this educational think tank, we continue to connect with corporate, government, non-profit and community partners, nurture real-world mentoring and learning opportunities, seed interdisciplinary initiatives and support faculty in their teaching and research.
I’d like to extend a warm welcome to our new board members, Jeffrey Hembrock, Becky Pinter, Marjorie Rucker ’00 and S. Sharon Slear. I look forward to their shared insight as we continue to shape the direction of the university.
As we look ahead to the future, Mount Mary will continue to broaden our role as a catalyst for transformation. To achieve this vision, MMU is proactively creating space to foster innovative, entrepreneurial efforts among students and faculty, enhance research capacity and make MMU a destination for creative endeavors.
I am so very grateful for this community that is rooted in the School Sisters of Notre Dame mission and values, and remain deeply appreciative of everyone’s service to our students – and each other.
