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MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT SISTER CHARLENE DIORKA, SSJ
Dear Future Trailblazers,
Courage. Community. Confidence. These three words capture the essence of what awaits you here at the Mount—and more importantly, what you’ll carry with you as you reshape the world around you.
In this place, you will discover that courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s the bold decision to act in spite of it. You will find yourself raising your hand when others remain silent, challenging conventional thinking in spirited classroom debates, and pursuing ambitious goals that others might call impossible. You will take the stage, step into leadership roles, and pioneer new paths because you’ve learned that the world needs your voice, your vision, and your unwavering determination to make a difference.
Here, community means more than friendship—it’s a sisterhood of changemakers who will celebrate your victories, support you through challenges, and inspire you to reach higher than you ever imagined. You will surround yourself with young women who refuse to accept the status quo, who dream audaciously about their futures, and who understand that together, they can accomplish what none could achieve alone. You will learn from experiences vastly different from your own, grow through meaningful dialogue about faith and purpose, and join a legacy of women committed to serving not just their immediate communities, but the global family we all share.
From this foundation of courage and community will emerge unshakeable confidence—a strong, quiet assurance that comes from knowing your worth, understanding your purpose, and trusting in your ability to lead. You will graduate knowing that you have something valuable to contribute to every room you enter, every organization you join, and every cause you champion. You will harness not only your own remarkable gifts but also inspire others to recognize and use theirs.
The young women who walk these halls don’t just follow trails—they blaze them. They don’t just adapt to change—they create it. They don’t just find their place in the world—they make the world better by being in it.
Here at the Mount, you will discover your sisters. Here at the Mount, you will become the leader— and the Founder—you were meant to be. And here at the Mount, you will find not just yourself, but the boldness to become who the world needs you to be.
With anticipation for all you will achieve,
President Sister Charlene Diorka, SSJ
FEARLESS DESIGN by
Founded in 1858, Mount Saint Joseph Academy is a college preparatory school for girls that empowers its students to lead boldly and journey fearlessly. Choosing the Mount means choosing courage —the courage to challenge boundaries, pioneer new solutions, and stand up for what matters most.
Here, young women don’t just dream big; they act big. Grounded in a rigorous academic, social, and spiritual foundation, our students develop powerful voices, sharp critical thinking skills, and the unshakeable confidence needed to become the trailblazers their generation demands. They graduate not just prepared for college, but prepared to lead.
Our personalized and dynamic curriculum ignites this leadership spirit through experiences like collaborative STEM innovation labs, our signature “Women as Founders” course where students create real solutions for social change, competitive athletics that build resilience, and countless opportunities to discover and amplify their unique strengths. Every program is designed with one goal: developing confident changemakers who won’t just enter the world—they’ll transform it.
A Mount education is both distinctive and transformative because it’s built on the understanding that great leaders emerge from strong communities . During her years here, every student experiences comprehensive support for her academic, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual growth from both dedicated educators and her sisterstudents. This personalized approach, combined with the fierce loyalty and strength of our Mount sisterhood, cultivates the kind of deep confidence that turns vision into action.
The result? Graduates who don’t wait for permission to lead, who create opportunities rather than merely seizing them, and who understand that their success is measured not just by personal achievement, but by the positive impact they make on the world around them.
The MOUNT DIFFERENCE
1) LIMITLESS LEARNING
• The academic excellence that the Mount is known for extends throughout the entire school community
• Young women at the Mount are consistently engaged in co-curricular programming—student societies, activities and clubs are inclusive of interests such as service, music, visual art, Robotics, and much more
• The Mount Fine Arts program teaches technique and skill while allowing students to discover their own uniquely creative voice
• The acclaimed Mount Athletics program offers 13 sports that instill qualities of leadership, confidence, sisterhood and strength
2) COMMUNITY LED BY FAITH
• Following the Sisters of Saint Joseph tradition, students are unifiers who support their peers in all their endeavors
• A strong and resilient community built with active inclusive love
• Daily Advisory time with adult and student leaders—a space where there is an intentional focus on Academics, Mission, Community and Clubs
• Students attend mission-focused and faith-centered retreats and immersive travel experiences throughout their years at the Mount
3) FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS
• Students flourish in a learning community that challenges and inspires young women to dream big and journey deep, to lead with compassion and to seek God in themselves and others
• The Learning Team at MSJA serves a range of learners with research-based, inclusive methods to help with time management and build lifelong strategies and skills
• College Counselors help grade 10-12 students to explore their passions and goals in order to find a right-fit institution of higher learning
• School Counselors partner with students one-on-one from the first to the last days of their Mount experience to focus on social and emotional learning
• Young women at the Mount develop skills around self-awareness, selfmanagement, social awareness, relationship building and responsible decision-making
4) ROBUST ACADEMICS
• Dedicated Faculty with expertise and experience in their disciplines
• College-style scheduling with 76 minute classes, provide collaborative, impactful, engaging and flexible teaching and learning for peers and educators
• Women as Founders Seminar: A mission-aligned course where students select a research project centered around a social issue of personal significance
• Integrated math and science curriculum where teachers collaborate to effectively teach the subjects with an interdisciplinary approach
• Unique offerings such as Principles of Engineering and Design; Print and Broadcast Journalism courses
• One of a few schools nationwide that offers both AP Computer Science A and AP Computer Science
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE THAT BUILDS Founders
“Mount Saint Joseph Academy changed my life... I’m off to a top, elite college for Fall 2023. The best part of the school was its commitment to creating well rounded women who can hold their own in this world.” —Mount Alum
Choosing the Mount means choosing an education designed to cultivate courage in the classroom, foster community through collaboration, and build the confidence needed to lead boldly as tomorrow’s changemakers.
Our personalized and dynamic curriculum doesn’t just prepare students for college—it prepares them to transform their fields. Young women engage in cutting-edge collaborative STEM learning, tackle collegelevel coursework, conduct meaningful research while serving their communities, and discover their unique leadership strengths through experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
THE MOUNT ADVANTAGE: BLOCK SCHEDULING THAT
CHANGES EVERYTHING
For more than 25 years, the Mount has pioneered a collegiate-inspired block schedule that gives our students a decisive advantage. While traditional high schools rush students through eight fragmented 40-minute classes daily, we’ve designed something transformative.
Our academic year divides into two intensive semesters, with classes meeting in four focused 76-minute blocks each day. This isn’t just a schedule change— it’s a complete reimagining of how deep learning happens.
The result? Students dive deeper into complex concepts, engage in meaningful discussions, conduct hands-on experiments, and develop the kind of sustained focus that college and career success demand. They learn to think like scholars, collaborate like innovators, and lead like the confident changemakers they’re becoming.
This is education that doesn’t just fill minds— it ignites them.
COLLEGE OUTCOMES
100% of Mount graduates attend post-secondary institutions, including some of these prestigious colleges and universities:
Boston College
Brown University
Bucknell University
Clemson University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Fordham University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
New York University
Northeastern University
Penn State University
Princeton University
Syracuse University
The Julliard School
The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill
Trinity College
Dublin
Tulane University
United States
Naval
Academy
University of Florida
University of
Pennsylvania
University of
Toronto
University of Virginia
Villanova
University
Vanderbilt
University
Wake Forest
University
Wellesley College
Where PASSION MEETS PURPOSE
At the Mount, student life isn’t just about activities—it’s about discovering who you’re meant to become and developing the courage to pursue it boldly.
Our extensive co-curricular program creates a vibrant community where over 90% of Mounties actively participate, discovering their unique gifts while learning from their sisters. With 20 dynamic clubs, 27 mission-driven organizations, and 8 dedicated service teams, students don’t just join—they lead. In fact, there are more than 130 leadership positions available, ensuring every student can find her place to shine, grow, and make a real impact.
Clubs offer the ultimate in flexibility—drop-in groups open to all, led by students and rooted in shared passions. No applications, no requirements, just pure connection and creativity with a welcoming spirit.
Organizations are where mission meets action. These structured groups with defined roles and regular commitments create school-wide impact, developing the kind of leadership skills that extend far beyond graduation.
Service Teams combine hands-on service with deep learning and reflection, meeting
weekly throughout fall, winter, and spring seasons. Each team pursues skills, justice, and faith objectives while making tangible differences in their communities— welcoming students of all backgrounds to serve alongside each other.
The results speak volumes: signature student-led events like Diversity Week and Spirit Week showcase the leadership pipeline in action, while strong crossgrade collaboration creates mentorship that strengthens the entire Mount community. From the Liturgy Team
member who learns to proclaim the Word with confidence, to the Retreat Team leader who guides life-changing experiences for her peers, to the service team advocate who mobilizes others around justice—every experience builds not just skills, but character.
At the Mount, co-curricular life means more than resume-building. It means finding your voice, testing your wings, and discovering that leadership isn’t just a title—it’s a way of being in the world.
FEATURED ACTIVITIES
ARE Made WHERE CHAMPIONS
At the Mount, 70% of our students are student-athletes—and every single one learns that true victory comes from developing courage on the field, building unbreakable community with teammates, and gaining the confidence that comes from pushing beyond what you thought possible.
We intentionally create a space where excellence in athletics and academics aren’t competing priorities—they’re complementary paths to leadership.
Across 13 sports with both Varsity and Junior Varsity teams, our student-athletes consistently excel in local, regional, and national competitions, but their greatest achievements happen in the daily moments of growth, grit, and grace under pressure.
Our coaching staff—seasoned competitors who’ve excelled at the collegiate level— understand that they’re not just developing athletes, they’re developing leaders. In every practice, every game, and every challenging moment, they instill the qualities that
transform young women into champions both on and off the field: unwavering determination, collaborative strength, genuine sportsmanship, and the kind of resilience that turns setbacks into comebacks.
Mount student-athletes don’t just learn from winning and losing—they learn from the profound sisterhood that emerges when teammates push each other to be their best, celebrate each other’s victories, and lift each other up through defeats. They discover that individual talent becomes unstoppable when channeled through collective purpose.
Whether they’re strategizing in the huddle, encouraging a struggling teammate, or leading by example in the classroom, our student-athletes graduate knowing that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice—it’s about being the most reliable one.
The Mount is a proud member of the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies (AACA) and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).
“Athletics were also a special part of my experience. I ran track and cross country and was encouraged to lead, serve, and support my teammates.” —Mount Alum
334 Student-Athletes competing across 13 sports
3 Olympian Alumnae representing the highest level of athletic achievement
115 AACA Championships earned across all sports programs
9 o f
11 PIAA Sports reached Districts in 2024-25
1 Team Medalled at Nationals in Rowing
4 Teams Advanced to States in Cross-Country, Field Hockey, Swimming & Diving, and Track & Field
Meets LEADERSHIP WHERE FAITH
Campus Ministry at the Mount empowers young women to find their courage in faith, build authentic community through service, and develop the confidence to lead with purpose wherever they’re called to make a difference.
Through religious education, retreats, liturgies, and communion services, we celebrate our faith and the spirituality of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, growing as individuals and as sisters in humility and charity. But we go beyond traditional spiritual formation— we actively develop young women who lead with purpose and compassion.
Our Liturgy Team answers the global Church’s call to embrace women’s leadership, training students to proclaim Scripture, lead prayer, and preach to their peers. The Retreat Team creates life-changing spiritual experiences, with student leaders facilitating small groups and offering compelling talks that transform their classmates. Our Service Teams combine
hands-on service with reflection and prayer, meeting weekly to advance justice while deepening faith.
Campus Ministry is an integral part of the vibrant community we foster. We encourage students to explore and deepen their sisterhood and spirituality. All are welcome, wherever they may be on their faith journey—because we believe that when young women discover their spiritual gifts, they become unstoppable forces for good in the world.
THREE MAIN ASPECTS DEFINE MOUNT CAMPUS MINISTRY:
Prayer and Liturgy
We believe that prayer energizes and enriches our entire community. Our Liturgy Team empowers students to take active roles in spiritual leadership, training them to proclaim Scripture, lead school-wide prayer, and minister to their peers. All
members of our school community are welcome to participate in our vibrant liturgical life.
Retreats
Throughout the year, we offer transformative retreat experiences, including grade-level day retreats and the culminating senior overnight Unitas retreat. Led by our trained Retreat Team, these experiences provide valuable opportunities for self-reflection, personal and spiritual growth, and solidify the bonds of unity each class builds over their years together.
Service Learning
The original Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia were praised for being “ready for any good work.” Our students continue this legacy of compassionate service through Service Teams that meet weekly, combining hands-on service with reflection and prayer. Whether serving on campus through liturgical ministry or reaching beyond our walls to serve others, students discover how service transforms both giver and receiver.
“If you’re looking for a place that challenges you intellectually, embraces you emotionally, and prepares you for life with grace and strength, The Mount is exactly that kind of place.” —Mount Alum
MOUNTIES FOREVER Sisters. for Life.
The bonds forged at the Mount don’t end at graduation—they grow stronger with time. Our alumnae embody the courage to chase bold dreams, the community that lifts each other up through every life chapter, and the confidence to lead wherever their paths take them.
They graciously share their wisdom and expertise with younger Mounties, becoming mentors, role models, and proof that Mount women don’t just succeed—they transform the spaces they enter. From boardrooms to classrooms, from laboratories to nonprofits, from entrepreneurial ventures to public service, Mount alumnae are making their mark as fearless changemakers.
The sisterhood lives on through reunions, career and professional development events, golf outings, girls’ weekends, vacations, dinners, holiday get-togethers, milestone celebrations, and impromptu Mountie meetups that
happen wherever Mount women find themselves. Our alumnae honor an understood and unspoken sisterly pledge to lift each other up in times of challenge and share in one another’s joy— because the Mount sisterhood is a network that lasts a lifetime.
Whether they settle in Greater Philadelphia or halfway across the world, Mount women lead boldly within their chosen fields and continue to serve others with purpose. This service begins with a lifelong commitment to step up for their fellow Mount sisters, always answering the call as they navigate life’s many chapters— from college experiences to career exploration, from motherhood to retirement, and everything in between.
At the Mount, you don’t just graduate—you join a legacy of women who refuse to let sisterhood end with a diploma.
“The school community is truly something you can’t find anywhere else... I can’t express how grateful I am to have attended an all-girls high school.”—Mount Alum
OUR MISSION
Mount Saint Joseph Academy, a college preparatory school, empowers young women to realize their fullest potential. Imbued with a spirit of unity and reconciliation, the charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Mount Saint Joseph Academy fosters excellence tempered by gentleness and compassion.
Enriched by the values of the Catholic Church, and as a Sponsored Ministry of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Mount Saint Joseph Academy offers academically rigorous programs, which challenge students to shape the future. In a student-centered, collaborative environment, Mount Saint Joseph Academy provides a holistic education with an emphasis on global responsibility.
Faithful to “educating founders,” Mount Saint Joseph Academy enables students to be agents of transformation in the face of moral and ethical challenges in an everevolving society. Trusting in the wisdom echoed by the Constitution of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, the mission asserts, “On the education of women largely depends the future of society.”