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Celebrating 80 years with ‘80 Points of Pride’ As Rivier celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, we have taken this opportunity to reflect on our proud history and heritage, as well as the impact of the Rivier experience on members of our community—students, alumni, Sisters, faculty, staff, and friends. We invited all members of the Rivier community to submit ‘Points of Pride,’ special aspects of the Rivier experience that make our institution unique. This special feature is a compilation of submissions received and demonstrates the collective pride of the Rivier community. The ‘Points of Pride’ included in this feature are distinctive aspects of the Rivier experience, and while there are certainly more aspects that bring pride to the University, we are proud to share these ‘80 Points of Pride’ with you on the occasion of our 80th anniversary.

1  The Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, and our Founder Sister Madeleine of Jesus, created a lasting legacy when they established Rivier in 1933 during the height of the Great Depression— and today, we proudly celebrate 80 years made possible by their vision and dedication.

2  Our institution bears the name of

Blessed Anne Marie Rivier, Founder of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, and is the oldest institution of higher education in Nashua.

3 R  ivier’s mission of ‘transforming hearts

and minds to serve the world’ is alive and vibrant on our campus and is at the heart of all that we do as a community.

4 Our Catholic heritage and values guide our new core curriculum, Journeys of Transformation, and our distinctive academic programs feature faith and reason as pillars of academic vitality.

5  The Sisters of the Presentation of Mary

serve in 20 countries around the world, providing compassion to those in need and serving as an inspiration to students and alumni.

6  Rivier’s faculty, staff, administration,

11 Rivier's dynamic new President has

7  18,000 alumni across the country

12 The Board of Trustees is comprised

and students are proud stewards of the legacy created by the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary, ensuring the ideals set forth in Rivier’s mission are fulfilled. and the globe are living Rivier's mission and making a difference in their communities and professions, serving at all levels including as CEOs, superintendents, principals, teachers, nurses, health care leaders, and more.

8  The Rivier community offers a dynamic student leadership experience, with service opportunities integrated in the curriculum, in the culture, and in the hearts and minds of our students.

9  The Sisters of the Presentation of Mary,

including two past presidents, reside on campus and their presence contributes to the sense of community and enhances the life of the University.

10 Sister Adrienne Beauregard, pm

celebrated her 101st birthday in 2013 and proudly shares memories of her direct collaboration with Sister Madeleine of Jesus, preserving Rivier’s history and heritage.

made strategic and campus master planning priorities for the University, ensuring that Rivier compares and competes in the higher education marketplace. of a dedicated group of business and community leaders with a commitment to advancing Rivier’s mission through board governance.

13 Rivier College became a University on

July 1, 2012, a designation that fully represents the breadth and scope of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs.

14 The city of Nashua presented Rivier

with the ‘key to the city’ in recognition of its University transition in 2012, the first and only organization to receive this honor.

15 Rivier’s logo includes a cross as a sign of our Catholic heritage and ‘Riv’ within a blue circle, symbolizing our place within the world.

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30 We demonstrate that Nashua is our 16 Rivier received its ten-year

accreditation and was praised by NEASC for our preparation of a comprehensive, candid self-study describing the significant progress the University has made in the last decade. NEASC also noted the clarity of the institution’s mission and the enthusiasm with which the mission is supported by all members of the campus community.

17 Our academic programs reflect the

University’s commitment to Catholic values, creative thinking, and social responsibility.

18 The motto of Altiora et Meliora, “higher

and better,” has been a guiding light from our foundation into the 21st century, leading graduates to contribute to a better world.

19 The University is recognized as a

‘College of Distinction’ for its engaged students, great teaching, successful outcomes and vibrant community.

20 Rivier has been named to Victory

Media Inc.’s Military Friendly Schools® list for five consecutive years, providing resources to support the education of veteran students and participating in the Yellow Ribbon program.

21 Rivier was recognized as one of ‘NH’s Top Women-Led Companies’ in the nonprofit category by Business NH Magazine this fall.

22 The new core curriculum, Journeys

of Transformation, allows students to explore new ways of thinking central to the faith heritage, intellectual tradition, and social teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and is aligned with essential learning outcomes.

23 The Davis Educational Foundation

awarded Rivier a $105,000 grant to develop new programs and resources to support the new core curriculum.

24 Our Student Success program guides

first-year students on their journey by introducing them to the wide variety of resources, services, activities and experiences that Rivier has to offer. All first year students take the year-long Student Success: Campus to Community course, and are assigned a peer mentor to assist in all academic aspects of their first year.

25 Rivier faculty members are

distinguished academicians and expert practitioners in their fields. The impact of their teaching, scholarship, and service is far-reaching and profound.

26 Faculty members present at national

and international conferences and have earned countless awards and honors, including NH Business Educator of the Year, NH Nurse Practitioner of the Year, and many more.

27 In addition to doctoral credentials,

faculty members bring real-world experience into their classrooms and ensure that experiential learning takes place across all disciplines and levels.

28 Rivier offers programs of academic

distinction and incorporates cutting edge teaching and learning technologies in face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses and programs.

29 Rivier applies current technology to

connect students, including the Canvas online learning management system and the use of iPads in classrooms for interactive learning.

home and the world is our classroom through global partnerships, study abroad opportunities, teaching trips, and service experiences in Greece, Turkey, China, Costa Rica, Haiti, and other parts of the world.

31 The University supports international education that advances learning, builds understanding and respect of all citizens of the world, and enhances global awareness in the community.

32 Diversity and multiculturalism are

promoted on campus with immersive, culturally rich events and resources.

33 The Global Leadership program

engages students with leaders, issues, and professional opportunities around the world.

34 Through the Rivier Institute for

Global Health, Rivier students and nursing faculty will partner with the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary in Senegal to provide direct care in this underdeveloped country.

35 Rivier students and community

members volunteer at a variety of agencies throughout the city, and the Freshmen Day of Service provided a collective 675 hours of service to Nashua’s deserving non-profit organizations.

36 Through an annual Thanksgiving

Basket drive, Rivier provides hundreds of food baskets to families in need each year at the start of the holiday season, and students and community members provide service and support to the Nashua Soup Kitchen and other agencies.

37 Service trips, alternative spring breaks, and Habitat for Humanity programs within the United States and beyond provide valuable assistance to those in need and teach Rivier students the value of service and compassion.

38 Service learning programs and

initiatives integrate active, socially significant service into the educational experience, extending the learning experience beyond the classroom.

39 With clinical sites and partnerships

throughout New England and programs from the associate to the doctoral level, Rivier is the region's leader in nursing education.

40 Rivier is the only college or university

in New Hampshire with accreditation for nursing programs at all levels from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). All programs have met nationally recognized standards and criteria for educational quality in nursing.

41 State-of-the-art simulated clinical

and nursing skills laboratories, equipped with SimMan patient simulators, provide nursing students at all levels with unparalleled training opportunities.

42 Rivier is home of the state of New

Hampshire's first Doctorate of Education and the first of its kind Doctorate of Psychology in Counseling and School Psychology.

43 Education professors and programs

provide a model of best practices, inspiring teachers to shape the future of education.

44 Our nationally-accredited Landry Early Childhood Center provides education majors with hands-on learning opportunities observing and working directly with children, providing valuable experience beginning in the freshman year.

45 The Sister Mary Jane Benoit

Outstanding Educator Award is given to an individual who brings the highest distinction to themselves and their communities through their teaching and mentoring of students in education and/or mental health.

46 Rivier’s undergraduate and graduate

business programs develop future business leaders with a focus on values and ethics, inspiring graduates to serve the world through a commitment to their professions and communities.

47 Programs in the arts and sciences offer

academic excellence in the liberal arts and prepare students to pursue careers in biology and chemistry, English, history, political science, criminal justice, mathematics, computer science, modern languages, psychology, and sociology.

48 Students contribute to meaningful

original work through faculty-led research and doctoral dissertations.

49 Rivier’s Art Gallery has provided a

continuous array of thought provoking work including a recent exhibit of Saint John’s Bible.

50 Rivier's Center for Faculty Excellence offers faculty development events, services, and resources to enhance instructional innovation and effectiveness and to support scholarly and creative activities.

51 Academic ceremonies including the

Academic Convocation, Baccalaureate Mass, and others provide a strong sense of tradition and community.

52 The institution has awarded honorary

degrees to business and world leaders, academic scholars, philanthropists, and dignitaries.

53 Rivier has hosted a variety of renowned

speakers including world leaders, Presidential and gubernatorial candidates, CEOs of top companies, local and state government officials, and many more—providing opportunities for our students to experience a diverse array of viewpoints, thoughts and ideas.

54 Rivier is the most affordable private

institution in the state of New Hampshire and 98 percent of our fulltime students receive financial support each year.

55 Rivier’s endowment is strong and

growing. From 2009 to 2013, it has increased by close to $9 million.

56 Alumni and friends have established

and funded more than 60 endowed scholarships providing assistance to Rivier’s deserving students, today and into the future. 

57 Rivier has received excellent Financial

Responsibility scores from the Department of Education over the last several years, earning the highest score of 3.0 several times—a score that only about 13 percent of higher education institutions achieve.

58 With the generosity of the Conway

family of Nashua through the largest gift in its history, Rivier transformed Regina Library, the academic center of the campus.

59 The Regina Library provides a

competitive collection of print and electronic resources to meet the needs of our diverse student populations, including the research needs of doctoral students.

60 Our Dining Center was recently

renovated through a partnership with Sodexo, our dining services provider, and offers healthy dining options and a comfortable gathering space for students and community members.

61 The University enjoys partnerships

with local corporations, donor investors, volunteers, and service agencies throughout the state and beyond, providing opportunities for philanthropic support, internships, outreach, service, and more.

62 The University’s first capital campaign concluded in 2007, surpassing its goal and providing support for a variety of capital initiatives and endowed scholarships.

63 With the support of the University’s

generous donor investors, the Annual Fund reached a record level for the fourth consecutive year in 2013.

64 Our strategic and campus master plans have inspired the Gateway Projects, a series of landscape design initiatives that will transform the campus and provide opportunities for donor investors to support Rivier’s future.

70 Rivier’s 13 intercollegiate athletic

teams compete as Division III members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), representing the University throughout the United States and the world. Rivier studentathletes have received Great Northeast Athletic Conference honors and national recognition through the NCAA.

65 A renovation of Resurrection Chapel

began in October and is the first step in Rivier’s plans to enhance its sacred spaces and reflect its Catholic heritage.

71 Our nationally ranked men’s volleyball

team has placed in the top four in NCAA Division III and the top eight in the country in recent years. Rivier’s coach was also recognized as Division III National Men’s Volleyball Coachof-the-Year, as well as being one of only two New Hampshire Division III head coaches to reach 300 career wins.

66 Rivier’s impact on the local and regional economies is significant and impactful, and the University contributes to a vibrant and dynamic workforce.

67 The Rivier University President’s

Circle, created by business leaders, serves as a resource for the business communities of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, providing opportunities for the exchange of ideas on critical issues impacting business and citizens.

72 Rivier coaches care about each

student’s success on and off the playing courts and fields. They have successfully launched and built new teams, and many have earned GNAC Coach-of-the-Year honors.

68 Rivier’s hometown of Nashua has twice been named “The Best Place to Live in America” by Money magazine, and our location in the heart of New England provides the ideal environment for our students to live and learn.

73 The renovated Muldoon Fitness

69 With approximately 500 members, the Rivier Institute for Senior Education (RISE) provides opportunities for lifelong learning and serves as a vital resource for the Greater Nashua community.

Center, artificially turfed athletic field, and world-class sand volleyball court known as ‘Riv Beach’ provide venues for a variety of health and fitness programs and activities, including varsity athletics and intramural sports.

74 A variety of clubs and organizations, as well as extracurricular and cocurricular activities and intramural sports, provide opportunities for student engagement.

75 Our Raider mascot contributes to the Rivier spirit at sporting, community and alumni events.

76 Annual events such as Alumni

Reunion Weekend, Family Weekend, Senior Send Off, the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, and others provide opportunities for alumni, students, and families to connect with Rivier and the campus community.

77 Since its establishment in 1974, the

Sister Madeleine of Jesus Award, presented by the Alumni Association, has recognized more than 50 outstanding alumni for their dedication to Rivier, their communities, and their professions.

78 The University was presented with

a Health Innovator Award by the New Hampshire Business Review and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. This award recognizes our work in developing employee-centered wellness programs and initiatives.

79 Rivier leaders have been recognized

with countless community awards and honors such as The Telegraph’s ‘Nashua 50’ top business leaders and the Nashua Chamber Citizen of the Year.

80 Rivier is a ‘point of pride’ itself for the

Nashua community, contributing to the city’s vibrancy in many ways. Our students are involved in city events and volunteer at local organizations, and we host a number of events that are open to the Nashua community and the public.

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