Seton Hill University is a Catholic liberal arts university of about 2,500 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002. Recently, Seton Hill received attention for being the first university to provide iPads to all students.
History
The school was founded in 1885 by the Sisters of Charity. It is named for Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774â€"1821), who founded the Sisters of Charity and who, after her death, was canonized as the United States' first native-born saint. (Seton Hall University and the College of Saint Elizabeth in New Jersey are also named after Elizabeth Ann Seton.)
In 1914, Seton Hill Junior college was opened by the Sisters of Charity. With the approval of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Seton Hill College was created four years later.
In 1946, 40 male World War II veterans were accepted as students at Seton Hill. During the 1980s, men were regularly admitted to many programs at Seton Hill College, including music and theater. In 2002, Seton Hill was officially granted university status by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. After president JoAnne Boyle formalized the school's new status as a university, the teams' nickname was changed from "Spirits" to "Griffins," and several men's athletics teams were added, including American football. In 2006, Seton Hill announced it was transferring to NCAA Division II and joining the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). They had belonged to the NAIA. In 2012, Seton Hill announced its move to the PSAC.
Seton Hill University received widespread public attention after announcing a technology plan that includes providing an iPad to all full-time students, as well a 13" MacBook to all incoming freshmen, and a plan to upgrade the student machines after two years. Upon graduation, students keep both machines. Beginning in the fall of 2013, new full-time students will receive an iPad Mini and new full-time freshmen will be provided with a MacBook Air.
Centers
- E-Magnify (formerly the National Education Center for Women in Business)
- National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education
- Child Development Center
- Center for Family Therapy
- SHU Center for Orthodontics
- The Wukich Center for Entrepreneurial Opportunities
- Performing Arts Center
- Dance and Visual Arts Center
Undergraduate programs
As of the 2012â€"2013 academic year, Seton Hill divides its undergraduate programs into six divisions: Social Sciences, Natural and Health Sciences, Humanities, Education, Business, and the Visual and Performing Arts, which includes art, music and theater. In addition to their major, all students take liberal arts core classes in arts, mathematics, sciences, culture, history, and writing.
Graduate programs
As of the 2012â€"2013 academic year, Seton Hill offers twelve graduate programs. Subjects include art, writing, education, therapy, business, orthodontics, and physician assistant studies.
Athletics
Seton Hill athletics, known as the Griffins, compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). During the 2012â€"2013 academic year, Seton Hill was a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). As of July 1, 2013, following the breakup of the WVIAC, along with the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, also from the WVIAC, Seton Hill is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
Seton Hill varsity men's and women's sports include football, men's & women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's wrestling, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's track and field, softball, baseball, women's cheerleading, women's field hockey, women's equestrian, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, women's golf, and women's tennis.
In 2005, 60% of the entering class was male, due to an influx of male students who were interested in new sports programs such as football. In 2008, the football team had a 10-3 record. The football team and the men's soccer team each won the inaugural West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's team sportsmanship award in 2008.
In 2006, the baseball team received a berth to the NAIA World Series in the program's third year of existence.
In 2014, the baseball team had its most successful season; winning the PSAC, the Atlantic Regional, and advancing to the College World Series. The team ended up finishing top six in the country.
Campus life
In 2003, the school conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree upon Steve Forbes, president and CEO of Forbes, Inc. In 2006, the convocation speaker was U.S. Representative John Murtha (D-Pa).
Seton Hill has a student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The typical class size for courses in the major is about 20-25. Liberal arts core classes tend to be larger, at 30-45 students.
Recent changes on campus include the addition of a site of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), and two arts facilities in downtown Greensburg: a visual arts center and a new performing arts building (devoted to music, theater, and dance). In early 2013, the university received a $7 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The grant is the largest in Seton Hill's history and is a component of the university’s $75 million plan for campus expansion and renewal.
Active clubs representing the diverse cultural and student interests include the Chemistry Club, Biology Club, Forensic Science Club, Math Club, Gay-Straight Alliance, Respect Life Club, Students in Free Enterprise, and the Griffins @ Work club.
Notable alumni
- Garrett Fishaw, Michigan sportswriter
- Justice Maureen O'Connor, alumna of 1973 and sixth woman to have served as an Ohio Supreme Court justice.
- Admiral Ronne Froman, who graduated from Seton Hill College in 1969, served 31 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a rear admiral, and was the first female US Navy admiral to be "in charge of naval bases and stations around the world". She then filled several high-profile civilian positions in San Diego, California.
- Dr. Patricia Gabow, alumna of 1965, became the chief of renal disease at Denver General Hospital in 1973 and is now the Chief Executive Officer of Denver Health.
- Michele Moore Ridge, alumna of 1969, former First Lady of Pennsylvania (1995â€"2001).
- Nalo Hopkinson, writer
References
External links
- Official website
- Official athletics website