In a recent stride towards adapting to the ever-shifting landscape of higher education, Ohio's Ursuline College has decided to merge with Gannon University based in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Ursuline College board of trustees passed an agreement to unite with Gannon to fortify positions against challenges such as dwindling enrollment numbers and the high costs that smaller institutions are contending with nationwide. As reported by cleveland.com, the merger will transform Ursuline into the Ursuline College Campus of Gannon University. It is pending approval from the Higher Learning Commission and is expected to come by June.
Considering the solemn heritage of Ursuline, established by the Ursuline Sisters 153 years prior, their quest for a partner to preserve the college's legacy culminates in this merge with Gannon University. The Ursuline Sisters, whose numbers are waning, anticipated finding an institution that could uphold the principles of Catholic higher education "when the Ursuline Sisters no longer exist," as detailed on the Ursuline dedicated merge website, provided by Cleveland.com. This partnership is a business arrangement and a strategic move to sustain the ethos of the small Ohio college that embarked on its journey in 1871 as a women's college.
Dr. Kathryn LaFontana, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Ursuline, emphasized the continuity of the university's character, assuring that "Ursuline really is going to feel the same way," as obtained by an interview with Cleveland19. This alliance positions Ursuline on a wedded trajectory with Gannon, promising to focus on women-centered education and fortifying efforts to bolster underserved communities.
Ursuline pledges to retain its distinctive academic programs, athlete opportunities, and facilities through this merger, ensuring the college's legacy persists undiluted. Ursuline’s president, Dr. David King, noted the complementary strengths of both institutions, highlighting how "Nursing and health sciences, we know at Ursuline, are very strong programs" and that Gannon brings robust engineering programs to the table. Combining these strengths promises enrichment—not just for Ursuline or Gannon independently, but for the broader educational tapestry they now weave together, as documented by Spectrum News 1.
The formal integration is expected to stretch over an 18 to 24-month period post Higher Learning Commission approval, culminating in the merger's finalization by December 15, 2026. Remarkably, current tuition and scholarship arrangements will stand unchanged for the foreseeable future, as will Ursuline's intercollegiate athletic programs, mascot, and colors. This merge not only anticipates harnessing the power of both institutions but also represents a grappling with the contemporary challenges of higher education while holding fast to the root convictions that have long defined Ursuline College.
