Large Increase in Applications Prompts Jump in Deposits for Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Mercy University is looking ahead to a strong future as its 75th anniversary year comes to a close. The University has seen applications increase by more than 10% for fall 2024, resulting in a double digit percentage increase in deposits.
The University achieved a number of historic milestones this year. It received its highest-ever ranking on the latest U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best College Rankings this year. GMercyU’s position as a national university jumped 71 places, the largest increase of any school in the region and the sixth largest increase nationally.
This year’s rankings put increased importance on how well schools do at graduating students from varying backgrounds, including first-generation students, and how well those students do after graduation. At GMercyU, 52% of students identify as first-generation.
GMercyU was one of just six private, Catholic universities in the region to be ranked as a national university.
In addition to being nationally ranked, GMercyU also earned a spot on the Top Performers on Social Mobility list. Institutions on this list hold advanced practices that help disadvantaged students finish college and lead successful lives. GMercyU is one of only 434 institutions across the nation to meet U.S. News & World Ranking’s social mobility ranking factors which include Pell Grant eligibility and first-generation graduation rates.
This designation speaks highly to the University’s mission of preparing students for successful careers and meaningful lives in a global society as evidenced by the 97% of recent graduates who were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduating, according to a 2023 survey.
The national recognition comes at a momentous time in GMercyU’s history.
GMercyU will soon break ground on the Frances M. Maguire Healthcare Innovation Center – a state-of-the-market hub of innovation and education that will provide new space for healthcare and other majors who support the healthcare industry, such as Computer Information Science students, to learn with each other using the latest technology. Other campus enhancements include renovated interior and exterior residence halls, new eateries on campus, and renovations to the baseball and softball fields.
The University also furthered its commitment to making a college education accessible to all - with 100% of first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid and more than $3 million in new scholarships added in the past two years. Increased scholarship funding is one of three areas of focus for GMercyU's "Mercy in Motion" Comprehensive Campaign, which launched in Fall 2023 and is expected to hit its $25 million fundraising goal more than a year ahead of schedule.
GMercyU also remains focused on launching new market-driven programs and expanding existing programs, including adding a new master’s in Speech-Language Pathology and a Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program.
This past year, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program achieved the highest first-time NCLEX pass rate in program history; the Respiratory Care program ranked in the top 1% of programs nationwide, and the Doctor of Education program welcomed its largest incoming cohort in program history.
In addition, the University saw growth on the undergraduate side, with the number of first-year students enrolled in fall 2023 up nearly 23% over the previous year, compared to a national average growth rate of less than 1%.
“As we look ahead to our future, we have a very clear vision and plan for how to build on GMercyU’s legacy for producing Distinctive Mercy Graduates who do well and do good,” President Deanne H. D’Emilio, JD said. “We look forward to welcoming the newest class of GMercyU Griffins to campus later this summer.”