Press Release

The Board of Trustees at the College of Mount St. Joseph announced today the College will officially become Mount St. Joseph University effective July 1, 2014. The designation change to University positions the Mount to leverage its expanding academic offerings including increasing its number of graduate programs for masters and doctorate degrees, as well as implementing online programs.

“In the name of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, I congratulate the Mount as it becomes Mount St. Joseph University,” said Joan Cook, S.C., president of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. “I pray that our patron, St. Joseph, will continue to guide all the members of the Mount community as they embark on this new venture while continuing the tradition of excellence in education.”

“The cornerstone upon which the Mount has been built will remain the same,” said Ken Stecher, chair of the Mount’s Board of Trustees. “As it has for the past 93 years, the Mount will remain a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Charity and with that, will continue its mission of providing a high quality liberal arts education with professional programs distinguished by personal attention, small classes and a close community. The move to become a university reflects on the bold initiatives the Mount has included in our Vision2020 strategic plan.”

Vision 2020 identifies three major areas the Mount will focus on to ensure the university is recognized as a top value: excellent, relevant academics, an engaging student experience and students recognized as career ready. Throughout the strategic visioning and planning process, with input from all audiences within the Mount community, it became increasingly clear that the need to move the Mount forward should be symbolized with a name change.

“Vision2020 gives us a focus and measureable goals,” said Tony Aretz, Ph.D., president of the Mount. “The goals are significant milestones in our efforts to become more competitive as we look to enhance students’ opportunities to learn and grow by adding and expanding academic programs, attracting top faculty and reaching out to serve a more diverse student population.”

This academic school year marks the beginning of the Mount’s newly revised core curriculum with a focus on serving the Common Good. This innovative theme-based curriculum offers a variety of service, work and experiential learning opportunities including the launch of the Talent Opportunity Program (TOP), the first-of-its-kind enhanced career services plan.

“This is an exciting step forward for the Mount,” said Mary Ivers, ’71 alumna, and founder, Dress for Success Cincinnati. “As an alumna, I am proud the tradition of excellent academics will continue with new, enriched programs and resources for students to be prepared to enter the workforce.”

Full implementation of the Mount’s name change will take place over the coming 2014-2015 academic year. The Mount will offer a FAQ section on the website for alumni, current and prospective students, parents, faculty and staff to ask questions.

The College of Mount St. Joseph is an undergraduate and graduate Catholic college that provides an interdisciplinary liberal arts and professional curriculum emphasizing values, service and social responsibility.