Mercyhurst College

Mercyhurst University

Motto	Latin: Carpe diem (Seize the day)
Type	Private University
Established	1926
Affiliation	Roman Catholic (Sisters of Mercy)
Endowment	$31.8 million
President	Michael T. Victor
Academic staff	136 full-time
Administrative staff	434
Students	4,400
Location	Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Campus	Urban - 74 acres (300,000 m2)
Colors	Green and White
Athletics	NCAA Division I – Atlantic Hockey NCAA Division II – PSAC (West)
Sports	3 NCAA Division I 22 Division II
Nickname	Lakers
Mascot	Luke the Laker
Affiliations	Conference for Mercy Higher Education Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools ACCU NAICU
Website	www.mercyhurst.edu

NCAA Division I – Atlantic Hockey

Mercyhurst University, formerly Mercyhurst College, is a Catholic liberal arts college in Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States.

On September 20, 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy of the Diocese of Erie, who were led by Mother M. Borgia Egan, who became the first president of Mercyhurst College. The college received its charter on October 5, 1928, after Mother Egan convinced the state that the Sisters of Mercy were a living endowment for the college and worth just as much as a monetary endowment.

From the beginning, Mother Egan was determined to make Mercyhurst the "beauty spot in the diocese of Erie." Wanting the institution to be a masterpiece of harmony, she directed that the exterior of the college be given as much attention as its interior by hiring prominent architect F. Ferdinand Durang of Philadelphia to create Old Main. It became a masterpiece of English Gothic design and stateliness that has the suggestion of a medieval castle in its lines. With the addition of the college gates in 1950, the Mercyhurst campus became a city landmark.

In 1963, the prep department separated to form Mercyhurst Preparatory School, which is located behind the university. On February 3, 1969, the board of trustees voted to make Mercyhurst a coed college. From its foundation in 1926 until 1972, members of the Sisters of Mercy had been presidents of the college. After 1972, lay presidents led the college. On March 27, 1991, Mercyhurst purchased the 100-year-old Redemptorist Seminary in North East and turned it into a branch campus offering associate degrees and one-year certificates.

In the past two decades, Mercyhurst has become one of the top comprehensive colleges in the North and the second largest Mercy college in America. Among its five campuses, enrollment has grown to well over 4,000 students while full-time faculty employment numbers includes 168 members. The endowment has increased to more than $20 million and its budget is more than $85 million.