John Carroll University facts for kids
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Former names
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St. Ignatius College (1886–1923) |
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| Motto | Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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For the greater glory of God |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | 1886 |
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Religious affiliation
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Roman Catholic (Jesuit) |
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Academic affiliations
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AJCU ACCU CIC |
| Endowment | $286.48 million (2024) |
| President | Alan R. Miciak |
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Academic staff
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519 (2023) |
| Students | 3,040 (fall 2024) |
| Undergraduates | 2,615 (fall 2024) |
| Postgraduates | 425 (fall 2024) |
| Location |
,
U.S.
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| Campus | Suburban, 63 acres (25.5 ha) |
| Colors | Blue & gold |
| Nickname | Blue Streaks |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division III – NCAC |
| Mascot | Lobo |
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John Carroll University (JCU) is a private university in Ohio, USA. It's run by the Jesuits, a Catholic religious order. JCU is in University Heights, Ohio, a town near Cleveland. It's mostly for students getting their first college degree.
The university has a College of Arts and Sciences, a College of Health, and a Boler College of Business. There is also a Graduate School for advanced studies. JCU started in 1886 as St. Ignatius College. In 1923, it was renamed after John Carroll. He was the first Catholic bishop in the United States and started Georgetown University. About 3,000 students attend JCU as of fall 2024.
Contents
JCU's History
John Carroll University was started in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. It was first called St. Ignatius College, named after Ignatius of Loyola. It began as a college only for men. JCU has been teaching students and giving out degrees ever since. It was the 19th Jesuit college to open in the United States.
In 1923, the college changed its name to John Carroll University. This honored John Carroll, who was the first archbishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He also founded Georgetown University.
In 1935, the university moved from its first spot in Cleveland, Ohio. It moved to its current location in University Heights, Ohio. This new campus is about 10 miles (16 km) east of downtown Cleveland. The high school that was part of the original site kept its name, Saint Ignatius High School. It still operates at the old location. The area now called University Heights used to be named Idlewood. The city's name changed when the university campus was built.
During World War II, John Carroll University helped with the V-12 Navy College Training Program. This program allowed students to train to become Navy officers.
In September 1968, the university started letting women into the College of Arts and Sciences. This made JCU a fully coeducational school. The university has also built many new buildings. In 2003, the Dolan Center for Science and Technology opened. It is a large building for science and technology studies. It was named after alumnus Charles Dolan, who started Cablevision and HBO.
Jesuit Traditions
In December 2017, the university announced a big change. Its board of directors chose the school's first president who was not a Jesuit priest. Michael D. Johnson started his job on July 1, 2018.
JCU Campus
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The John Carroll campus has more than 25 main buildings. They are built in a style called Collegiate Gothic. The campus covers 65 acres (26 hectares) of land. Saint Ignatius Hall is in the middle of the campus. It has the university's famous Grasselli Tower. This building looks a lot like the English royal palace Hampton Court.
What Students Study
John Carroll University has three main colleges for students. These are the College of Arts and Sciences, the Boler College of Business, and the College of Health. All undergraduate students must take a wide range of core classes.
The College of Arts and Sciences offers over 80 different programs. These are for both undergraduate and graduate students. Some popular majors for students include communications, biology, and psychology. Other popular subjects are education, exercise science, and political science.
How to Get In
In 2025, John Carroll University accepted about 81% of students who applied. Getting in is considered somewhat difficult. Students who were accepted had an average high school GPA of 3.66. The university does not require students to send their SAT or ACT test scores. However, if students do send them, the scores are considered.
Studying Abroad
John Carroll has many international programs. Students who qualify can take part in these programs. The university runs some programs itself. It also works with other Jesuit universities on other programs.
Some of JCU's exchange programs are in Japan, Germany, and England. There are also programs in places like Belfast, London, and Vatican City. Students can also study in El Salvador. The Center for Global Education manages all international programs.
University Rankings
| Forbes | 424 |
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John Carroll University is listed among the "Best 390 Colleges in America" by the Princeton Review. It was also named one of the "209 Best Value Colleges" in the country.
In the Wall Street Journal's "The 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S.," JCU was ranked 206th out of 500 top schools. This places it in the top 7% of all colleges in the United States.
In the 2025 U.S. News & World Report college rankings, John Carroll University was ranked third. This was among 165 regional universities in the Midwest. The university has been in the top ten of this group since 1988. It was also ranked third for undergraduate teaching.
Student Life
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Most John Carroll students live on campus. Over 60% of all students live in one of the seven dorms. About 90% of first-year and second-year students live on campus.
There are over 100 student groups at John Carroll. Many of these groups focus on helping the community. This includes the local Cleveland area and the wider world.
Students can also join fraternities and sororities. These groups are approved by the university. Many JCU students also volunteer their time to help others.
Sports at JCU
John Carroll has 24 men's and women's sports teams. The university's colors are blue and gold. Their teams are called the Blue Streaks. In 2025, John Carroll joined the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAA) Division III. Before that, the university was part of the Ohio Athletic Conference since 1989.
The university plays football, lacrosse, and soccer at Don Shula Stadium. This stadium is named after Don Shula, a famous NFL coach. He studied at John Carroll from 1947 to 1951. Shula helped pay for the stadium's construction. Former Washington Redskins player London Fletcher, who also went to JCU, also contributed.
In 1974–75, the wrestling team won the NCAA Division III national championship. Other teams have also done very well. The 2002 football team, the 2003–04 men's basketball team, and the 2016 football team all reached the national semifinals. On November 12, 2016, John Carroll beat the University of Mount Union 31–28. This ended Mount Union's record of 112 straight regular season wins in college football.
Many individual athletes from JCU have also won national championships. There have been 16 in wrestling, two in men's outdoor track & field, and one in men's indoor track & field. There was also one in women's outdoor track & field, one in women's diving, and one in men's swimming.
Student Newspaper
The Carroll News is the student newspaper at John Carroll University. Students write and publish it every week. The Carroll News first came out in 1925. It used to cover both John Carroll University and St. Ignatius High School. In 1927, the high school started its own newspaper. After that, The Carroll News only covered the university.
Other Interesting Links
- Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities
- WJCU
- List of Jesuit sites
