Saint Joseph's University facts for kids
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| Latin: Universitas Sancti Iosephi | |
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Former names
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Saint Joseph's College (1851–1978) Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (1821–1998) University of the Sciences (1998–2022) |
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| Motto | "Spirit, Intellect, Purpose" |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | September 15, 1851 |
| Founder | Felix-Joseph Barbelin |
| Accreditation | MSCHE |
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Religious affiliation
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Roman Catholic (Jesuit) |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $461 million (2022) |
| President | Cheryl McConnell |
| Provost | Jay Carter (interim) |
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Academic staff
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449 |
| Students | 7,861 |
| Undergraduates | 5,071 |
| Postgraduates | 2,790 |
| Location |
,
,
United States
39°59′43″N 75°14′20″W / 39.99528°N 75.23889°W |
| Campus | Large city, 149 acres (60.3 ha) |
| Newspaper | The Hawk |
| Colors | Crimson and gray |
| Nickname | Hawks |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | The Hawk |
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Saint Joseph's University (also known as SJU or St. Joe's) is a private university run by the Jesuits. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The university was started by the Society of Jesus in 1851. It was first called Saint Joseph's College.
Saint Joseph's is the seventh oldest Jesuit university in the United States. It is also the sixth largest university in Philadelphia. The school is named after Saint Joseph. In 2022, it joined with the University of the Sciences. This university used to be known as the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.
Saint Joseph's University has almost 9,000 students. These include students studying for their first degree, graduate degrees, and advanced degrees. They can choose from over 134 different programs. The university also has 14 special centers. These include the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support.
The sports teams at Saint Joseph's are called the Hawks. They play in NCAA Division I and are part of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The school colors are crimson and gray. The mascot is The Hawk. This mascot is famous for never stopping its wings from flapping during games!
Contents
Jesuit and Catholic Identity
The Jesuit priests who work at the university live on the Hawk Hill campus. Some live in the Loyola Center, which is for retired Jesuits. Others live in Arrupe Hall, which has a dining hall and a chapel.
The university often talks about its Jesuit identity. In 2013, it started the "Magis" campaign. "Magis" means "greater" in Latin. It highlights the Jesuit motto, "For the greater glory of God."
SJU also teaches the Jesuit idea of cura personalis. This means "care for the whole person." Students must take many classes in traditional subjects like history and literature.
In 2015, Pope Francis, who is a Jesuit, visited the university. This happened during his trip to Philadelphia.
University History
How Jesuit Education Started in Philadelphia
St. Joe's was founded by the Jesuits in 1851. It was first called Saint Joseph's College. It is the seventh oldest Jesuit university in the United States. The university is named after Saint Joseph, who was the legal father of Jesus.
North America's First College of Pharmacy
On June 1, 2022, Saint Joseph's University joined with the University of the Sciences. This added many health and science programs. These include occupational therapy, physical therapy, and pharmacy. Now, St. Joe's can trace its history back to February 1821.
In 1821, 68 apothecaries (pharmacists) met in Philadelphia. They wanted to improve science standards and train new students. They decided to start a pharmacy school. This school would help make sure medicines were safe and good quality. Classes began right away. This made it the first university in the U.S. dedicated to pharmacy.
In 1825, the college started publishing the first academic journal about pharmacy in the United States.
Campus Locations Over Time
St. Joe's college started on September 15, 1851. Thirty-six students began classes next to Old St. Joseph's Church in Philadelphia.
In 1866, St. Joe's moved to a new location on Girard Avenue. This is now where Saint Joseph's Preparatory School is.
St. Joe's moved to its current Hawk Hill campus in November 1927. The university raised over a million dollars. This allowed them to buy land and build a new main academic building.
University Seal
The Seal of Saint Joseph's University shows its history and values. Three of its symbols are shared by other Jesuit schools. The wolves over a kettle pot show how generous the Loyola family was to the poor. People say the Loyolas gave so much food that even the wolves had enough to eat. "IHS" are the first three letters of Jesus's name in Greek. This is a historic symbol of the Society of Jesus. The stripes show the seven sons of the House of Loyola. They died defending their home. The lily is a special symbol for the university. It honors Saint Joseph, the school's patron saint. The seal is a picture that represents Saint Joseph's and its Jesuit identity.
University Presidents
On March 10, 2023, Cheryl A. McConnell became the 29th president of Saint Joseph's University. She is the first woman to hold this position in the university's 172-year history. McConnell has worked in Jesuit higher education for 35 years. Before becoming president, she was the interim president and chief academic officer.
Academics
The university has four main schools and colleges. They offer 211 different study programs. All professors who are on the path to becoming permanent faculty have the highest degrees in their fields.
In 2022, 83% of students graduated within six years. Also, 89% of first-year students returned for their second year. Saint Joseph's is known as a "Master's Colleges and Universities" school.
The university also has 14 special centers. These include the Academy of Food Marketing and the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support. There is also an honors program for undergraduate students.
Campus Life
Saint Joseph's University's main campus is called Hawk Hill. It is located on City Avenue. This road divides the university between Philadelphia and Lower Merion Township.
On June 1, 2022, Saint Joseph's joined with the University of the Sciences. This added a second main campus. The University City campus is about 24 acres. It is in University City, a part of West Philadelphia. Other universities like the University of Pennsylvania are also there.
The university's official address is in Philadelphia. A bridge connects the two sides of the main campus over City Avenue. The university has 99 buildings in total.
St. Joe's is close to many other colleges. These include La Salle University and Villanova University. Train stations near campus make it easy for students to get to Center City Philadelphia.
Main Campus Highlights
The main campus is on the Philadelphia side of City Avenue. It is the original location of the university since 1927. The most famous building at Saint Joseph's is Barbelin Hall. It opened in 1927. The hall is known for its Gothic architecture. It has gargoyles and a tall bell tower that can be seen from far away. The bell tower was the university's logo for many years.
Other main academic buildings on Hawk Hill include Mandeville Hall and the Science Center. There are also green spaces like St. Mary's Lawn. Barbelin Hall also houses the university's public safety office.
The Post Learning Commons is the university's main library. It was updated and expanded between 2011 and 2013. It has about 355,000 books and many online journals.
In 2012, the university bought the Cardinal's Residence. In 2014, it became the Maguire Wolfington Welcome Center. This is where future students and their families are welcomed.
Campion Student Center is where student activities happen. It has dining facilities and offices for student life. In 2023, the dining areas were updated and named "The Kettle." It offers different food options like Auntie Anne's and Moe's Southwestern Grill.
James J. Maguire '58 Campus
In 2008, Saint Joseph's bought the nearby Episcopal Academy property. This new 38-acre area was named the Maguire Campus. It is across City Avenue from the main campus. The Maguire Campus has three main academic buildings: Merion Hall, Connelly Hall, and Toland Hall.
The Cardinal John Foley Center is a large space for events and lectures. The Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support is located in Connelly Hall. It was started in 2009 with over $8 million in donations.
The Maguire Campus also has sports facilities. These include the Michael A. O'Pake, Esq. '61 Recreation Center and Ellen Ryan Field for field hockey. It also added over 300 parking spaces.
Overbrook Campus
The Overbrook Campus is about a mile from the main campus. It has two dorms for sophomore students: Ashwood Apartments and Merion Gardens Apartments. The Alumni House is also located here.
The university provides shuttles every 30 minutes to help students travel between the Overbrook Campus and the main campus.
University City Campus
The University City Campus is next to Clark Park and The Woodlands, a historic cemetery that is now a large park. This campus has 24 buildings. These include classrooms, labs, and dorms.
The J.W. England Library is the university's second library. It was acquired in the merger with the University of the Sciences. This library has special information about pharmacy and related sciences. It has over 470,000 books. It also has rare books, including some that belonged to Benjamin Franklin and Sir Isaac Newton.
The University City Campus is four miles from Hawk Hill. Saint Joseph's University offers a shuttle service between the two campuses.
Student Housing
First-year students on Hawk Hill can live in traditional dorms like McShain Hall or suite-style dorms like Sourin Residence Center. Villiger Hall is the newest dorm, opened in 2012. Sophomores can live in campus houses or apartments. On the University City Campus, students can live in the Living & Learning Commons.
Saint Joseph's University also offers special housing. This includes dorms for students with autism spectrum disorder and gender-inclusive housing.
Future Plans
In 2018, Saint Joseph's University started working with The Barnes Foundation. The Arboretum of the Barnes Foundation, which is next to Hawk Hill, is now managed by the university. In 2023, the Maguire Art Museum opened within the Arboretum.
In March 2022, the university's plan to join with the University of the Sciences was approved. This merger happened on June 1, 2022.
The university also announced a big fundraising campaign called SOAR. They want to raise $300 million to improve the campus and help students with financial aid. In 2023, construction began on a new dorm named after Sister Thea Bowman.
In January 2023, Saint Joseph's University announced plans to join with Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences in 2024. This will add a third campus location. The university will also start an undergraduate nursing program in 2024.
Student Life
Student Demographics
Saint Joseph's has 7,861 students from all over the United States. Most students are from the Northeast. About 5,071 are undergraduate students.
| Undergraduate | Professional | |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | .01% | .02% |
| Asian | 2.2% | 1.2% |
| Black/African American | 2.9% | 39.2% |
| Hispanics of any race | 4.7% | 5.5% |
| Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian | .01% | .02% |
| White/non-Hispanic | 85.3% | 40.9% |
| Two or more races | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Unknown | 1.9% | 10.3% |
The student body is 55% female and 45% male. About 86% of students return for their second year. 76% of students graduate within four years. There is a good student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1.
Admissions Information
The university accepts about 58.3% of applicants. For early applications, the acceptance rate is 68.4%. About 88.3% of first-year students stay at the university.
Of the students who graduated in 2013, 94% had a job, were studying more, or were volunteering full-time within six months. The average starting salary for these graduates was $48,400.
Since 2014, Saint Joseph's University has been "test optional." This means students do not have to send their SAT or ACT scores when they apply. However, they can choose to send them if they want. For the class of 2018, applications went up by 8%. About 18% of those students chose not to send test scores.
Student Organizations
Saint Joe's has 100 student organizations. It has 20 NCAA Division 1 Athletic programs. There are also 30 clubs and intramural sports. The women's ice hockey team is a club sport.
Student organizations include national fraternities and sororities. There is also a radio station and two newspapers. These are The Hawk and the HawkEye. Other groups include the Student Union Board and the Student Senate.
Publications and Media
Saint Joseph's University publishes the SJU Magazine three times a year for alumni. There are also magazines for the Haub School of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Hawk is the university's student newspaper. It is published every week during the school year. Students write and run the paper with help from professors.
The Crimson and Gray Literary Magazine shares student stories, poems, and artwork once a year.
The Drexel Library publishes a newsletter called Library Lines.
The Saint Joseph's University Press prints books and articles written by professors and other authors.
Radio 1851
Radio 1851 is Saint Joseph's University's student-run radio station. It plays many types of music, like indie rock, hip-hop, and country. The station started in 1922 as WSJR. It was the first college radio station to broadcast on AM. It moved to FM in the 1980s.
Greek Life
Saint Joseph's University has eight social Greek organizations (fraternities and sororities). It also has three co-educational, professional Greek organizations. About 21% of undergraduate students are part of a social fraternity or sorority. The university does not provide housing for these groups.
Active Social Fraternities
| National fraternity | Greek letters | Chapter | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lambda Chi Alpha | ΛΧΑ | Phi Lambda | May 29, 1978 |
| Sigma Pi | ΣΠ | Theta Chi | April 14, 2007 |
| Sigma Phi Epsilon | ΣΦΕ | Pennsylvania Psi | November 12, 1988 |
Social Sororities
| National sorority | Greek letters | Chapter | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Gamma Delta | ΑΓΔ | Zeta Pi | February 7, 1987 |
| Alpha Omicron Pi | ΑΟΠ | Sigma Beta | February 5, 2005 |
| Sigma Sigma Sigma | ΣΣΣ | Delta Psi | November 18, 1983 |
| Alpha Phi | ΑΦ | Theta Theta | October 10, 1992 |
| Phi Sigma Sigma | ΦΣΣ | Iota Rho | Fall 2013 |
No sorority has ever been closed or stopped operating.
Professional and Honorary Fraternities
| National fraternity | Greek letters | Chapter | Opened | Focus | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phi Delta Chi | ΦΔΧ | Epsilon | March 8, 1901 | Pharmacy | This chapter was closed in 2001 and re-opened in 2009. |
| Rho Chi | PΧ | Alpha Tau | May 10, 1951 | Honor | For good grades in pharmacy. |
| Delta Sigma Pi | ΔΣΠ | Zeta Pi | 1965 | Business | This chapter was closed in 1982 and re-opened in 2003. |
| Phi Lambda Sigma | ΦΛΣ | Gamma Eta | 2005 | Honor | For leadership in pharmacy. |
| Phi Sigma Pi | ΦΣΠ | Zeta Iota | April 17, 2011 | Honor | |
| Alpha Kappa Psi | ΑΚΨ | Chi Delta | October 28, 2017 | Business |
Athletics
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross country | Field hockey |
| Golf | Lacrosse |
| Lacrosse | Rowing |
| Rowing | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Track and field† | Track and field† |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor | |
Saint Joseph's University is home to the Hawks sports teams. The school colors are crimson and gray. SJU has teams in 20 different sports. They play in NCAA Division I and are part of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The men's lacrosse team plays in the Northeast Conference.
Saint Joseph's is also a member of the Philadelphia Big 5. This group includes other Philadelphia schools like Temple University and Villanova University. This makes for exciting local games.
The university is also part of the City 6. This group includes the Big 5 schools plus Drexel University. These colleges also compete in other sports events.
The Hawk Mascot
One of the most famous mascots in college sports is the Saint Joseph's Hawk. It has been flapping its wings for over 50 years! Jim Brennan came up with the idea for a hawk mascot in 1954. He first wanted a real hawk, but then decided on a costume. Students raised money to buy the first costume. Brennan wore it for three years. The Hawk first appeared on January 4, 1956.
The Hawk is known for constantly flapping its wings during every basketball game. It represents the Saint Joseph's motto, "The Hawk Will Never Die." The mascot also "flies" in figure eights around the court during timeouts.
Men's Basketball
While Saint Joseph's has 20 NCAA sports, men's basketball is the most popular. Saint Joseph's has a long history in basketball. Most home games are played at Hagan Arena on campus. Some games are played at the Palestra at the University of Pennsylvania.
Saint Joseph's main rival is Villanova University. This rivalry is known as the Holy War. The school also has strong rivalries with other Philadelphia universities.
Fans of the Hawks often chant "The Hawk Will Never Die!" This chant became famous after the school's undefeated regular season. In 2003, Sports Illustrated called it "the most defiant cheer in college sports."
Athletic Facilities
- John Smithson Field: This is the Hawks' on-campus baseball field. It opened in 2012 on the Maguire Campus. It has a special synthetic surface. There is seating for 400 people.
- SJU Softball Field: The softball team's on-campus field opened in 2012. It has a turf outfield and seating for 400 fans.
- Robert Gillin Jr., Boathouse: This boathouse was built for the SJU Rowing Program. It opened in 2001. It cost about $3 million to build.
- Sweeney Field: This field is in the middle of Saint Joseph's campus. It is home to the Hawk soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey teams. It opened in 1929.
- Tennis Complex at the Maguire Campus: The tennis team moved to these six updated courts on the Maguire Campus in 2009.
- Finnesey Courts: These tennis courts are next to Sweeney Field. They were used by the tennis teams until 2009. Students still use these courts today.
- Michael J. Hagan Arena: This is where the Hawks basketball teams play on campus. It was first called Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse. It opened on November 11, 1949. The Hawks have a great record here, winning 80% of their games. They had a 34-game winning streak in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The arena can hold 4,200 fans. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke here in the 1960s.
- Ellen Ryan Field: The field hockey team returned to campus in 2011 with this new field on the Maguire Campus. It has a special AstroTurf surface.
- Athletic/Recreation Center (ARC): Located on the University City Campus, the ARC is the main sports facility for students there. It has an indoor track, basketball court, gym equipment, and more.
The university also has other sports facilities. These include courts for basketball, tennis, and volleyball. There is an indoor jogging track and an esports lab on the Hawk Hill campus.
University Alumni
As of 2023, there are over 95,000 living alumni (former students) of Saint Joseph's University.
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Joseph McKenna, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
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John Lehman, former United States Secretary of the Navy
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Andrew von Eschenbach, former Commissioner of the FDA
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Jamie Moyer, former MLB pitcher
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Bruiser Flint, college basketball coach
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William J. Green III, former U.S. representative and former mayor of Philadelphia
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Keith Leaphart, entrepreneur and physician
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Vince Papale, former NFL wide receiver and inspiration for the film Invincible
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Jack Ramsay, former NBA basketball coach
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Lawrence W. Pierce, former United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
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Katie McGinty, former Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality
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Muffet McGraw, former women's college basketball coach
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Jameer Nelson, former NBA basketball player
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Frank LoBiondo, former U.S. Congressman
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William A. Barrett, U.S. representative from Philadelphia (1945-1947, 1949-1976)
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