Marymount University is a coeducational, four-year
Catholic university that
has its main campus located in Arlington, Virginia. Marymount
offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a
wide range of disciplines and has a diverse and welcoming academic
community with approximately 3,600 students representing
approximately 40 states and 70 countries.
History
Marymount was founded in 1950 by the Religious of the
Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) as Marymount College, a two-year
women's school. It was a member school of the Marymount colleges operated by the
sisterhood in New
York, California and several other states. The campus
was located on the former estate of Admiral Presley Marion Rixey, Naval Surgeon
General and personal physician to Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley. Classes and activities
were centered around the former Rixey Mansion, renamed as the
university's "Main House".
Marymount became a four-year college in 1973, added master's degree programs in 1979, and its
first doctoral program, the clinical Doctor of Physical Therapy, in
2005. Its first male students were admitted into the nursing
program in 1972 and the college became fully coeducational and
changed its name to Marymount University in 1986.[2]
The university established the Center for Ethical Concerns in
1993. In 2002, Marymount began offering an honors track for
exceptional incoming freshman and transfers.
In October 2010, Marymount celebrated its 60th anniversary with
the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Caruthers Hall, a
52,000-square-foot (4,800 m2) academic facility
focused on the sciences and health sciences, and Rose Benté
Lee Ostapenko Hall, a 77,000-square-foot (7,200 m2)
residence hall providing apartment-style housing for 239 students.
The Malek Plaza is a gathering area between the two buildings and
features a statue of Sister Majella Berg, RSHM, who was president
of Marymount from 1960 to 1993. A sky bridge connects the new
buildings to the rest of the campus.
[3]
Catholic
tradition
While the University has evolved in many ways through the years,
it remains firmly committed to its Catholic mission and identity. Marymount provides
a values-based education that promotes both intellectual and
spiritual development. All undergraduates take religious studies,
theology, and philosophy courses as part of their core
curriculum.
Through liturgy, faith discussion groups, spiritual retreats, a
strong music ministry, and a wide range of service opportunities,
Campus Ministry encourages individuals to examine and deepen their
faith and to live ethically responsible lives. And Marymount
students are known for their commitment to making a positive
difference by serving others. To encourage a spirit of openness and
respect, all Campus Ministry activities and programs are open to
everyone in the Marymount community, regardless of one’s
faith tradition and beliefs.
Catholic colleges have a long tradition of welcoming people of
all backgrounds and faiths, and Marymount is no exception –
providing a hospitable, diverse community where dialogue and
friendship promote understanding. At Marymount, each individual is
recognized as a unique child of God whose contributions enrich the
whole community.[4]
Academics and
accreditation
Marymount University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges
of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award
doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees.
Additionally, many programs have specialized accreditations and
approvals.
The school grants bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees,
undergraduate and graduate certification, and pre-professional
programs in teaching, law, medicine and physical therapy through the Schools of Arts
and Sciences, Business Administration, Education and Human
Services, and the Malek School of Health Professions.
In addition, Marymount is a member of the Consortium
of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, which
allows students to take courses at any of the other 13 member
institutions and to borrow books from their libraries. Member
institutions include Georgetown University, The George Washington University,
The Catholic University of
America, and the Corcoran College of Art and Design.
Marymount offers dozens of Study
Abroad Programs that give students opportunities to accomplish
course work while experiencing another culture.
There are three categories of programs: semester programs, short
term courses, and summer programs.
The School of Business Administration offers graduate programs
that provide a strong foundation in business principles, as well as
instruction in the latest technological advances. Graduate students
can take advantage of full- or part-time study options, with an
emphasis placed on evening and Saturday classes that are convenient
for the working professional. Faculty advising, peer networking,
and a cutting-edge education afford a wide array of professional
opportunities in the Washington, DC, region.
Campuses
Main
Campus
Marymount's main campus is located on 21 acres
(85,000 m2) in the North Arlington area of Arlington,
Virginia. The campus includes six residence halls: Rose
Benté Lee Ostapenko Hall, Rowley Hall, Butler Hall, St.
Joeseph's Hall, Berg Hall, and Gerard Phelan Hall; three academic
buildings: Rowley Academic Center, Caruthers Hall, and Gailhac
Hall; St. Joeseph's Hall computer labs; the Rose Benté Lee
Center which includes two gyms, the campus bookstore, Bernie's
Cafe, mail facilities, and recreational and meeting spaces; the
Gerard Phelan Cafeteria; the Emerson G. Reinsch Library and
Auditorium; the Lodge; Ireton Hall; the Main House; the Chapel of
the Sacred Heart of Mary; and the synthetic-turf practice
field.[5]
Ballston
Center
Marymount's Ballston Center is 2
miles (3.2 km) away from the main campus in Arlington and
houses the School of Business Administration and the Counseling,
Forensic Psychology, and Physical Therapy programs. The center also
includes the Truland Auditorium; the Ballston Center library
extension; computer labs; the Ballston Center Cafeteria; the
Ballston Center chapel; the Career and Internship Center; and the
Study Abroad Office.[4]
The Ballston-MU Metro Station is within walking
distance from the Ballston Center. Additionally, free shuttle
services operate between the Ballston Metro Station, Main Campus,
and Ballston Center. In 2015, Marymount began demolition of the
Ballston Center building and parking lot. A new nine-story
classroom and office building and a 15-story residential building
are scheduled for completion in summer 2017.[6]
Reston
Center
Marymount also has a Reston center. Its mission is to provide
undergraduate and graduate programs that help adult learners
further their education and achieve their personal and professional
goals.[7]
Athletics
Marymount's teams, known athletically as the Saints, compete in
NCAA Division III in the Capital Athletic
Conference. Sports available for men and women include
Basketball, Cross-Country, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming, Triathlon, Golf, and Volleyball. In 2012, Marymount became the first
U.S. school to announce the formation of a varsity Triathlon
team.[8]
In 2014, the school began sponsoring varsity Men's baseball. In
September 2012, it hired Frank Leoni, former Rhode Island and William & Mary
coach, as the baseball program's first head coach.[9]
The Marymount women's basketball team has a long and rich
history both on the court and in the classroom. They have won
eleven Capital Athletic Conference titles (in 20 years) including
the first 7 in the CAC's history and most recently, in 2010. The
Saints have advanced to the NCAA post-season tournament 14 times,
moving on to the Final Four in 2002, the Elite 8 in 2004, and the
Sweet 16 seven other times. The Saints are one of only three teams
(of 425 in Division III) to advance to at least the Sweet 16 in the
four seasons from 2001-2004. They also excel in the classroom with
a team GPA over 3.0 for the past nine consecutive years and have
had two CAC Scholar Athletes of the Year and one NCAA Post-Graduate
Scholarship winner.
In 2003, the Marymount cheerleading squad won a Capital Athletic
Conference championship.
Clubs and student
organizations
Marymount University has over 40 clubs and student
organizations. The majority of these clubs are managed by the
student-lead Co-Curricular Council (CCC) with the
assistance/advisorship of the Office of Campus Programs and
Leadership Development (CPLD)
[10] while other organizations
like the Student Government Association,[11]
fall under the advisement of other university offices. Many
departments on campus offer specialized clubs based on academic
interests, like the Fashion or Psychology clubs, which fall
directly under the purview of those departments.
Students have the opportunity to become involved in groups
dedicated to community service or philanthropy like the Campus
Ministry Association[12]
and the Global Charity Project[13]
or participate in a career-related club like the Fashion Club,
Interior Design Association, and Students for Free Enterprise. The
Student Government Association, Co-Curricular Council, Association
for Campus Events, and Marymount University's Student run newspaper
"The Banner" provide students with additional campus leadership
opportunities.
Each year, Marymount students provide more than 16,000 hours of
service in the local and global community. From tutoring children,
providing health-assessment services, conducting food drives, and
cleaning up parks to building a chapel in the Dominican Republic or
raising funds for a well in Sierra Leone – Marymount students
actively seek out ways to make a difference.[14]
In 2014, Marymount University partnered with the Arlington
Community Foundation to found the Nonprofit Resource
Center.[15]
The Nonprofit Resource Center leverages Marymount
University’s commitment to service and the reach of the
Arlington Community Foundation as convener to strengthen
Arlington’s nonprofits.[16]
It further integrates Marymount's students and faculty into the
Arlington community and its nonprofit providers.
Awards and acknowledgments
- Recognized in The Templeton
Guide: Colleges that Encourage Character Development.
- Recognized for Quality and Diversity in U.S. News & World
Report’s 2009 Edition of America’s Best
Colleges.[17]
- Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the 40th Best
Master's College (South).[18]