Gannon: A Closer Look

Gannon University: A Closer Look

University Mission Statement

Gannon is a Catholic, Diocesan university dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. Our faculty and staff prepare students to be global citizens through programs grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and professional specializations. Inspired by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, we offer a comprehensive, values-centered learning experience that emphasizes faith, leadership, inclusiveness and social responsibility.

Gannon History

Gannon University is dedicated to excellence in holistic education. In 1933, Archbishop John Mark Gannon established Cathedral College, a two-year institution for men, which by 1941 had evolved into a four-year college, the Gannon School of Arts and Sciences. The name Gannon College was adopted in 1944, and Gannon achieved university status in 1979. Then, in 1989, the delivery of higher education was further enhanced as Villa Maria College, founded in 1925, became part of the University community. In 2015, the university once again made history by opening doors to their first expansion campus in Ruskin, Florida. The Ruskin, FL campus hosts graduate health professional programs. Today, Gannon University is a co-educational institution with 1,300 graduate students among a total student body of 4,400 enrolled full and part-time in a variety of graduate, undergraduate and associate degree programs. Key to Gannon’s Mission is the personal and professional development of its students. A range of campus organizations and activities enhance academic interests, as well as foster leadership, volunteerism, and community service. The University community provides numerous opportunities for intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth.

Gannon Tradition

We pride ourselves on the professional accomplishments of our 10,214 master’s and 415 doctoral degree alumni, included among them are presidents of over 70 organizations and vice presidents, controllers, executive directors, officers, principals, superintendents, and upper-level managers in over 350 organizations worldwide. Many of our graduate school alumni have received the Ph.D. degree. Our location provides support to the regional professional communities and a significant source of hands-on experience for graduate studies. Over the years, Gannon students have had many enriching opportunities to do projects, consult, complete internships, and otherwise involve themselves in the business, health care, human service, educational, and government communities at our doorstep. Additionally, representatives of these professions visit the Gannon campus regularly to supplement classroom theory via guest lectures, seminars, workshops, and adjunct teaching.

Ruskin, FL Campus

The Florida site is an innovative response to the increasing demand for high-quality graduate education in disciplines that serve the rapidly expanding health care sector of the Florida economy. The additional site increases the opportunity for Gannon University students, prospective students and faculty to help meet the need for health professionals in a state where the population of both older persons and school-age persons is growing. The west coast of Florida had the optimal balance of growing population of collegeage students, a growing need for health care professionals combined with a limited number of graduate health care professional programs and an extremely welcoming community. The site was also chosen for its congruence with Gannon University’s Mission and Catholic Identity. The University found open and eager partners within the Ruskin community, the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg and at potential sites for clinical and field placements.

Our high quality graduate programs can be offered effectively at the new site and can contribute to growth, both in Ruskin and on the flagship Erie campus. Indeed, the integration of additional sites and the synergies they will generate are vital to the continued momentum and success of Gannon University.

Facilities and Equipment

Two buildings, totaling more than 100,000 square feet of space, comprise the Ruskin campus. Both buildings provide a contemporary space for learning, including classrooms, laboratory spaces, study and research spaces, and student gathering areas for collaborative exchange. Specialized features of these areas include a laboratory designed with a kitchen and bathroom set-up for practicing activities of daily living, a laboratory space equipped with diagnostic equipment consistent with a medical practice, a laboratory space designated for learning and practicing application of treatments for musculoskeletal problems, and a dual functioning clinic/lab space for speech language pathology assessment and treatment. All classrooms provide podium driven technology, with one classroom designed and equipped for delivery of content synchronously between the Erie and Ruskin campuses. Faculty offices and conference rooms are readily accessible to the students.

Each academic program has new diagnostic, assessment and treatment equipment which is consistent with the respective profession and diverse to simulate the various settings encountered by these health professions. Students and faculty have access to a mini-café, fitness area, and wi-fi on the campus.