CAMPUS HAPPENINGS | FALL 2021
What’s New on Campus
GROWING GREATER Strategic Plan for Mount Aloysius College | 2021 - 2026
A strategic plan, if truly strategic, reflects choices that a college has made to secure its future and propel its mission. These choices can vary: from increasing investments in established strengths, to building new programs, to maintaining support for mission-defining offerings.
Yet even prior to Covid-19, Mount Aloysius College – like many other institutions – had experienced multiple years of steadily shrinking enrollment; workforce reductions; flat compensation; operating budget restrictions; and a narrowing of student interest to a handful of disciplines.
However, the choices also must reflect what a college will not do, whether that means not countenancing magical thinking (e.g., everything will be fine simply because of our long history), or not avoiding painful decisions to prune when conditions warrant. In March, 2020, a global pandemic disrupted established norms across higher education.
Regardless, there can be no doubt that continuing to operate the College within current norms, albeit tolerable in the short-term, is unsustainable. Below are the three major imperatives of the new strategic plan which will be supported by a robust collection of tactics and measurement plans.
STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE #1: GROWTH THROUGH FIRST-CHOICE OFFERINGS.
STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE #2: GROWTH THROUGH UNIQUE AFFORDABILITY.
STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE #3: GROWTH THROUGH “BEST MOUNTIE ROI.”
Goal 1: Based upon “First-Choice” parameters, implement a comprehensive procedure for program review, creation, and elimination.
Goal 1: Reduce the College’s dependency on student generated revenue through greater fundraising.
Goal 1: Enhance the Mission Statement’s promise that each student will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge, by increasing focus and resources on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Goal 2: Achieve highest quality academic assessment. Goal 3: Enhance the environments, staffing, tools, trainings, and materials to ensure First-Choice programs.
Goal 2: Control net cost to students by growing other revenues. Goal 3: Evaluate and implement pricing strategies that align with the quality of our educational programs, student experience and outcomes, and support the college’s growth strategy.
Goal 2: Develop a cutting-edge Career Center to increase professional skills, career focus, attention and outcomes (job placement) for students. Goal 3: Reimagine the Student Experience.
GET TO KNOW PRESIDENT MCKEEGAN Get to know the 15th President of Mount Aloysius College, John N. McKeegan.
Before his time at Mount Aloysius College, John McKeegan was Vice President for Institutional Advancement and General Counsel at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, and has held leadership positions
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, he began
there since 2010.
his legal career in Arizona before moving
During his time at Linfield College, he coordinated fundraising activities, handled communications to internal and external
to McMinnville in 1998. He and his wife, Theresa, are volunteers with a number of community organizations.
constituencies, and led alumni, parent and
McKeegan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree,
community engagement. Linfield recently
with Honors in English, from Bucknell
announced the largest gift in its history, a
University, and a Juris Doctor from the
$10M campaign commitment. McKeegan
University of Notre Dame. He attended
joined Linfield in 2010 as advisor to the
the Harvard University Graduate School
president and general counsel and was
of Education Institute for Educational
named a vice president in 2013. Prior to
Management in 2016 and was a presenter at
that he practiced law at Haugeberg, Reuter,
the CIC’s Chief Academic Officer Institute
Gowell, Fredricks, Higgins & McKeegan,
in 2019.
P.C. for 11 years and at Shockman & McKeegan, P.C. for seven years.
News From Mount Aloysius College
Ribbon cut on sidewalk from Mount Aloysius College to Cresson
Mount Aloysius Awarded $100,000 for 3D Anatomy Visualization System
Mounties Assist Flood Victims in Kentucky
Mount Aloysius Receives $900k Nursing Gift
COMMENCEMENT
Celebrating Two Years with Two Unique Ceremonies Commencement at Mount Aloysius College looked a little different this year. Because the pandemic forced us to have a virtual ceremony last year, we knew that we needed to make this year’s Commencement ceremony special--not just for the Class of 2021, but for the Class of 2020, as well. So on May 15, students, employees, and loved ones gathered in the Athletic, Convocation, and Wellness Center for two ceremonies, divided by school of study. The School of Nursing & Health
Sciences had their Commencement in the morning, while the School of Business, Arts, and Sciences held their Commencement in the afternoon. Both ceremonies had speakers specific to their fields of interest. Jan Fisher, President of UPMC Altoona/UPMC Bedford and member of the MAC Board of Trustees, spoke to the Nursing & Health Sciences students Adam Sheetz, Executive Vice President of Operations at Sheetz, Inc. and another Trustee, was the speaker at the Business, Arts, & Sciences ceremony.
Students from the Classes of 2020 and 2021 appreciated both speakers’ candor and personal stories during their speeches.
MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE’S “A NIGHT IN THE VINEYARD” FEATURING WINES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INAUGURAL BENEFIT SUPPORTING STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2021 5:30 – 9:30 P.M. | BERTSCHI CENTER Wine pairing dinner featuring a wine reception, silent auction, wine pull, and 3-course dinner paired with wines of the Pacific Northwest.
THE INAUGURATI ON OF
John N. McKeegan, J.D. THE 15 T H P RESI DENT OF MOUNT ALOYSI US COLLEGE
Friday, October 8, 2021 Events will take place Thursday and Friday.
A full schedule, directions, lodging information, and online registration is available at the inauguration website. MTALOY.EDU/INAUGURATION
JOIN US FOR ALUMNI & HOMECOMING WEEKEND OCTOBER 9, 2021
Join us this fall for a reunion of our alumni-from our longest friends to our recent grads. Catch up with your fellow Mounties, check out updates to campus, and spend time reminiscing about your time on the mountain. Events for the weekend include golfing with President McKeegan, men’s and women’s soccer games, sip and paint, and a Comfortable Cup of Tea. Members of the Classes of 1970 and 1971 are welcome to join us for a 50th Reunion Reception. More info coming soon! Welcome back, and welcome home, Mounties. We can’t wait to see you!
MTALOY.EDU/ALUMNI