Seton Hill University President Focuses on Community & Innovation

STORY BY Macy DiRienzo

PHOTOS BY Kelsey Maline

July 2024 will mark a decade since Seton Hill University named Dr. Mary C. Finger, Ed.D., its 10th president, and the institution has a lot to show for her tenure. With more than 30 new academic programs, grants for students from under-resourced environments, a healthcare education corridor in development, and an ever-evolving mindset on preparing students for the future, Dr. Finger has certainly stayed busy.

But she’s fast to credit the community-driven spirit of the students and faculty for her success.

“It was easy to tell right away that Seton Hill was deeply committed to the success of its students and to higher education being transformative both intellectually and economically for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds,” Finger says.

After nine years at DePaul University in her native Chicago, Finger found a familiar commitment drew her to the Greensburg, Pennsylvania, university. “We know that education is the No. 1 factor that moves people into economic security, so I was attracted to that strong focus from the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and the school in general.”

Since joining Seton Hill’s administration, Dr. Finger has found a strong community in the school’s faculty and presence in the greater Pittsburgh region.

“I am so blessed to work with the Sisters, who are just unbelievable women devoted to education, community, and transforming the world,” she says. “But I also work with strong, dedicated colleagues in every area of the university. I’m so fortunate that our faculty and administration is full of educators who actively listen and are truly committed to building a school that reflects our students’ goals and dreams.”

But Finger recognizes the foundation of innovation that was already in place before her arrival as a key driver for expanding new academic programs.

“My predecessor, Dr. JoAnne Boyle, and the Sisters always had an entrepreneurial spirit,” she says. “They became the first school to distribute iPads to every student. They saw their place in the world as a small institution willing to take risks and expand their offerings.”

Finger hopes to carry on that spirit in her work. One example is her efforts to continue institutional innovation so new academic programs can always remain a focus.

“We created an Office of Academic Innovation and Planning to do a lot of the heavy lifting that is required for potential programs to be created based on market research, curriculum development, the changes our faculty are seeing and what makes sense for us as a school,” she says. “We make decisions with a lot of data, but also based on what our students are showing us they are looking for.”

For Finger, community is the “why” behind most of her decisions.

“Seton Hill may be small, but we are an anchor in our community,” she says. “Our relationship with the city of Greensburg, the county of Westmoreland, and the Greater Pittsburgh area in general is incredibly important.

“One of our pillars on which we provide an education is service, and we try to model that from our students to our faculty and administration. We don’t take our part in our community lightly, as we know how important it is to be involved. We gain a lot from our community, so we hope to be giving back as well.”

As for her next decade at Seton Hill, Dr. Finger knows there is still a lot of opportunity for progress.

“We are working hard on our new healthcare education corridor in the city of Greensburg, which will increase job opportunities, expand educational offerings, increase economic development and grow commercial real estate, and improve health care opportunities in the area,” she says. “Working with our partners to lead this effort is very exciting.”

And, thanks to two recent significant grants, students from under-resourced environments will have the opportunity to work in STEM fields like biology and forensic sciences or business fields such as accounting and cyber security. “These programs will help expand opportunities to students of diverse backgrounds, which will help strengthen our community for years to come.”

It’s clear that Finger’s vision and Seton Hill University’s mission are in perfect alignment.

“This is an institution that prepares students not just for their first job out of school, but for their career and place in their community,” she says. “I am so grateful to work with deeply committed faculty who don’t feel like they’re just teaching a class, but that they’re preparing the next generation to go out into the world and make change. That is what makes Seton Hill so special.”

When not working at Seton Hill, President Finger serves on the Board of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and nationally serves on the Board of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, where she acts as vice chair and helps prepare Catholic schools as they navigate being managed by nonreligious administrations. Outside of her passions, she enjoys spending time with her husband and visiting her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren in Spain.