| Seton Hill University | |
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| Motto: | Hazard Yet Forward-- and more recently, "This Way Up" |
| Established | 1883 |
| Type: | Private |
| President: | JoAnne Boyle |
| Location | Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Campus: | Suburban |
| Colors: | Crimson and gold |
| Mascot: | Griffin |
| Website: | www.setonhill.edu |
Seton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002. The school was founded in 1883 by the Sisters of Charity. It is named for Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774–1821), who founded the Sisters of Charity, and who after her death was canonized as the United States' first native-born saint. (Both Seton Hall University and the College of Saint Elizabeth in New Jersey are also named after Elizabeth Ann Seton.)
During the 1980s, men were regularly admitted to many programs at Seton Hill College, including music and theater. After president JoAnne Boyle formalized the school's new status as a university, the school's nickname was changed from "Spirits" to "Griffins," and several men's athletics teams were added, including American football. In 2006, Seton Hill announced it was transferring to NCAA Division II and joining the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). They had belonged to the NAIA. The addition of programs and facilities designed to attract male athletes, and the presence of so many men on campus (in 2005, 60% of the entering class was male) created some initial tension, as well as a great deal of positive publicity for the school. In addition, a major expansion to the performing arts program will involve the construction of a new complex located in downtown Greensburg. The school is home to the National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education, E-Magnify (formerly The National Education Center for Women in Business), and a graduate program in Writing Popular Fiction. Among the school clubs active on campus are the Gay-Straight Alliance, the College Republicans, and the Respect Life Club. The 2006 convocation speaker was John Murtha, a moderate Democrat.
External links
- Seton Hill University web site
- Small Colleges, Short on Men, Embrace Football (New York Times)
- National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education
- E-Magnify (National Education Center for Women in Business)
- Writing Popular Fiction
- Setonian (student newspaper)
- New Media Journalism @ Seton Hill University (weblog community)
