News

Misericordia University has announced that it will begin test-optional admission review for the first-year class entering in Fall 2021 in all academic programs. This decision was prompted by the cancellation of the majority of SAT and ACT examination administration dates during the Spring of 2020, and limited availability of testing sites and slots anticipated throughout the Fall nationally but especially in the Northeast.

Misericordia University announced effective July 1, 2020, the University campus and all its facilities will be smoke-free and tobacco-free. The initiative reflects the work of the University's Sustainability Committee, in collaboration with the Wellness Committee, Human Resources, Student Life and Safety Department and signifies Misericordia's dedication to maintaining a safe and healthy work and academic environment, improving indoor and outdoor air quality and promoting the comfort of all members of the community.  

Misericordia University was recently awarded a CARES Act economic stabilization grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The grant award of $263,567 is part of the National Endowment for the Humanities: CARES Act, economic stabilization grants program announced in June. 

Misericordia University hosted a virtual faculty panel on Thursday April 30, 2020 at 4 p.m. to discuss COVID-19 and the wide-ranging impact this virus is having on our society. Attendees were invited to ask questions about the biology of the  COVID-19 virus, and its impact on healthcare, the economy, and our community and society.

The Misericordia University Board of Trustees has appointed Kathleen Cieplak Owens, Ph.D., to serve as president of the institution for the 2020-21 academic year. Dr. Owens’s term as president will begin on July 1, 2020 and end on June 30, 2021. Dr. Owens is president emerita of Gwynedd Mercy University in Lower Gwynedd Twp., where she served as president from 2002 until her retirement in Aug. 2017.

The Center for Adult and Continuing Education at Misericordia University recently named Crystal Lee of South Abington Twp., as the university’s 2020 Outstanding Adult Learner of the Year. She was one of five students recognized by the Luzerne County Council on Adult Higher Education for overcoming obstacles and demonstrating perseverance, innovation and extraordinary dedication to reach their educational goals.