Outreach Centers

Centers and Institutes

Saint Francis University provides outreach and connections to the local and larger geographic community through its Centers and Institutes. Whether serving students on campus or in distant locations, serving citizens of our regional community, or serving alumni and friends who are located around the world, Saint Francis University is dedicated to maintaining and enhancing its Franciscan commitment to service. Each Center and Institute has a Director who can provide additional information and/or respond to any inquiries you may have.
Centers and Institutes help Saint Francis University address the Franciscan Presence goal of Franciscan Higher Education - "Franciscan presence also encompasses all men and women of good will who have been associated with the University and whose lives and work exemplify the ideals of Saint Francis."

CERMUSA
Saint Francis University’s Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Under-Served Areas (CERMUSA) maintains a global vision to design and implement healthcare solutions and education, develop cost-effective and sustainable solutions, publish and present research findings to the healthcare community, and develop partnerships with universities, military organizations, rural and medically under-served healthcare providers, and state, federal, and private agencies.
The DiSepio Institute for Rural Health and Wellness
Though we are situated in the rural mountains of Pennsylvania, the DiSepio Institute for Rural Health and Wellness at Saint Francis University is a leading facility of its type in the United States. We merge state-of-the-art equipment with hands-on teaching in our academically rigorous programs. Our equipment and programs are cutting edge; we carefully combine them with a deep sense of compassion and our desire to help heal the local community.
Dorothy Day Center
The Dorothy Day Center, created in 1981, is a volunteer-based agency that strives to live out Franciscan values by following in the footsteps of our namesake, Dorothy Day. Through kindness and generosity of campus administration, faculty, staff, and members of several local parishes the center is given the opportunity to serve local families in need with support, programs, food, clothing and monetary assistance.
Renewable Energy Center
The Renewable Energy Center provides information about alternative energy solutions (biomass, geothermal, hydro, solar, and of course, wind) and leads businesses, schools, and communities in the development of cost-effective, environmentally sound energy alternatives.

Science Outreach Center
The mission of the Science Outreach Center at SFU is to develop relevant, effective, and systemic efforts to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the community; increase the number of students pursuing an education in STEM fields; and support K-12 schools and their students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Small Business Development Center
The Saint Francis University Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Our team of professional consultants works confidentially with entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties to help their businesses maintain a competitive edge. Whatever challenge faces your business, a consultant from the SBDC is ready to meet with you individually to help you launch your business, discuss your existing business plan, or help develop the strategies you need to meet your goals.
Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art
The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art exists to preserve, exhibit, and advance American art and is dedicated to making its programs and activities accessible to the people of the southwestern area of central Pennsylvania. Charged with the development, maintenance, and perpetuation of a permanent collection, the museum mounts exhibitions designed to evoke an interest in and an understanding and appreciation of American art.
Center for Watershed Research and Service
Nonprofit organizations perform vital service in the restoration of watersheds, both at home and abroad. These nonprofits often affect great positive change with very limited personnel and budgets, impacts that could be amplified with technical assistance, focused research or simply additional manpower. This is where the Center for Watershed Research & Service (CWRS) is called to serve.