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The move-in dust has settled, and students are getting down to business with the first week of classes under their belts! Compiled here, you will find statistics, video links and photo galleries from the kick-off of the 2016-17 academic year. 2016-17 Fast Facts 2,290 total student population Undergraduate Students We have 1,702 undergraduate students. Of those, 62% are female, 38% are male. 1,309 are Pennsylvania residents; 393 come from outside of PA - with 348 of them coming from 31 different U.S. states. We have 46 international students from 22 countries outside of the U.S. 303 (or 17.8%)

A First-Year Convocation was held on August 19, and all first-year students were in attendance. The Deans from the Schools at Saint Francis alongside the Provost Wayne Powel, President Father Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., current student Gabrielle Beck, and alumna Elisha Fleig processed into the filled auditorium to officially welcome students academically to the University and offer words of wisdom. After a welcome and opening prayer, Fr. Malachi expressed his confidence in the first-year students’ ability to succeed, and current student Gabrielle Beck (double major in psychology and Spanish )

Cecelia MacDonald graduated from Saint Francis University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. After serving as the University’s Ann Eppard Scholar, interning on Capitol Hill, she decided to combine her love of language with law.

The July issue of Blair Business Mirror featured Kimberly Elter, a recent Saint Francis graduate and current Blair County Chamber of Commerce intern. The article featured in the issue highlighted the experience and unique opportunities Kimberly is gaining as an intern for the Chamber. A well-sought-after destination for internships, the Blair County Chamber of Commerce offers internships in Marketing and Business Administration. Linda Stotler, the Chamber’s Vice President of Communication and Marketing, spearheads the internship program, setting and expecting high standards from the interns

Have you ever come across a stream or pond that was full of a thick, murky, orange sludge? You likely saw a case of Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) pollution. AMD occurs when acidic, metal-rich water emerges at the surface after passing through abandoned coal or clay mines. These metals then precipitate in a thick, orange sludge called “yellow boy” that can smother life in streams and ponds. This summer, two teams of SFU Biology students studied the effects of pollution on freshwater biodiversity. Dr. Lane Loya and Dr. Justin Merry teamed with a group of four biology students as well as faculty

Saint Francis University has recently employed the use of submersible video cameras in its aquariums because of the many educational benefits video could provide for the university and its visitors. The first of these benefits is an underwater view of the1500 gallon salt water aquarium containing several marine vertebrates. We chose to use security cameras that are specialized for underwater use and provide the opportunity to monitor fish behavior, feeding habits, and health. We can check on animal behavior at any point in the day or night, aiding in training of Marine Biology and Aquarium and

Saint Francis University senior Tara Fritz of Johnstown, Pa. was named the recipient of the first ever Social Justice Award from the Lydia Maria Child Society in May. Fritz was recognized for her award during the American Literature Association Conference in San Francisco last month. “I feel so incredibly honored to be the first recipient of the society’s undergraduate Social Justice Award,” Fritz said. “I think my interest in social justice comes from the fact that I am a strong feminist, and to me, being a feminist means not only standing up for women but also for all other marginalized

“Appreciative, humble, intelligent, and persistent—that’s Desmend Phillips,” stated Kristin Weixel, assistant director of the Upward Bound Program at Saint Francis University. Desmend is an incoming freshman in the petroleum and natural gas engineering program, but he is no stranger to Saint Francis University. He participated in the University’s Upward Bound Program where he learned about himself and his dreams, and began making them come true. The Upward Bound Program, celebrating 50 years at Saint Francis University, is a program designed to motivate and prepare students for a four-year

Pablo's Story Name: Pablo Medina Major: Finance, Accounting, and Management Information Systems (triple major) Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico Graduation: 2016 Keeping Your Eyes on the Ball and Having a Clear Goal in Life I believe that setting high goals will always give you something to strive for and work towards. In the long run, reaching these goals will become a habit, and will only allow you to continue to aim higher and accomplish things you previously might have perceived as unattainable. Pablo Medina Pablo Medina came to Saint Francis University from Mexico City, Mexico to play

Tori Martin, a fourth-year Master of Occupational Therapy student, was awarded the prestigious Ann Eppard Scholarship and congressional internship presented at the Presidents Awards Convocation on April 26. Tori is currently completing her internship in the office of U.S. House Representative Bill Shuster R-PA 9th district on Capitol Hill. Tori has so far learned the ins-and-outs of the voting process, met many staff and legislators, and is now trained to provide tours to visitors to the Hill. She talks to constituents about their concerns and if this is not enough, it's only her first of four