Marywood University News

Marywood University Named a 2022-2023 College of Distinction

Marywood University has been recognized nationally for its high-impact approach to education and its honorable commitment to engaged, experiential education by Colleges of Distinction, a one-of-a-kind guide for college-bound students. As an institution whose primary goals are based on student success and satisfaction, Marywood confirms its honor as one of the renowned Colleges of Distinction.

Colleges of Distinction boasts its longstanding support for student-centered schools that traditional rankings often overlook, advocating for schools whose undergraduate experiences are grounded in a philosophy of well-rounded, individualized engagement. Founder Wes Creel created Colleges of Distinction to draw more attention to schools like Marywood, whose student-centered education prevails in applying theory to practice while fostering a dynamic learning community. 

“When we focus all of our attention on how schools stack up against one another, we lose track of what really matters: the students themselves,” said Wes Creel, Founder of Colleges of Distinction. “Every student has individual needs and their own environment in which they’re most likely to thrive. We want to extend our praise to the schools that prioritize and cater to students’ goals.” Marywood’s inclusion is informed by the unique ways it commits to achieving success. The effective strategies for student satisfaction and outcomes were the kinds of engaging experiences found at Marywood.

Marywood University earned special recognition nationally among Catholic Universities and statewide among Pennsylvania Universities. Individual accolades include Colleges of Distinction’s national endorsements of Marywood’s academic programs in Business, Education, and Nursing, as well as its exceptional student support initiatives in Career Development and Military Support.

These additional distinctions were borne out of a need for college curricula that are comprehensive not only in course material, but also in practical and soft-skills development.

Marywood University has met these needs with a blend of professional degrees, supported by a strong liberal arts education, program-specific training, and abundant opportunities for real-world application. Marywood also has excelled at having students graduate and enter the workforce with versatile skills; that’s why students attend Marywood—to discover their passion and realize their purpose. 

“We complete a thorough review of the programs in question before giving the awards,” said Tyson Schritter, Chief Operating Officer for Colleges of Distinction. “We’re looking for such qualities as accreditation, breadth of program, advising and mentoring, integration of career services, and successful outcomes for students. It’s wonderful to see how Marywood University really exemplifies these qualities.” He continued, “Marywood has created a welcoming environment for underserved students. It’s a tremendous opportunity to highlight the noteworthy support offered for students who might not otherwise study and thrive on a college campus.”

To view Marywood University’s profile, or to find more information about the innovative learning experiences it offers, visit collegesofdistinction.com/school/marywood-university/.

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Marywood University’s Community Leadership Celebration Raises Over $252,000

Marywood University’s Ninth Annual Community Leadership Celebration, which took place on Thursday, May 5, 2022, honored Sister Gail Cabral, IHM, Ph.D., who recently retired after 52 years as a psychology professor at Marywood. Funds raised at this year’s Community Leadership Celebration (CLC) exceeded $252,000.

To date, the CLC has raised nearly $3.2 million dollars. Marywood University’s CLC event is the University’s only fundraising event that provides special support to Marywood students. Proceeds from this year’s event, as in the past three years, supported the President’s Innovation Fund, a fund that supports Marywood students through initiatives that enhance the academic experience in the IHM tradition.

More than 200 people gathered at the Insalaco Arena in the Center for Athletics and Wellness to celebrate as Marywood proudly bestowed the Lead On Award to Sister Gail, honoring her for her lifelong commitment to education, service, and the common good, as well as her dedication to the psychology and importance of friendship.

Mary Anne Fedrick, Ph.D., retired Marywood dean, and Maria Gogal, Marywood trustee, both longtime friends of Sister Gail, served as committee co-chairs of the event. Guests of the event were entertained by pianist Jim Waltich, vocalist Erin Malloy, and magician and mentalist John Graham. In addition, student vocalists Dominique Ferraro ’25, Gabe Jenceleski ’24, and Sean Wolfe ’24, accompanied by Rick Hoffenberg, DMA, sang “Old Friends” from the Sondheim musical, Merrily We Roll Along.

For 56 years, Sister Gail has been a professed member of the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM). Throughout her more than five decades of teaching psychology, she has worked with students on undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. She was the first director of Marywood’s Ph.D. program in human development and also served as the chairperson of the psychology department. Sister Gail holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and a master of science in education from Marywood, as well as a Ph.D. from the Catholic University of America. She received a National Endowment for the Humanities for a two-month seminar in autobiography at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She has researched, taught, and presented on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator; gender differences; social-cognitive development, particularly in the area of friendship relations; and the relationship of psychology and religion.

To learn more about Marywood University’s Annual Community Leadership Celebration, please visit marywood.edu/clc, or call (570) 348-6238.