MEDIA CONTACT:
Erin Clary
Director of Communications
Maria College
518-861-2570 Office
518-588-5802 Cell
eclary@mariacollege.edu
October 27, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Maria College welcomes largest incoming class in its 65-year history
College credits new programs, partnerships for increase
Albany, NY – Despite national headlines of decreased college enrollment, Maria College is seeing just the opposite. For the Fall 2022 semester, the College is reporting the largest incoming class in its nearly 65-year history. This is good news for a healthcare system facing staffing shortages, as the largest increases are in Maria’s nursing programs.
With 393 new net deposits, the College is seeing a 35.5-percent increase from Fall 2021, breaking the previous record set in 2014. The College is also reporting increases at every stage of the admissions process from interest to enrollment.
The momentum is not showing signs of slowing down either. Maria is hosting its Fall Open House this Saturday, October 29, from 11am to 2pm, and to date, the number of prospective students planning to attend has more than doubled from this time last year.
Maria College President Lynn Ortale, Ph.D., who began her role in July 2022, says the College’s growth is based on strategic new endeavors coupled with the Maria’s Mercy mission of providing opportunity education to all that may benefit.
“During a time where so many colleges are struggling with enrollment, Maria College is proud to say that we have actually increased our incoming student population to historic levels,” said Ortale. “In addition to new programs and partnerships, we attribute this increase to the return on investment that students and family experience. For example, Maria is known for our high first-time pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®). Maria’s commitment to excellence and innovation provides students a transformative experience within the context of a supportive learning community where faculty and staff are actively involved in supporting students’ academic and personal success.”
Maria College serves working adults, transfer students and those right out of high school. The College’s flexible schedules and individualized student support are often useful for non-traditional students looking to start a new career or further their education in their current field. With various funding options, and programs with a history of demonstrated success, Maria College students know the value they’re receiving when they enroll.
While the College offers a variety of programs in liberal arts and sciences and occupational therapy, nursing continues to drive enrollment. Since its founding in 1958, Maria has graduated the most nurses in the Capital Region.
Maria’s Nursing programs are up by 46.6 percent over Fall 2021. Maria College Dean of Nursing Colleen Carmody, EdD, RN, CNS says this is beneficial to the entire community.
“As a leader in nursing education, we are providing career-relevant programs that result in caring and compassionate graduates ready to serve our community at a time when it is most needed,” said Dr. Carmody. “We are working directly with local healthcare organizations to forge partnerships that will both improve opportunities for students while helping to alleviate the nursing shortage.”
As typical for the College, the large majority of Maria’s new nursing students have enrolled in the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Nursing program, but this semester it is also seeing significant increases in its bachelor’s program thanks to the addition of the Online Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Completion Program, as well as in the Practical Nurse Certificate (LPN) program. Roughly half of the new LPN students have entered the program through a partnership with St. Peter’s Health Partners (SPHP). This agreement allows for SPHP employees to take Maria courses while having their tuition fully covered by their employer.
Additionally, students like Siena College sophomores Jordan Simmons and Christina Smith, are now also first-year students enrolled in Maria’s Nursing, AAS (RN) program through a partnership between the two colleges. This program, which began in 2019, offers students a dual degree, starting with their associate’s degree from Maria.
“I’ve always heard good things about Maria and I know many people in the program. Nursing is such a rewarding profession,” said Simmons. “Now that I am here doing real things in clinical, it just feels so exciting. I really love the staff at Maria and there are a lot of good resources.”
“Seeing the nursing shortage and everything with COVID has just made me want to go into nursing even more to help people,” said Smith. “The [Siena] program lets you choose between two nursing schools and I picked Maria because I’ve heard such great things. The staff has been great, especially with the tutoring.”
Maria College is looking to further expand its enrollment through partnerships and moratoriums of understanding with other local organizations to provide discounted tuition for their employees, and in many cases, for their significant others and children. The College currently has partnerships like this with organizations such as Catholic Charities for Disabilities Services, Inc., Hope House, Northern Rivers Family Services, New York Oncology Hematology (NYOH), and New York State Industries for the Disabled. (NYSID). Additional partnerships will be announced over the next year.
Further adding to the influx of new students is the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MOST) Program, the first graduate degree program for the College, launched in Fall 2020.
“We strategically look at how we expand our program offerings,” said Dr. Ortale. “While some colleges choose to develop new programs in a horizontal pattern, Maria is growing vertically, by expanding on and enhancing our programs in which we have historically shown significant strength, particularly in our healthcare tracks.”
Applying is free and applications are currently being accepted for the Spring, Summer and Fall 2023 semesters. Please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@mariacollege.edu or 518-861-2517 to speak with an admissions counselor.
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About Maria College. Founded in 1958, Maria College is one of 17 colleges and universities in the United States sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The private, co-educational, Catholic college in Albany serves approximately 800 students in a variety of bachelor degree, associate degree, a master’s degree, and certificate programs including liberal arts, healthcare management, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, and health and occupational sciences. mariacollege.edu.