Lourdes College sets sights on university status |
 |
 |
|
Written by LAURIE STEVENS BERTKE, Chronicle Writer
|
|
Friday, 07 November 2008 01:00 |
SYLVANIA—After marking four years of record enrollment growth and dedicating its first new academic building in 40 years, Lourdes College has announced plans to become Lourdes University by 2015.
Under the bold plan President Robert Helmer outlined Sept. 30 in his state of the college address, the Catholic institution sponsored by the Sylvania Sisters of St. Francis will strategically grow from 2,200 to 3,000 students over the next seven years.
 |
| Lourdes College president Robert Helmer announces plans for the school for the next seven years during a state of the college address. (Chronicle photo by Laurie Stevens Bertke) |
Intercollegiate athletics and student housing will also be introduced to campus in response to changing demographics. The college has seen tremendous growth in the number of students enrolling out of high school, and Dr. Helmer said it now has about 1,000 students between the ages of 18 and 22 — nearly half of its student body.
This growing population of younger, full-time students has brought a different dynamic to campus, and student organizations have blossomed in recent years from just a handful to nearly 30.
With market research showing nearly two-thirds of high school seniors expect to play some form of sports in college, "We believe it is time to introduce intercollegiate athletics," said Dr. Helmer.
"If you’re going to have a mascot, you just need a team to cheer on," he added, referring to the Gray Wolves mascot Lourdes College unveiled last year.
Dr. Helmer said research suggested beginning with men’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams, which could play in an existing gym on campus. Teams may form as early as next fall.
Transitioning from a local to a regional institution is a key part of the strategic plan for Lourdes College, which already attracts students from a wider geographical area than in the past.
For most of its 50-year history, Dr. Helmer said Lourdes College largely served nontraditional students living within a 10- to 15-mile radius of campus.
The college has now expanded its recruitment area to a 50-mile radius, and even welcomed a young man from California as its first national student this year. He and other students from such communities as Lima, Fostoria and Fremont live in apartments scattered throughout Sylvania.
Dr. Helmer called this a lost opportunity. "It would be better for the students to be together in a residence, where we can continue their formation," he explained.
He said the college intends to add a residence facility in the future that might house between 300 and 400 students on campus.
Dr. Helmer, who became president of Lourdes College in 2003, asserted that the institution is no longer the "hidden gem" some once considered it to be, but has become "an integral part of our community and of our region."
Since it reduced tuition by 41 percent four years ago, enrollment has climbed from 1,200 to more than 2,200 students.
He expects that growth to continue at the undergraduate level, and said there is opportunity to double enrollment at the graduate level with the introduction of new programs like a master’s degree in theological studies.
Dr. Helmer also announced plans to expand student internship opportunities "into virtually every academic program" by partnering with area businesses. "That is something that we believe is incredibly essential not only to our region, but to our students’ education," he said.
As Lourdes College grows, Dr. Helmer promised classes would remain small with 40 or fewer students. The institution will also continue to emphasize its Franciscan values of community, learning, reverence and service.
The college will become Lourdes University at some point over the next seven years, but "the word 'university' in and of itself is not what we’re after," added Dr Helmer. "It’s looking at everything that we have done, and bringing it together and recognizing it — that’s when we feel like we can say, ‘OK, we today are Lourdes University.' "
|
|
Last Updated on Friday, 23 January 2009 10:17 |
