St. Joseph's University

Saint Joseph's University (SJU or St. Joe's) is a private Jesuit university in Philadelphia, Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The university was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851 as Saint Joseph's College. Saint Joseph's is the seventh oldest Jesuit university in the United States and the sixth largest university in Philadelphia. It is named after Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph's University has nearly 9,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in over 162 undergraduate programs, 84 graduate programs, and 9 degree-completion and post-baccalaureate programs. It has 14 centers and institutes, including the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support and the Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Center for Business Ethics. Saint Joseph's University is classified as an R2: Doctoral University with High Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Jesuit and Catholic identity

The university's Jesuit identity is extensively used in its branding. It began the Magis ("greater") campaign in 2013 to highlight commitment to living "For the greater glory of God" (''Ad maiorem Dei gloriam''), the motto of the Society of Jesus.

SJU also promotes the Jesuit principle of ''cura personalis'' or "care for the whole person." Undergraduates must complete a general education program that focuses heavily on traditional liberal arts disciplines.

The university's Jesuit community live in one of two locations on the Hawk Hill campus. The Loyola Center, located on City Line Avenue, is connected to Manresa Hall, the infirmary for Jesuits. The Loyola Center exclusively houses retired members of the Jesuit Community. The second location, Arrupe Hall, serves as housing for active Jesuits at Saint Joseph's University, and features a large dining hall and chapel.

On September 27, 2015, Pope Francis, himself a long-time member of the Jesuit Order, made a stop at the university during his two-day visit to Philadelphia.

History

Beginning of Collegiate Jesuit Education in Philadelphia

Saint Joseph's University was founded by the Jesuits in 1851 as Saint Joseph's College. The university is the seventh oldest Jesuit university in the United States.

St. Joseph's College started on September 15, 1851, when 36 students began classes in a building adjacent to Old St. Joseph's Church on Willings Alley, between South 3rd and South 4th Streets and Walnut and Spruce Streets in Philadelphia.

St. Joseph's College moved in 1866 from Willings Alley to a full block on Girard Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets in Philadelphia (now the location of Saint Joseph's Preparatory School).

St. Joseph's College moved to its present City Avenue campus in November 1927. After raising over $1 million dollars, Saint Joseph's College purchased twenty-three acres of land along City Avenue and began construction on Barbelin Hall, the first academic building on campus. In 1978, Saint Joseph's College became Saint Joseph's University after being recognized as a University by the Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Origin of North America's First College of Pharmacy

On June 1, 2022, Saint Joseph's University acquired University of the Sciences (Philadelphia College of Pharmacy). This acquisition added professional programs in health and science, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and pharmacy to Saint Joseph's University. This merger means that St. Joe's can now trace its history to February 1821, when 68 apothecaries met at Carpenters' Hall to establish improved scientific standards and develop better training programs. Classes began nearly immediately, making the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy the first institution of higher learning in the United States dedicated to the field of pharmacy.

In 1825, the college began publishing the first academic journal in the United States dedicated to pharmacy. The apothecaries formalized their new association through a constitution, which declared their intent to establish a school of pharmacy to enhance their vocation and to "guard the drug market from the introduction of spurious, adulterated, deteriorated or otherwise mischievous articles, which are too frequently forced into it".

Mergers

In March 2022, Saint Joseph's University's planned merger with the University of the Sciences (formerly known as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy) was approved by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. On June 1, 2022, Saint Joseph's University merged with the University of the Sciences.

In January 2023, Saint Joseph's University announced a planned merger with Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences in January 2024. With this merger, the university announced that it would be launching an undergraduate nursing program on Hawk Hill in 2024. The merger marked the third campus location for Saint Joseph's University.

University Leadership

Upon Saint Joseph's College being founded in 1851, Fr. Felix-Joseph Barbelin served as the first President of the University. The subsequent 26 Presidents were also Priests in the Catholic Church.

On April 22, 2015, Mark C. Reed was appointed to serve as the 28th President of Saint Joseph's University, being the first layperson to hold the role of President since the founding of the University. Dr. Reed served as President of Saint Joseph's University from 2015 until 2022, when he resigned to serve as President of Loyola University Chicago.

On March 10, 2023, Saint Joseph's University's board of trustees elected Cheryl A. McConnell its 29th – and first female – president in the university's 172-year history. Dr. McConnell had most recently served as Saint Joseph's interim president since Dr. Reed's resignation, and as provost and chief academic officer for three years prior.

Seal

The Seal of Saint Joseph's University signifies the university's history and values. Other Jesuit educational institutions share three of these symbols. The wolves over a kettle pot show the generosity of the Loyola family towards the poor. Tradition claims that the Loyolas provided so much food for their soldiers that even the wolves had enough to eat. IHS are the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek, and the historic monogram of the Society of Jesus. The stripes signify the 7 sons of the House of Loyola, who died defending their home. The lily is the distinguishing symbol of the university, honoring Saint Joseph, the school's patron saint. The seal is the graphical representation of Saint Joseph's and its Jesuit identity.

Academics

The university has five schools and colleges that offer 250 academic programs and 9 degree-completion and post-baccalaureate certificate programs.

Of tenure-track faculty, 100% hold the highest possible degrees in their fields. As of 2025, the six-year undergraduate graduation rate was 83% and the first-year student retention rate was 89%. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education classified Saint Joseph's among "Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)".

The university also has 14 centers and institutes, which include the Academy of Food Marketing, The Barnes Arboretum at Saint Joseph's University, Center for Addiction and Recovery Education, Center for Professional Development, Faith-Justice Institute, Institute for Environmental Stewardship, Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations, Institute of Clinical Bioethics, Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support, Maguire Academy of Insurance and Risk Management, Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Center for Business Ethics, Philadelphia Regional Institute for STEM Educators and Substance Use Disorders Institute.

The university has an undergraduate honors program, housed in Claver House.

Campus

Main Campus

Saint Joseph's University's main campus, often referred to as Hawk Hill, is located along City Avenue, which splits the university between the western edge of Philadelphia and Lower Merion Township. The university owns property on both the Philadelphia and Lower Merion sides of City Avenue. Hawk Hill is the original location of the university when it moved to City Avenue in 1927. Saint Joseph's most well-known building is Barbelin Hall, which opened in 1927. The hall is known for its Gothic architecture, particularly the gargoyles that mark what is called the Barbelin Quadrangle (or Barbelin Courtyard) and the tall, four-spired bell tower that can be seen from miles away. The bell tower that sits atop Barbelin served as the university's logo for several years. Barbelin Hall was built by John McShain, who constructed The Pentagon and the Jefferson Memorial.

The university's official mailing address is in Philadelphia. The two sides of the main campus are connected by both bridge and underpass allowing access across City Avenue. Its are concentrated from Cardinal Avenue to 52nd Street and Overbrook Avenue to City Avenue. With the acquisition of the Maguire Campus, one half of the are located on the Lower Merion side of City Avenue. In all, there are 99 buildings on the university's campus.

The Hawk Hill campus features Barbelin Hall, Mandeville Hall, Bellarmine Hall, Post Hall, and the Science Center as the main academic halls. Green spaces on campus include St. Mary's, Claver House, and Wolfington lawns located on the Main Campus, in addition to two quadrangles, College Hall Quad and Barbelin Quad.

The Post Learning Commons is the university's main library, the result of a renovation of the original Francis A. Drexel Library and an expansion project called the Post Learning Commons, from 2011 to 2013. Drexel Library and Post Learning Commons are connected via a glass atrium and bridge through the heart of campus. The Post Learning Commons houses approximately 355,000 volumes, 1,450 print journals, 15,000 full-text electronic journals, 2,800 e-books, 866,000 microforms, and 4,975 audio-visual materials. Unique to the Post Learning Commons is the Campbell Collection in Food Marketing.

In September 2012, the university purchased the adjacent Cardinal's Residence on 54th and Cardinal Avenue from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Beginning with the fall 2014 semester, the Cardinal's Residence was renamed the Maguire Wolfington Welcome Center. It serves as a welcome center for prospective families and has offices for all enrollment management operations.

Campion Student Center is the hub for student activities, student life administrative offices, and dining facilities. The student center within Campion also features the Doyle Banquet Halls, Forum Theater, and President's Lounge used for larger gatherings and lectures on campus. Located just off Campion Student Center is Simpson Hall, which houses the Student Media Center and The Perch, a 24-hour student lounge. In 2023, the dining facilities were renovated, with the new dining facility being named "The Kettle". The Kettle utilizes the concept of ghost kitchens and mobile ordering. The Kettle also offers a separate large dining area with buffet-style food.

Saint Joseph's University also owns multiple buildings in Overbrook, located about a mile from the center of Hawk Hill near the Overbrook Train Station. Currently the Overbrook campus holds four dorms, reserved exclusively for sophomores. These dorms are the Ashwood Apartments, Merion Gardens Apartments, Morris Townhouses, and Moore Hall.

St. Joe's is within of La Salle University, Harcum College, Rosemont College, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Temple University, Swarthmore College, Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, Philadelphia University, Eastern University, and Villanova University. SEPTA regional rail train stations on each side of campus provide students with easy access to Center City.

James J. Maguire '58 Campus

On August 8, 2008, Saint Joseph's completed the acquisition of the adjacent Episcopal Academy after purchasing the property in 2005. The new 38-acre area (150,000 m²) was named the Maguire Campus for the lead donor, Saint Joseph's alumnus James Maguire. The Maguire Campus is located directly across from the Main Campus on the Lower Merion side of City Avenue. While this land is referred to as the "Maguire Campus", the property is considered part of the main "Hawk Hill" campus in contrast to the University City or Lancaster campuses. The Maguire Campus features three main academic buildings: Merion Hall, Connelly Hall, and Toland Hall. Merion Hall is the largest of the three.

The Cardinal John Foley Center, a multi-use space, hosts lectures, concerts, and social gatherings, in addition to large-scale admission events. The Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support, established in 2009, was made possible with donations totaling over $8 million, and is located in Connelly Hall. Duperreault, Quinn, and Windrim Halls are campus houses serving as administrative space for University Advancement.

In 2018, Saint Joseph's University announced that it had entered into an educational collaboration with The Barnes Foundation. The Arboretum of the Barnes Foundation, located adjacent to the Maguire Campus, would have facilities and operations handled by Saint Joseph's University, while the Barnes Foundation would continue to oversee historic buildings and the Arboretum. In May 2023, the university opened the Maguire Art Museum within the Arboretum after renovating many aspects of the building. The museum collaboration has been attributed by the university to a historical $50m gift made in 2017 by alumnus James Maguire ('58).

University City Campus

On June 1, 2022, as a result of the merger with University of the Sciences, Saint Joseph's acquired a second major campus. The University City campus covers approximately 24 acres of urban landscape in the section of West Philadelphia known as University City, which also encompasses the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. In 2025, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Saint Joseph's University planned to sell the entire University City Campus and use the funds to construct additional buildings on the Hawk Hill campus.

The University City Campus is bordered on one side by Clark Park and on another by The Woodlands, an historic cemetery that now serves as a large urban park with walking and bicycle trails. The campus comprises 24 buildings, including academic halls, laboratories, mixed-use and dedicated residence halls, as well as open spaces and athletic venues.

The university's second library, the J.W. England Library, was acquired in the University of the Sciences merger. The England Library contains specialized information regarding pharmacy, pharmacognosy, pharmaceutics and foreign drug compendia. Other areas of specialization include toxicology, pharmacology and physical therapy. In total, the library houses more than 470,000 volumes, with an annual circulation of approximately 5,680. The library is also a member of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM), which is administered under the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Among its collection are the holdings of the Leopold Helfand Rare Book and Archives Room, which include seventeenth and eighteenth-century botanicals, books once belonging to Benjamin Franklin and Sir Isaac Newton, as well as the theses of Dr. Eli Lilly, Sir Henry S. Wellcome and Silas M. Burroughs, written in their own hand.

Lancaster Campus

The Lancaster Campus was acquired in 2024 as a result of the merger between Saint Joseph's University and the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. The Lancaster Campus is the only campus at Saint Joseph's University not to offer on-campus housing.

Housing

First-year students on Hawk Hill can choose from traditional residence halls (McShain Hall, Villiger Hall, or Sr. Thea Bowman Hall) or a suite-style residence hall (Sourin Residence Center). Sr. Thea Bowman Hall, the university's newest residence hall, is slated to open in August 2025. Sophomores can choose to live in several campus houses or apartments. On the University City Campus, students may choose to live in the Living & Learning Commons.

Current developments and plans

In May 2022, the university announced SOAR: The Campaign for Saint Joseph's University. The largest fundraising campaign in the university's history, the campaign seeks to raise $300 million in order to improve the campus experience, affirm their commitment to financial aid, and to continue to improve and develop academic programs and research initiatives. Nearly a year later, the university announced that over half of the money sought by the campaign, $152 million, had been raised. As part of the campus plan, construction began on a new residence hall in Fall 2023, which the university named after Sister Thea Bowman. Additional on-campus construction and developments are listed on the university's Campus Master Plan.

Student life

Demographics

As of Fall 2023, Saint Joseph's University enrolled 7,861 students. Students come from all over the United States, but most come from the Northeast, including Pennsylvania. Of these students 5,036 are traditional undergraduates, while the university's graduate and professional student population is numbered at 2,373.

The student body is 55% female and 45% male. The retention rate for Saint Joseph's is high, with about 89% of students returning for their sophomore year. As of 2025, the undergraduate graduation rate for the past six years was 83%. The student-faculty ratio is 10:1 for undergraduate programs and 7:1 for graduate programs, with an average class size of 25.

Admissions

The overall first-year acceptance rate is 83%. The average freshman retention rate is 89%.

Of the undergraduate class of 2024, 98% were either employed, pursuing graduate studies, or involved in full-time volunteer programs within six months of graduation.

Saint Joseph's University is test optional. Applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT test scores, although applicants may choose to.

Organizations

Saint Joe's has 100 student organizations. It has 20 NCAA Division I athletic programs, 30 clubs and intramural sports, and fitness programs. It competes in the Philadelphia City 6 Extramural Classics. The women's ice hockey team is a club sport at Saint Joe's, but is recognized by the Delaware Valley College Hockey Conference (DVCHC) as a Division III sport. Organizations include national fraternities and sororities; a newspaper, ''The Hawk''; Hawk Hill Productions; and the Student Senate. The Villiger Debating Society is the university's debating society.

Radio 1851 is Saint Joseph's University's student-run radio station. It plays a variety of genres, including indie rock, rap/hip-hop, country, and electric dance music. The station began in 1922 as WSJR, the first college radio station to broadcast on AM, and moved to FM in the 80s.

Publications and media

Saint Joseph's University publishes the official alumni ''SJU Magazine'' three times a year. Standalone magazines are published once a year for the Haub School of Business (''Haub School Review'') and College of Arts and Sciences (''Intellect'').

''The Hawk'', the university's student newspaper, is published weekly during the fall and spring semester.

''The Crimson and Gray Literary Magazine'' showcases student fiction, poetry, and artwork.

The Drexel Library puts out a newsletter called ''Library Lines''.

The Saint Joseph's University Press prints books and articles.

Greek life

Saint Joseph's University recognizes eleven social Greek organizations and six co-educational, professional Greek organizations. Approximately 21% of undergraduates are affiliated with a social fraternity or sorority. No Greek housing is provided by the university.

Athletics

Saint Joseph's University is the home of the Hawks, the university athletics program. The school colors are crimson and gray. SJU fields teams in 21 varsity sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The Hawks are part of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Since the Atlantic 10 does not support men's lacrosse, the Hawks play in the Northeast Conference for that sport only.

Along with the Atlantic 10, Saint Joseph's is a member of the Philadelphia Big 5. The other member schools of the Philadelphia Big 5 are Temple University, Villanova University, the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and inter-conference rival LaSalle University.

Men's basketball

While Saint Joseph's fields 20 NCAA sports, the university's most popular sport is men's basketball. Saint Joseph's has a rich basketball tradition. Most home games are played at Hagan Arena on the school's campus, while some games are played at the Palestra on the University of Pennsylvania campus.

Saint Joseph's major rival is Villanova University. The rivalry is known as the Holy War, although starting in 2013 both schools requested that the media refrain from using the term. The school also maintains rivalries with the other Philadelphia universities.

Fans of the Hawks often chant "The Hawk Will Never Die!". Since the school's undefeated regular season, this chant has gained familiarity with the team's opponents. In 2003, ''Sports Illustrated'' listed that cheer among "The 100 Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate (Whatever the Cost)", calling it "the most defiant cheer in college sports."

The Hawk Mascot

Saint Joseph's Mascot, 'The Hawk', has been flapping its wings for over 50 years. Jim Brennan originated the idea for a hawk as mascot during the 1954–1955 season. Brennan, a former Marine and SJU cheerleader, at first wanted to secure an actual hawk, but later switched to the costume idea. The student government raised the $120 needed to buy the initial costume, which Brennan donned for three years. He made his debut as the Hawk on January 4, 1956, at a 69–56 win over La Salle University at the Palestra.

The Hawk is best known for staying in constant motion by flapping its wings throughout every basketball game, and for representing the Saint Joseph's motto, "The Hawk Will Never Die". It is also recognized by its "flying" in figure eights around the court during timeouts.

Athletic Facilities

*John W. Smithson '68 Field: The Hawks' on-campus baseball field opened in 2012 on the Maguire Campus. It features a synthetic surface with a dirt pitching mound and an AstroTurf 3D GameDay Grass surface. Bleacher seating capacity is 400 with much more space for standing room only.
*SJU Softball Field: The softball team opened their on-campus field in 2012. It features a turf outfield and bleacher seating for 400 spectators.
* Robert M. Gillin Jr., Boathouse: Located along the Schuylkyll River, Saint Joseph's University's rowing programs are based at this boathouse. The boathouse is located in ' Boathouse Row'. The boathouse provides a permanent home for the Hawk rowing programs. In addition, it provides the university with a significant presence on Kelly Drive. Named in honor of Robert Gillin Jr., groundbreaking for the facility took place in the fall of 2001.
* Sweeney Field: Laid out in a natural bowl in the center of Saint Joseph's campus, Sweeney Field (formerly known as Finnesey Field) is the home field of Hawk soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey teams. Originally constructed for football and opened in 1929 with plans for an eventual 70,000-seat stadium, the field has undergone numerous changes over the years.
*SJU Tennis Complex: The University offers six tennis courts on the Maguire Campus along with four courts on the Main Campus, located alongside Sweeney Field.
* Michael J. Hagan Arena: The on-campus home of the Hawks basketball teams was originally named Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse for the Saint Joseph's graduates who gave their lives in World War II. The building was officially dedicated on November 11, 1949, and two weeks later played host to its first basketball game, a 62–46 loss to Rhode Island on November 26. Following that initial setback, SJU would go on to win the next 23 games in the friendly confines of the Fieldhouse. Overall, the Hawks have compiled an impressive 305–76 record (80.0 winning percentage) on Hawk Hill. Among the highlights of the Hawks' home court advantage was a 34-game winning streak from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, an 11–0 record in 2000–01, and the unbeaten 11–0 mark as the Hawks made their perfect season run in 2003–04. All told, SJU has had only two losing records in the Fieldhouse over 57 seasons. The Fieldhouse held 3,200 fans but the arena has a capacity of 4,200. Martin Luther King Jr., spoke at the Fieldhouse in the 1960s.
*Ellen Ryan Field: The field hockey team returned to campus after a multi-year hiatus with the addition of Ellen Ryan Field on the Maguire Campus in 2011. Ryan Field has a synthetic AstroTurf12 pitch and is situated adjacent to City Avenue.
*Athletic/Recreation Center (ARC): Located on the University City Campus, the ARC serves as the main athletic facility for students at the UCity campus. Featuring 78,000 square feet of space, the facility includes an indoor track, basketball court, gym equipment, and multiple rooms in which events are able to be hosted.
The university also has a four-court multi-purpose area for basketball, tennis, and volleyball, an indoor four-lane jogging track, an esports lab on the Hawk Hill campus, four racquetball courts, locker rooms and saunas.

Alumni

there are over 95,000 living alumni of Saint Joseph's University.

File:Justice McKenna.jpg, Joseph McKenna, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
File:John Lehman, official photo as Secretary of the Navy, 1982.JPEG, John Lehman, former United States Secretary of the Navy
File:AVonEchenbach2.jpg, Andrew von Eschenbach, former Commissioner of the FDA
File:Jamie Moyer Phillies.JPG, Jamie Moyer, former MLB pitcher

File:Bruiser Flint Jan 20 2001.jpg, Bruiser Flint, college basketball coach
File:William J. Green.jpg, William J. Green III, former U.S. representative and former mayor of Philadelphia
File:Keith Leaphart Speaking.png, Keith Leaphart, entrepreneur and physician
File:Vince Papale January 2009.jpg, Vince Papale, former NFL wide receiver and inspiration for the film '' Invincible''
File:Richard J. Hughes 1962.jpg, Richard J. Hughes, former governor of New Jersey
File:Jack Ramsay (3) (cropped).jpeg, Jack Ramsay, former NBA basketball coach
File:LawrencePierce.jpg, Lawrence W. Pierce, former United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
File:McGinty.jpg, Katie McGinty, former Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality
File:Muffet McGraw.JPG, Muffet McGraw, former women's college basketball coach
File:Jameer Nelson Mavs cropped.jpg, Jameer Nelson, former NBA basketball player
File:William Cahill.jpg, William T. Cahill, former governor of New Jersey
File:Frank LoBiondo, Official Portrait, c112th Congress.jpg, Frank LoBiondo, former U.S. Congressman
File:Rep Wm A Barrett 1956.jpg, William A. Barrett, U.S. representative from Philadelphia (1945-1947, 1949-1976)

See also

* List of Jesuit sites

Notes

References

External links

*
Saint Joseph's Athletics website

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Jesuit universities and colleges in the United States
Catholic universities and colleges in Pennsylvania
Universities and colleges in Philadelphia
Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Main Line
Universities and colleges established in 1851
Universities and colleges in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
1851 establishments in Pennsylvania
West Philadelphia
Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities