Nazareth College is a coeducational, private, religiously independent college in Pittsford, a suburb of Rochester, in the U.S. state of New York. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1924, the college offers more than 60 undergraduate majors, 20 graduate programs and three post-baccalaureate certificate programs. Alumni and locals commonly refer to the school as "Naz" for short.
History
Founding
At the request of Bishop Thomas Francis Hickey of Rochester, five Sisters of St. Joseph founded Nazareth College or Rochester in 1924. The first class was composed of 25 young women who began their studies in a large mansion on Lake Avenue in Rochester, New York. The original mansion that housed the college was known as "the Glass House." At that time, the college offered Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, each with a liberal arts core. In response to increasing enrollment, the college moved to a larger facility in 1928 at 402 Augustine Street.
Move to East Avenue
In January 1942, the college moved to its present campus on East Avenue in the suburb of Pittsford. In the 1950s, the college responded to the need for graduate study by adding majors and by the 1970s offered programs in teacher education and social work. Study abroad programs and intercollegiate sports were also added in the 1970s. During this time, the college became co-educational and independent of the Roman Catholic Church.
Nazareth competed in men’s intercollegiate athletics for the first time in 1977. The official nickname of the sports teams became the Golden Flyers â€" golden for the Nazareth color, and flyers for the bird-like symbol that was part of the old Nazareth logo. Today, Nazareth supports 24 varsity and 1 junior varsity teams. The most recent sport, added in 2012, is men’s ice hockey. The College announced it will add women's hockey in fall 2018
Expansion
In the early 2000s, the college purchased adjacent land from the Sisters of St. Joseph, including the former Motherhouse and Infirmary. This acquisition doubled the campus size to its current 150 acres. As a result of support from college benefactors (including Tom Golisano, the founder of Paychex), the Motherhouse became the Golisano Academic Center. The Infirmary became George Hall, a residence that also houses a coffeehouses and late night study area. The decade of the 2000s also saw the construction of additional student housing, including Portka Hall, Clock Tower Commons, and the Lyons and Breen apartment buildings.
In 2003, 30 years after becoming religiously independent, Nazareth College was removed from The Official Catholic Directory, having been declared no longer a Catholic institution by Rochester Bishop Matthew H. Clark. It was the second time since Pope John Paul II issued Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the apostolic constitution on Catholic universities in 1990, a bishop declared a historically Catholic college or university to be not Catholic.
In 2012, Nazareth added Peckham Hall, the Integrated Center for Math and Science. Named after lead donors Nancy and Larry Peckham, the $30 million facility supports majors in math and science fields, as well as education programs. It also provides important learning facilities for students in health and human services programs.
In 2015, the York Wellness and Rehabilitation Institute opened after an extensive renovation/expansion of Carroll Hall consolidated and doubled the size of the clinics associated with the college's School of Health and Human Services and added collaboration space.
Academics
Nazareth College is organized into four core schools:
- The College of Arts and Sciences
- The School of Education
- The School of Health and Human Services
- The School of Management
Nazareth offers more than 60 four-year undergraduate programs, 20 master's degree programs, a Doctorate of Physical Therapy, and three post-baccalaureate certificate programs.
Undergraduate Majors and Programs
Accounting, Acting, American Studies, Anthropology, Art Education, Art History, Art (Studio Art), Art (Visual Communication Design), Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Business Management, Chemistry, Chinese, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Communication and Media, Communication Sciences and Disorders (Speech Therapy), Community Youth Development, Dance Studies, Economics, Education (Adolescence Education, Early Childhood and Elementary), Education (Special Education), English, Environmental Science and Sustainability, Finance, French, Guided Exploration of Majors (for undeclared majors) History, International and Global Studies, Italian, Law (3+3 with Syracuse U.), Legal Studies, Marketing, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Museums, Archives, and Public History, Music, Music/Business, Music Composition, Music Education, Music Performance, Music Therapy, Musical Theatre, Nursing, Nursing Accelerated Weekend R.N. to B.S., Occupational Therapy, Peace and Justice, Philosophy, Physical Therapy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Health, Religious Studies, Social Science, Social Work, Sociology, Spanish, Technical Production, Theatre Arts, Toxicology, Undeclared program, Women and Gender Studies.
Graduate Programs American Studies, Art Education, Art Therapy, Business Organization and Management, Educational Technology Specialist, ESOL (post-master's certification program), Higher Education Student Affairs Administration, Human Resource Development, Human Resource Management, Inclusive Adolescence Education (to teach grades 7-12), Inclusive Childhood Education (to teach grades 1-6), Inclusive Early Childhood Education (to teach birth-grade 2), Integrated Marketing Communications, Literacy Specialist, Management, Music Education, Music Therapy, Performance and Pedagogy, Physical Therapy, Social Work, Speech-Language Pathology, TESOL (with and without N.Y. state teaching certification)
Core curriculum
In 2013, Nazareth College revised its liberal arts core, which all undergraduates are required to complete. Changes to the long-standing core were designed to emphasize real-world questions and experiential learning. Nazareth students choose a cluster of three integrated courses and create a digital portfolio showing their work, the connections they've made across disciplines, and their skills such as critical thinking and communication.
Fulbright Program at Nazareth
- Nazareth is ranked among the country's most prestigious colleges and universities for its number of Fulbright scholars. From 2013 to 2017, 15 Fulbrights were awarded to Nazareth students. The Chronicle of Higher Education placed Nazareth in the #1 spot (in the Master's Institutions category) of the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Top Producers of U.S. Fulbright Students, 2012â€"13 list. Since 1990, Nazareth graduates have been granted Fulbright awards for study in Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Egypt, France, Finland, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, India, Israel, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Venezuela, and Yemen. South Korea Fulbright ETA Liam Connolly '12 serves as the Executive Assistant for the Korean-American Educational Commission, also known as Fulbright Korea.
- Established in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program’s objective is to build mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the rest of the world. Sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright Program is America’s flagship international education exchange.
Honors Program
- Nazareth College offers an honors program to provide its most capable students with opportunities and challenges appropriate to their abilities and motivation. The goal of the program is to encourage academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, and independent scholarship.
- Students admitted to the honors program complete two semesters of study in logic and two in rhetoric. These are followed by two three-credit graduate-level honors seminars, a one-credit course to conduct research for the honors thesis, and a three-credit honors thesis writing course in the senior year. Themes for the seminars may change from year to year, but all seminars are interdisciplinary in nature, exploring selected topics from many points of view. All topics involve in-depth study of important source materials selected for their diversity and historical scope.
Clinton Global Initiative University
In fall 2013, Nazareth College joined the Clinton Global Initiative University Network (CGI U), a consortium of colleges and universities that support, mentor, and provide seed funding to student leaders who are developing solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. From 2014 to 2017, CGI U selected a total of 26 students from Nazareth College to attend its three-day international conference, based on the strength of the projects they proposed in health, education, youth empowerment, and the environment.
Campus
- 150 acres (0.61Â km2)
- 24 buildings, including 11 residence halls, a 2,200-seat stadium and all-weather track.
- The newest building: Jane and Laurence Glazer Music Performance Center, expected to open during spring 2018.
- The Golisano Academic Center was built in 1927. It is the oldest and largest building on campus, once serving as the "motherhouse" for the Sisters of St. Joseph. It was purchased from the Sisters of St. Joseph in 2003 and is now used for academic and administrative purposes. Features of the Center include the ornate Linehan Chapel and Cafe Sorelle.
- Nazareth's Integrated Center for Math and Science, Peckham Hall, opened in fall 2012, and led to Nazareth ranking among the top 20 science labs nationwide. The center features multi-purpose research spaces (including state-of-the-art labs and classrooms), a range of support services, and a variety of student centers. It is also the first project on campus to achieve a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)-certified green building rating.
- The Nazareth College Arts Center, which houses the departments of Theatre Arts, Music, and Art, has entertained almost three million people at performances since it opened in 1967. The Arts Center was renovated in September 2009 to become a dance and performance venue. The 2010 Princeton Review names Nazareth College the 6th Best College Theater in the country (up from #9 in 2009.)
- On-campus clinics for speech and hearing, reading and physical therapy allow students to gain practical experience, and are also open to the Rochester community.
- Although Nazareth College has been independent since the 1970s, the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph is honored by the Meditation Garden located next to Golisano, which includes a labyrinth, benches, and a statue of Mary which once stood on the grounds of Smyth Hall.
- The library was dedicated in 1957, and, after a major expansion in 1978, was renamed in honor of Lorette Wilmot (1927-1976), long time friend and benefactor of Nazareth College. The beautiful Saint Jerome Window was created by upstate New York artist John Menihan (1908-1992). To keep pace with changing technology and student needs, the library was expanded again in 1996 and partially renovated in 2010. The Thomas Merton Room houses the library's best known special collection.
- A network of underground tunnels connects many of the buildings on campus, allowing students and employees to avoid the cold and snow of the winters in upstate New York.
Nazareth College Arts Center
Renovated in 2009, the Nazareth College Arts Center is a campus venue with spaces including:
- Sands Family Pavilion, featuring a grand staircase leading to Callahan Theater;
- Jayne Summers Hall, a space for gathering before performances and during intermission;
- Fine Arts Gallery, a large space for Nazareth College, greater Rochester, and national exhibitions;
- Lipson Patrons Lounge
- Wegman Family Sculpture Garden, a four-season garden featuring three-dimensional artwork by Nazareth College faculty;
- Master’s Family Community Theater, a smaller space for community performances and events;
- Callahan Theater, a theater that seats approximately 800;
- Performance Studio, a space for dance and theater rehearsals, instruction, and creation;
- Margaret Colacino Gallery, a space for student and faculty art shows, as well as national art exhibitions.
The Nazareth College Arts Center is the home of Bach Children’s Chorus as well as the performance home of Rochester City Ballet and Garth Fagan Dance. The Arts Center houses the Nazareth College departments of Art, Music, and Theatre Arts.
Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue
The Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue (CISD) at Nazareth College was founded in 2005. In 2011, the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) of Herndon, Virginia offered Nazareth a major gift, provided it was matched by local donors. Brian and Jean Hickey matched this gift, resulting in renaming the center the Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue at Nazareth College. The endowed chair of the Center was left to the IIIT, and they selected Dr. Muhammad Shafiq, who was imam of the Islamic Center of Rochester, the Rochester metropolitan area's largest mosque. The Center is part of Nazareth’s College of Arts and Sciences and located in the Golisano Academic Center. It has been a leader in advancing the power of dialogue and teaching students and members of the community strategies for living peacefully in a religiously diverse world. Dr. Muhammad Shafiq is the executive director of the Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue and a professor of Islamic and religious studies at the college.
Casa Italiana
The Casa Italiana (Italian House) is a center of Italian language, literature, and culture. It serves as a cultural center for the college and the Rochester metropolitan area. Built with the help of the Italian-American community of greater Rochester in 1978, the Casa promotes traditional and contemporary Italian culture, explores the Italian-American experience, and seeks to enhance exchanges between the United States and Italy. The reading room at the Casa provides the college and the community with language and culture resources, and the classroom provides an environment in which students and community members can study the Italian language. Cultural events organized by the Casa include lectures, cooking and language classes, film nights, conferences, concerts, seminars, symposia, bocce tournaments, art shows, and trips to Italy.
Maison Française
La Maison Française (French House) is a home converted into a cultural center and residence hall for 13 selected foreign language majors. The French House offers a living environment and resource center for students who wish to immerse themselves in French culture and practice speaking French. La Maison Française also offers a line-up of cultural events throughout the year. Such gatherings, which include French film nights, cultural and historical lectures, reader’s theater showcases, Francophone regional dinners and campus diversity dinners, occur on Thursday evenings and are prepared by the French department and the house residents.
Casa Hispana
At the heart of the Spanish program is the Casa Hispana, a lively place where students and community members enjoy films, conversation, art exhibitions, and a variety of events relating to the culture of Spain and the Latin American countries. The Casa also houses the offices of the Spanish program faculty, a library, and classrooms.
Rankings
- Nazareth is among The Princeton Review's "The Best 381 Colleges" for 2017, which represents the top 15% of all colleges and universities in the US.
- The U.S. News & World Report (2016 edition) ranked Nazareth in the top tier of colleges and universities in the "Universities-Masters, North" category.
- Ranked a top college for veterans by G.I. Jobs Magazine and U.S. News & World Report in 2017.
Athletics
Nazareth's men's and women's athletic teams are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division III. The Golden Flyers are a member of the Empire 8 Athletic Conference (Empire 8); for men's volleyball, Nazareth is a member of the single-sport United Volleyball Conference. Athletic facilities at Nazareth include the Robert A. Kidera Gymnasium (1,200) and Golden Flyer Stadium (2,200).
Men's sports include basketball, cross country, equestrian, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, equestrian, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. The College announced plans to add women's hockey in 2018.
The Nazareth men's lacrosse team is a three-time NCAA Division III National Champion (1992, 1996, and 1997). The team has also appeared in the NCAA postseason tournament nineteen times. In 2011, the Nazareth men's indoor volleyball team achieved a #1 national ranking and won the Molten Division III National Championship, while in 2013 they finished runner-up in the NCAA Division III championship to Springfield.
Nazareth College's traditional rival is St. John Fisher College, just a mile to the north. The annual men's basketball game between the schools is known as "The Battle of the Beaks."
Community service
Nazareth College celebrates a tradition of community service in the Rochester area. More than 95 percent of students are involved in community service through academic service-learning, student organizations, athletics, and residence life. Nazareth has an on-campus Center for Civic Engagement to serve as a resource for students, staff and faculty who want to learn and serve in the context of the local, regional, national and global communities. The Center is also a point of contact for community members seeking College involvement with local organizations, programs and projects. The school also has a campus ministry program to connect students to various volunteer organizations. In addition, over 60% of alumni are known to participate regularly in community service. In 2007, the college was named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll (with distinction). And in 2013, Nazareth was only one of five schools in the country named to the 2013 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest honor a college or university can receive, at the federal level, for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.
Alumni
Nazareth has more than 33,000 alumni residing in all 50 states and 38 countries around the world.
Notable Nazareth alumni include:
- Jack Allocco, Emmy award-winning composer, conductor, music producer, and music director.
- Catherine “Cathie†Cool Rumsey, Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate since January 2013.
- Gail Haines, Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives since January 2009.
- Sean Ferrell, novelist (author of NUMB and Man in the Empty Suit).
- Jeff House, assistant coach of University of Kentucky WBB, formerly of the WNBA.
- Jim Jabir, former head coach of the University of Dayton women's basketball team and leader in all-time wins.
- Michael Park, Emmy award-winning actor, best known for his role of Detective Jack Snyder on As the World Turns
- Neal Powless, Iroquois lacrosse player from the Six Nations of the Grand River Indian reserve near Brantford, Ontario
- Manuel Rivera-Ortiz, documentary photographer
- Maria Russo, dramatic soprano
- Barbara Staropoli, SSJ, soprano, Nazareth Music Department Chair (1995-2003), Congregational vice-president, Sisters of Saint Joseph of Rochester
- Jeff Van Gundy, head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1996 to 2007 before becoming an NBA analyst for ESPN.
- Mary Beth West, Senior Vice President at The Hershey Company
- Michael Centra, legendary lacrosse and soccer coach at The Kinkaid School
Traditions and lore
- Every April, Nazareth students celebrate the year with a festive event called Springfest.
- While many first year students are told Medaille Hall is haunted by a nun, the ghost story is an urban legend, and likely has its origins in a local tragedy that did not occur at Nazareth (Source: College Archives Committee). Haunted houses are held in various campus buildings every Halloween, co-sponsored by campus clubs as fundraisers for service projects.
- On the main roadway right before the circle in front of the Golisano Academic Center, there is an English Oak tree. This tree was brought to Nazareth by members of the Sisters of St. Joseph from Sherwood Forest in England. Legend has it that Robin Hood used to hide in the hollowed trunk of an English Oak in Sherwood Forest.
- On the north campus, behind the Golisano Academic Center, a wooded hillside shelters a small cemetery dedicated to the departed pets of the Sisters of St. Joseph, who used to inhabit the building. More than a dozen small headstones mark the final resting places of cats, dogs, and even two horses, from Rusty in 1984 (“A good friendâ€) to Mickey in 2012 (“Loved by Allâ€).
- Above the entrance to Linehan Chapel sits the choir loft. And above that, on the building’s fourth floor, is a small window, now inaccessible to the public. Campus lore has it that the window was opened during Mass so ailing sisters could “attend†the services.
See also
- Bach Children's Chorus at Nazareth College
Notes and references
External links
- Nazareth College Website
- Nazareth College Athletics Website
- College History
- Nazareth College Archives at New York Heritage Digital Collections