Our Catholic Identity
The university strives to be a community that demonstrates the highest standards of Catholic intellectual tradition, 欢迎所有人探索和推广真理的核心价值观, respect, responsibility, excellence, and service.
Pursuit of truth and integration of knowledge for the common good are key in Mount Mercy’s classrooms. Through service learning and volunteer opportunities, students are challenged to take what they learned in the classroom and apply the Sisters of Mercy's Critical Concerns—earth, immigration, nonviolence, racism, and women—in a wide array of volunteer projects. 学校还鼓励学生在个人生活中展示自己的核心价值观.
慈悲山是由美洲慈悲修女会赞助的, through the Conference for Mercy Higher Education. As a Mercy institution, we carry out our charge to continue the Catholic intellectual tradition. As such we respectfully abide by the Conference for Mercy Higher Education’s statement on Catholic Identity and Mercy Charism.
Our History
The Sisters of Mercy established Mount Mercy Junior College in 1928 with the purpose of filling a need—the need to unite people with opportunity through high quality, values-based education.
Mount Mercy flourished as a junior college and continued to have success as a four-year institution. Over the years, Mount Mercy has added new programs and curriculum which were reflective of the mission and values of the original institution. Today, Mount Mercy’s available course offerings are tailored to meet the needs of those who live and work around campus in the same spirit of our founders.
The Sisters of Mercy purchased Mound Farm and Greene mansion in 1907 after leasing the property in 1906, 这一举动为Mount Mercy初级学院奠定了基础, which was opened by the Sisters on September 9, 1928. Students who enrolled in the junior college received a low cost Catholic education from the Sisters, 她不知疲倦地以凯瑟琳·麦考利的名义提供了丰富的教育. 在接下来的30年里，慈悲山学院作为一所两年制的女子学院蓬勃发展.
直到20世纪50年代，姐妹们的四年制大学愿景才实现. They decided that the community surrounding Mount Mercy would benefit from a baccalaureate institution in the heart of Cedar Rapids, and after receiving accreditation from The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Mount Mercy became a four year college in 1960.
60年代被证明是学生们进一步改变的十年, faculty, and staff of Mount Mercy. Regina Hall was built in 1965, 自从学生们第一次在沃德宿舍居住以来，提供了第一个校园宿舍. Soon after, Mount Mercy opened its doors to both male and female students by officially becoming co-educational in 1969.
Throughout the next 30 years, Mount Mercy met the physical demands of a growing student population. Donnelly Center was opened in 1975, followed by Hennessey Recreation Center (1985), Busse Center (1993), 伦迪公地(1995)和贝蒂·切里遗产厅(1996). Students utilized these spaces for classes, course work, athletic endeavors, co-curricular activities, 还有社交——这些新设施带来了更多的机会. By 1997, 学生可以选择为《博彩平台》撰稿, 参加一个由13个NAIA大学体育项目组成的强大的体育项目, 成年学生也被欢迎加入ADVANCE项目, a partnership with Kirkwood Community College.
自从梅西山学院成为一所大专院校以来，已经过去很多年了, 但2006年人们对即将到来的变革的感觉与1956年大体相同. 该学院最近完成了Andreas House(2001)的建设。, a residence suite for upperclassmen, and Basile Hall (2003), 为企业增加了额外的教室和实验室空间, biology, chemistry, physics and other programs. On August 23, 2010, 该机构被重新指定为Mount Mercy大学, making Mount Mercy the only Mercy university in the state of Iowa and one of only four in the Midwest. Construction began on the university Center in the heart of Mount Mercy’s main campus in 2010 and the facility opened in 2011 offering the campus community a beautiful space to socialize and study.
In 2012, the university announced plans to renovate the former army and navy training center at 1650 Matterhorn Drive NE into the Mount Mercy University CRST International Graduate Center. The center began hosting classes in 2013 and is home to Mount Mercy’s low-cost Olson Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic as well as five graduate programs: Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Arts in Education, Master of Strategic Leadership, and Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. June 2013 marked a special announcement for the university’s athletics—the purchase of 22 acres adjacent to the main campus on 17th Street NE would become Mount Mercy’s first outdoor athletic complex. Demolition began on the property in April 2014. The facility, completed in September 2017, is home to softball, baseball, an all-purpose track, multipurpose practice field, and a soccer field. For the first time in the institution’s history, outdoor athletes have a home field advantage. Former president Laurie M. Hamen, JD, 2014年2月至2020年6月，以同样的实力领导学校, courage, and vision as her predecessors. Dr. 罗伯特·比蒂于2020年7月1日加入仁慈山，担任该机构的主席. On September 9, 2020 Dr. Beatty resigned from his position and Dr. Tim Laurent was announced as the Interim President. Currently, Dr. Todd A. 奥尔森是仁慈山大学的校长, starting his presidency on July 21, 2021.
The Sisters of Mercy
As early as 1827, Catherine McAuley, a wealthy heiress in Dublin, Ireland, began caring for women and children in need. 她提供安全的住房，教育未受教育的人，看望病人. By 1831, she officially dedicated her life and her inheritance to this mission by establishing the Sisters of Mercy.
社区发展迅速，姐妹们需求量很大. At the time of Catherine’s death in 1841, 她在爱尔兰和英格兰建立了慈善社区. By 1856, the Sisters of Mercy had expanded into Scotland, Newfoundland, Australia, and New Zealand. Simultaneously, hundreds of thousands of Irish laborers and their families were emigrating to the Americas and the Sisters of Mercy came with them, establishing schools and hospitals.
The first Sisters of Mercy came to Cedar Rapids from the Iowa towns of Davenport and Independence, 1869年芝加哥的姐妹们在那里建立了社区. Three Sisters, Mary Isadore O’Connor, Mary Boniface Daly, and Mary Gertrude McCullough, arrived in Cedar Rapids on July 22, 1875, and four more came from Davenport two weeks later. 他们是在响应为新圣. 约瑟夫学院，一所女子寄宿学校和一所教区走读学校. 到镇上的唯一交通工具是轮船或铁路.
St. 约瑟夫学院将设在城市商业中心附近的一座新建筑里. 当姐妹们到达时，这座建筑不仅没有家具，而且还没有完工! 据说，一位修女在看到这座建筑时惊呼道:“窗户没有开进去!另一个开玩笑地回答说:“好吧，我们今天不用擦窗户了。.”
Eager to get the building ready for the school year, 姐妹们挽起袖子帮助木匠, laying floors and installing windows. In addition to the academy, 在接下来的30年里，这座建筑也将作为修道院和见习所使用.
As early as 1894, the Sisters opened their first hospital, 它位于爱荷华州阿纳莫萨的乡村社区. In 1900, 因为锡达拉皮兹唯一一家医院一直人满为患, 姐妹俩在一栋改建的房子里开了一家有15张病床的医院. Response from the citizens was overwhelming and by 1903, after much scrambling for funds, the sisters moved Mercy Hospital to a brand new building with 100 patient beds and the most advanced technology of the day. 一年后，他们迎来了第一批来到慈悲护理学院的学生. 后来又增加了医学技术和放射学学院.
By 1906, their convent, 见习生和学校都人满为患，于是开始寻找一个更大的地方. Eventually, the sisters located and leased the Judge Greene mansion, which was then beyond Cedar Rapids' city limits. Over the years, 这处房产曾是三个见不得光的偷马贼的家, an alleged counterfeiter, and finally, a Supreme Court judge. Judge George Greene was responsible for having the mansion built and was the first legally recognized owner of the property, the others being considered squatters.
The mansion had been vacant for about 10 years, used only as an occasional shelter by hunters, with the ballroom being used for grain storage. After signing a lease, the sisters once again rolled up their sleeves to lovingly prepare the mansion for their motherhouse, 见习生和秋季开学的女子寄宿学校, Sacred Heart Academy. St. 约瑟夫学院继续在原址作为走读学校运作.
The farsighted leadership of the Cedar Rapids Sisters of Mercy elected to buy the Greene property in 1907. 在接下来的几年里，圣心学院的女子寄宿学校有了显著的发展, as it became Mount Mercy Academy in 1924, a junior college in 1928, a four-year college in 1960, and went co-ed in 1969. 2010年，当仁慈山成为一所大学时，姐妹们的早期愿景实现了.
Through the years, 姐妹们退出了与所有乡村医院的合作. 美慈医疗中心的日常运营/管理, Mount Mercy University and the Catherine McAuley Center have been turned over to each organization’s Board of Trustees. A true continuity of the Mercy mission is maintained by having sisters serving on each board at all times. An Executive Director for Mission and Ministry, who is liaison for all three sponsored works, also ensures that Mercy values will remain the primary focus at each of the sponsored ministries.
Sister Presidents
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Sister Mary Ildephonse Holland | 1928–1933, 1946–1961 玛丽·伊德丰斯修女于4月15日正式加入仁爱修女会, 1904年，她以担任两届学院院长而闻名. Considered the “Foundress of Mount Mercy College,Ildephonse过去曾担任过大多数K-12级别的教师, 担任修女会的会计和院长, 曾担任大学讲师和校园业务经理. 她的众多成就之一是建造了沃德大厅, the opening of Mount Mercy Junior College, the bachelor’s degree designation by North Central, and the all-important accreditation for the college. |
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Sister Mary Cornelia Burke | 1933–1939 Sister Burke's decision to expand the college’s course offerings to include nursing can be directly associated with her position as Superintendent of Mercy Hospital, Cedar Rapids. While appointed as president of the college, 玛丽·科妮莉亚修女同时担任仁爱修女会的会长. 伯克还扩大了慈悲山的学生教学机会. Her significant work in growing the campus’ education and nursing programs remains her legacy to the college. |
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Sister Mary Maura Marron | 1939–1946 Sister Mary Maura’s tenure with the campus is recognized for its tremendous work within the Sisters of Mercy. Marron established the Sisters’ first, 正式通知和指导修改他们的宪法. For the college, she initiated studies that would eventually lead to the North Central Association accreditation and established a building fund, 我们清楚地看到，为了成为一所四年制大学，我们需要未来的结构. |
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Sister Mary Agnes Hennessey | 1961–1977 During her fifteen years as college president, Hennessey led the campus through monumental change. McAuley Library opened in 1962, shortly followed by the second dormitory, Regina Hall, in 1965. The Greene Mansion, once the home of the Sisters of Mercy, was demolished, and in 1968, 姐妹会将法律权力移交给董事会. 学生入学人数增加了两倍，1969年学院变成男女同校. Faculty numbers expanded, reflecting a varied curriculum. |