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Saint Joseph's University

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Established
  
September 15, 1851

Undergraduate tuition and fees
  
42,840 USD (2016)

Mascot
  
The Hawk

Colors
  
Grey, Crimson

Acceptance rate
  
82% (2015)

Total enrollment
  
8,629 (2015)

Phone
  
+1 610-660-1000

Former names
  
Saint Joseph's College (1851-1978)

Motto
  
Spirit, Intellect, Purpose

Type
  
Private NonprofitResearch Coeducational

Affiliation
  
Roman Catholic (Jesuit)

Endowment
  
$216 million (5/23/2016)

Address
  
5600 City Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA

Notable alumni
  
Similar
  
Profiles

Saint joseph s university orientation 2019


Saint Joseph's University (also referred to as SJU or St. Joe's) is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located in the Philadelphia suburb of Merion Station in Lower Merion Township on the historic Philadelphia Main Line. The University was founded in 1851 as Saint Joseph's College by the Society of Jesus. Saint Joseph's is the seventh oldest Jesuit university in the United States and one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

Contents

Saint Joseph's University educates over 9,200 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students each year through the Erivan K. Haub School of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Program of Professional & Liberal Studies, and the Haub Degree Completion Program. The University offers over 60 undergraduate majors, 53 graduate programs, 28 study-abroad programs, 12 special-study options, a co-op program, a joint degree program with Thomas Jefferson University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. It has 17 centers and institutes, including the prestigious Kinney Center for Autism Education & Support and Pedro Arrupe Center for Business Ethics.

Saint Joseph's has grown in physical size and scope since 2001 with the addition of the Maguire Campus, construction of new campus buildings, and the addition of new majors and programs annually. For the 2014 U.S. News and World Report rankings, in the Master's Universities (North) category, Saint Joseph's was ranked number 11.

The Saint Joseph's University athletics teams are called the Hawks. The Hawks are a NCAA Division I program that compete in the Atlantic-10 Conference and Philadelphia's Big 5. The official colors of the University are crimson and grey. The school mascot is the famous Hawk, which never stops flapping its wings while in costume.

Alpha phi saint joseph s university 2017


Jesuit and Catholic Identity

Approximately, 100 Jesuits live on campus with 18 serving as faculty. The university's Jesuit Community lives in the Loyola Center, directly across the street from Barbelin Hall. The Loyola Center joins Manresa Hall, which is the home of the infirm Jesuits, and features a Carriage House (which serves as a "guest house"). Other Jesuit residences include St. Alphonsus House (at 5800 Overbrook Avenue) and Faber Hall (39 Berwick Road). A few Jesuits also live in residence halls; the university president maintains an apartment in the Merion Gardens Apartment building.

The university also extensively uses its Jesuit identity in its branding. The university began "The Magis" campaign in 2013 to highlight this commitment to living greater. The Magis is taken from the motto of the society of Jesus "Ad maiorem Dei gloriam", meaning for "For the greater glory of God".

The university also promotes the Jesuit principle of "cura personalis" or "Care for the whole person". The university requires undergraduates to complete a rigorous general education program that focuses heavily on traditional liberal arts disciplines. Every general education class is titled "154", which stands for the year 1540 AD when the Society of Jesus was accepted by the Pope.

On September 27, 2015, Pope Francis, himself a Jesuit, made a stop at the University during his two-day visit to Philadelphia.

The Seal of Saint Joseph's University

The Seal of Saint Joseph's University signifies many things that show the history and values of the university. Many of the symbols are not unique to Saint Joseph's and appear on the seals of other Jesuit educational institutions. The wolves are over a kettle pot to show the generosity of the Loyola family towards the poor. Tradition claims that the Loyola's provided so much food for their soldiers that even the wolves had enough to eat. IHM are the letters JES in Greek, which stands for Jesus. This symbol regularly represents the Jesuits. The stripes signify the 7 sons of the House of Loyola, who died defending their home from the Moors. The lily is commonly used to represent Saint Joseph, wherever he is present. The seal is the unique graphical representation of Saint Joseph's and its uniquely Jesuit identity.

Presidents

Despite a decreasing number of Jesuit candidates, Saint Joseph's has managed to keep its president as an ordained member of the Society of Jesus for 164 years. On August 15, 2014, President C. Kevin Gillespie, S.J. announced his resignation effective the end of June 2015. A national search for the next president commenced during 2014–2015 academic year and on April 22, 2015, the Board of Trustees announced Dr. Mark C. Reed, of Fairfield University, as the first lay president of Saint Joseph's.

Academics

All St. Joseph University undergraduate students complete coursework through the General Education Program (GEP) focused in four main areas: signature core, variable, integrative learning, and overlay courses. In addition, all students are required to complete a first-year seminar. Major coursework includes classes in English composition and literature, mathematics, philosophy, theology and religious studies, social science, world languages, and history. The courses are intended to be aligned with Jesuit ideals of social justice, service learning, ethics, and real-world application of theory. The GEP is the result of a university-wide curriculum overhaul and implemented in Fall 2010.

98% of tenure-track faculty hold the highest possible degrees in their fields. The 2008 graduation rate was 90% and the freshman retention rate for the Class of 2017 is 89.8%. About 51% of undergraduates are enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences while 49% are enrolled in the Haub School of Business. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education classified Saint Joseph's among "Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)".

There are 17 centers and institutes of excellence including the Faith-Justice Institute, Institute for Catholic Bioethics, Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations, Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support, Pedro Arrupe Center for Business Ethics, and the Richard Johnson Center for Anti-Violence. The university maintains membership with chapters of Phi Beta Kappa, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Alpha Sigma Nu. Students and faculty routinely receive prestigious fellowships and scholarships including Fulbright and Goldwater.

College of Arts & Sciences

The College of Arts & Sciences comprises 21 departments, offering a wide array of majors and interdisciplinary minors in the humanities, social sciences, education, natural science, mathematics, and computer science. The McNulty Scholars Program aims to provide women in STEM fields extensive undergraduate research and mentorship, awarding full and associate level scholarships each year. The Summer Scholars Program awards competitive grants to students every summer to engage in research and creative projects under faculty mentorship.

Graduate degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences include biology, computer science, criminal justice, education, gerontological services, health administration, health education, nurse anesthesia, psychology, public safety and environmental protection, training and organizational development, and writing studies. Many of the programs offer post-master's certificates in a variety of areas. The College also offers a doctoral degree in education.

The Professional & Liberal Studies program is Saint Joseph's undergraduate continuing studies division. As early as 1852, the administration at Saint Joseph's organized educational opportunities for adults. In addition to traditional on-campus programs and majors, PLS offers accelerated degree programs in English and professional communications, health administration, and leadership. PLS students wishing to pursue a degree during the day take advantage of the division's bridge program, and professionals in certain areas can take part in off-campus programs in professional communications, criminal justice, food marketing, and purchasing and acquisitions.

Erivan K. Haub School of Business

The Haub School of Business is an international AACSB-accredited institution in business and accounting offering programs at the bachelor's, master's and executive master's levels. U.S.News & World Report has ranked the school's part-time MBA, risk-management and insurance, marketing, management, and finance programs among the top in the nation. The Haub School was recently named one of the nation's top business schools in the Princeton Review's "The Best 300 Business Schools," and the undergraduate program was recently recognized by Bloomberg's Businessweek.

Established in 1979, the Erivan K. Haub School of Business has a distinguished tradition of preparing business leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs for successful careers. Today, it is the largest undergraduate Jesuit business school in the country with 3,400 students, 75 full-time faculty and more than 22,000 alumni.

The Haub Degree Completion Program offers more flexibly structured programs in the Haub School leading to a bachelor's degree and other programs leading to associate degrees or certificates, as well as other opportunities for personal or career development

Haub School is one of only 15 business schools in the country to feature a Wall Street trading room. The room provides access to electronic sources of financial and investment data, analytical tools, and trading simulations. Students in certain classes must trade stocks to prepare themselves for specific careers.

Haub was awarded The Beta Gamma Sigma 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 Silver Chapter Award, and the 2010 Gold Chapter Award. The HSB has been ranked in numerous reports and studies done by national companies, magazines, and websites.

Honors Program

The Honors Program offers an enriched curriculum that broadens cultural interests, integrates knowledge, sharpens writing skills and encourages student involvement in the learning process. Students may enroll in General Honors, which is awarded upon successful completion of eight Honors courses, or a combination of six Honors courses and Departmental Honors, which is awarded upon successful completion of a two-semester honors level research project. Students of an exceptional caliber may apply for the University Scholar designation. Those who qualify are freed from four to ten of their senior year course requirements in order to complete an independent project of unusual breadth, depth and originality. Claver House serves home to the Honors Program and provides honor students 24-hour access to the building's study spaces and computer labs.

Undergraduate

U.S. News & World ranks Saint Joseph's as eleventh among "Regional Universities (North)" The Princeton Review named the university one of the best Northeastern Universities in 2014. In 2013, Forbes ranked the university as the 107th best nationally, 96th best private school, and 24th best in the northeast. US News and World Reports ranked SJU's Marketing, Accounting, and Insurance undergraduate programs as 10th, 21st, and 3rd respectively in the North.

In 2014, The Haub School of Business was ranked the 89th Best Undergraduate Business Program in the country, which represented a 3 spot increase from 2013. The Princeton Review also named Saint Joseph's as one of The 295 Best Business Schools.

Graduate

The Haub School of Business' part-time master's program 19th best program in the country and the best in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Bloomberg BusinessWeek also ranked the Haub School of Business Part Time MBA as 29th Best in the country. In 2010, US News and World Report ranked the Haub School of Business' part-time MBA program as the best in Southeastern Pennsylvania and one of the top 25 in the nation. The 2011 US News and World Report ranked SJU as the 6th best Master's University in the North.

In 2010, SJU's Executive MBA program was ranked 18th in the nation. The graduate programs in Finance, Management, Marketing, Accounting were ranked 20th, 23rd, 23rd, and 24th in the nation respectively.

Online

Saint Joseph's University has expressed a commitment to increase its online offerings. Undergraduate, graduate, and MBA classes are offered online to students. US News and World Reports ranked Saint Joseph's as the 61st best online bachelor's program, 57th best graduate business program, and the 90th best online graduate education programs.

Campus

Saint Joseph's University's campus, often referred to as Hawk Hill, is located on City Avenue, which splits the university between the western edge of Philadelphia and Lower Merion Township. A bridge which goes over City Avenue, connects the two sides of the campus. Its 103 acres (0.42 km2) are concentrated from Cardinal Avenue to 52nd Street and Overbrook Avenue to City Avenue. The university also owns several buildings, which are not on the main campus. With the acquisition of the Maguire Campus, 57 of the 114 acres (0.46 km2) are located on the Lower Merion side of City Avenue. In all, there are 92 buildings on the university's campus.

It is within 15 miles (24 km) of La Salle University, Harcum College, Rosemont College, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Temple University, Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, Philadelphia University, Eastern University, Cabrini College and Villanova University. SEPTA regional rail train stations on each side of campus provide students with easy access to Center City.

Main campus

The main campus is located on the Philadelphia side of City Avenue between Cardinal and Overbrook Avenues and 52nd Street, and is the original location of the university when it moved to City Avenue in 1927. Saint Joseph's most recognizable building is Barbelin Hall, 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 would later go on to construct many buildings in Washington, D.C. such as The Pentagon and The Jefferson Memorial.

Main campus contains the majority of academic buildings, first-year residence halls, and campus houses. Barbelin (College of Arts & Sciences), Mandeville (Haub School of Business), Bellarmine, Post, and Science Center comprise the main academic halls. Campus houses are a prominent feature of main campus serving as departmental offices for fine arts (Boland Hall), communication studies (Bronstein Hall), and the President and Provost (Regis Hall), as well as several housing options for first-year students and upperclassmen. 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 Academic Center 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 2011-2013. Drexel Library and Post Learning Commons are connected via a glass atrium and bridge through the heart of campus. Unique to the Post Academic Center is the Campbell Collection in Food Marketing and Post Academic Center houses approximately 355,000 volumes, 1,450 print journals, 15,000 full-text electronic journals, 2,800 e-books, 866,000 microforms, 4,975 audio-visual materials.

Campion Student Center is the hub for student activities, student life administrative offices, and dining facilities. The building was renovated in 2008 and now includes the main dining hall; a food court featuring Grille Works, Subway, and Hawk Wrap; and the C-Store. The student center 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 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 5800 City Ave and serves as a welcome center for prospective families and offices for all enrollment management operations.

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 acres (150,000 m2) was named the Maguire Campus for the lead donor, a 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.

The Maguire Campus features three main academic buildings: Merion Hall, Connelly Hall, and Toland Hall. Merion Hall is the largest of the academic building on the Maguire Campus and includes the University Gallery. 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 which was made possible with donations totaling over $8 million is located in Connelly Hall. Duperreault, Quinn, and Windrim Halls are campus houses serving as administrative space for University Advancement.

Athletic facilities include the Michael A. O'Pake, Esq. '61 Recreation Center, Ellen Ryan Field (field hockey), John Smithson Field (baseball), Curran Lawn, and a softball field.

Along with all of the buildings and fields, the Maguire Campus adds over 300 parking spaces for faculty and students, and a number of acres will be turned into green space. There are over 600 different species of trees on the Maguire Campus.

Overbrook Campus

The Overbrook Campus is located about a mile from and Main Campus—near Overbrook Train Station. Saint Joseph's University owns buildings on both sides of City Avenue. Currently, the campus holds 6 dorms, reserved exclusively for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. These dorms are: Ashwood Apartments, Wynnewood Hall, Merion Gardens Apartments, Pennbrook Apartments, Morris Quad Townhouses, Moore Hall. It also houses the Alumni House.

Although it is located about a mile from the main campus, Saint Joseph's University runs shuttles every 30 minutes (and 15 minutes during peak hours) to accommodate students.

Housing

Approximately 80% of students at Saint Joseph's live on campus, and on-campus residency is required for freshmen and sophomores. Housing options include residence halls, apartments, townhouses, and campus houses.

First-year students can choose from two traditional residence halls (McShain Hall and Villiger Hall), two suite-style residence halls (Sourin Residence Center and LaFarge Residence Center) or two campus houses (Tara and Quirk Halls). Villiger Hall, the university's newest residence, opened in August 2012. All first-year housing options are located on main campus.

Sophomores, juniors, and seniors can choose to live in several campus houses, including Hogan, Jordan, St. Albert's, Sullivan, St. Mary's, and Xavier Halls. Apartment-style living is available on campus at Pennbrook, Lancaster Court (Weymouth and Hastings), Ashwood, Rashford, Lannon, and Wynnewood. There are two exclusive Junior-Senior living communities in the Merion Gardens Apartments and the Morris Quad Townhouses, and six Residential-Learning Communities focused on Science (freshmen), Emerging Leaders (freshmen), Business (freshmen), Romero (upperclassmen), Arts (upperclassmen), Business (upperclassmen).

Current developments and plans

During a presentation to the faculty in April 2013, President Kevin Gillespie, S.J., announced that, partially thanks to the popular Magis campaign, the university is beginning to expand, as it has a freshman class of 1,300 students enrolled for the Fall 2013. By 2017, it hopes to enroll 6,000 undergraduate students.

The university is heading into the final leg of its strategic plan, Plan 2020: Gateway to the Future, focused on increased academic distinction, facility enhancements, and endowment growth. The university has raised over $12.1 million and created 40 new scholarships under President Gillespie's Magis Scholarship Initiative.

Larger campus enhancement projects include a new dining hall and black box theatre on Maguire Campus, and an expansion of Mandeville Hall currently on hold due to funding concerns.

Demographics

Saint Joseph's 8,860 students come from all over the United States with most coming from the Northeast, including Pennsylvania. 4,670 of these students are traditional undergraduates, while the university's graduate and professional student population is numbered at 3,580.

The student body is 51.5% female and 48.5% male. The retention rate for Saint Joseph's is high, with about 88.3% of students returning for their sophomore year. 74% of students graduate within 4 years. This is due to, in part, the student-faculty ratio, which is 14:1. Additionally 39.7% of classes have less than 20 students.

Admissions

Saint Joseph's University is considered selective through its admission rate. The overall acceptance rate is 58.3% with the early action acceptance rate of 68.4%. The average freshman retention rate is 88.3%.

94% of the Class of 2013 were either employed, pursuing graduate studies, or involved in full-time volunteer programs within six months of graduation. The average starting salary was $48,400 for the Class of 2013, while the average graduate student from the Class of 2013 received $13,600 in scholarships.

Beginning with the Class of 2014 high school graduates, Saint Joseph's University is test optional. This means that it does not require applicants to submit SAT or ACT test scores, although applicants may choose to submit these scores. The University's program is a 4-year test program, which will be reaccessed in 2017.

In Summer 2014, John Aller, associate provost for enrollment management at Saint Joseph's, discussed the progress of the SAT optional program. For the class of 2018, applications increased by 8 percent to 8,500. About 18 percent of those applicants chose not to submit test scores. Of the incoming Fall 2014 freshman class of 1,350, one in five was admitted without having submitted test scores. Haller also noted that the average GPA for the class is identical to last year's class.

Organizations

The school offers over a 100 student organizations. Saint Joseph's has 20 NCAA Division 1 Athletic programs, 30 clubs and intramural sports, fitness programs, and competes in the Philadelphia City 6 Extramural Classics. Organizations include national fraternities and national sororities, a radio station, and two newspapers, The Hawk and the HawkEye, the Student Union Board, the Student Senate, and the Student Concert Committee among many others.

The Villiger Debating Society, the school's 150-year-old, nationally recognized speech and debate team, has finished in the top twenty in the nation for the past ten years. The organization also hosts an annual speech tournament every November on the Saint Joseph's University campus for High School students from across the United States. Additionally, The Villiger Debating Society offers a scholarship opportunity for incoming students focusing on leadership, competition, and service.

Academic organizations including the Deans Leadership Program, academic fraternities, and honor societies, are present alongside interest groups and those that pertain to nationality and diversity such as the Caribbean Club and the Black Student Union. Women's groups such as the Women's Leadership Initiative and Hawk Women are also present on campus among many others.

SJU strives to be an inclusive and diverse community, focusing on caring for the whole person. SJUPride is an undergraduate student organization that strives to create inclusive spaces for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and Ally people. All undergraduate SJU students of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome. Pride strives to create holistic experiences for all members of the LGBTQIA community. Pride works toward an inclusive understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity in the context of and as it intersects with race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, ability, socio-economic status, and culture.

Given its commitment to serve others, over 500 students participate in weekly service through the school. The University also promotes the alternative Spring Break program Appalachian Experience, where students perform service in Appalachian communities. Students are also afforded the opportunities to participate in Weekly Service, a program that allows the students to choose their desired service site, ranging from working with children to soup kitchens, and serve once a week throughout the semester. While Appalachia and Weekly Service are popular, there are many more avenues for service on and off campus.

Any student may start any club provided that they reach the required minimum number of students, have a faculty advisor, and file all appropriate paperwork with Student Leadership and Activities.

Publications and media

Saint Joseph's University publishes an official alumni magazine, "SJU Magazine," three times a year. In addition, standalone magazines are published once a year for the Haub School of Business (called "Haub School Review") and College of Arts and Sciences (called "Intellect"). The Hawk, the university's student newspaper, is published weekly during the fall and spring semester. The Crimson and Gray Literary Magazine showcases the best of student fiction, poetry, and artwork in an annual publication; students and faculty may download the magazine for free (available from the organization's website) or pick one up from select locations around campus. The Drexel Library has its own newsletter called Library Lines. The Saint Joseph's University Press prints books and articles written by faculty and other authors.

Radio 1851

Radio 1851 is Saint Joseph's University's student-run radio station that 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 then moved to FM in the 80s.

1851 Entertainment

1851 Entertainment is a student-run, event management organization run by Saint Joseph's Entertainment Marketing majors and Music Industry minors. The club presents various events on and off campus including Open Mics at The Perch, the school's student lounge and other showcases and charity events such as Rock To Remember.

Greek life

Saint Joseph's University recognizes eight social Greek organizations and two 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.

Social Sororities

No sorority has ever been closed or otherwise dormant.

Athletics

Saint Joseph's University is home of the Hawks, the University's athletic program. The Saint Joseph's school colors are crimson and gray. It fields teams in 20 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 which intensifies local rivalries within Philadelphia City Schools. Its effect on Saint Joseph's causes intense games with Temple University, Villanova University, the University of Pennsylvania, and inter-conference rival LaSalle University.

Saint Joseph's is also a member of the City 6. Similar to the Big 5, the City 6 comprises the entire Philadelphia Big 5 plus Drexel University, which did not participate in NCAA Division 1 Athletics until 1973. In addition to official team rivalries, the local colleges also compete in various extramural sporting events to crown a City 6 Champion.

The Hawk mascot

One of the most famous mascots in college sports, the Saint Joseph's Hawk has been flapping its wings for 57 years. Jim Brennan originated the idea for a hawk as mascot during the 1954-55 season. Brennan, an ex-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 dollars needed to buy the initial costume, which Brennan donned for three years. He made his debut as the Hawk on January 4, 1956, 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 representing the Saint Joseph's motto, "The Hawk Will Never Die". In addition to the constant flapping, the Hawk is also recognized by its "flying" in figure eights around the court during timeouts.

Men's basketball

While Saint Joseph's fields 20 NCAA sports, the University's most popular sport is the Men's basketball team. Saint Joseph's has a rich basketball tradition. The Saint Joseph's basketball teams play most of their home games at Hagan Arena on the school's campus, while some games are played at the Palestra, which is located at the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.

Saint Joseph's major rival is Villanova University. The rivalry is known as the Holy War, although starting in 2013 both schools have requested the media refrain from using the term. The school maintains other intense 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."

Athletic facilities

  • John Smithson Field: Named after alum and former interim president John Smithson, the Hawks on-campus baseball field opened in 2012 on 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 Gillin, Jr. Boathouse: Saint Joseph's University celebrated its sesquicentennial anniversary in 2000–01. In conjunction with that celebration, the SJU Rowing Program, along with Saint Joseph's Prep, kicked off a capital campaign to finance the construction of a state-of-the-art boathouse on the Schuylkill River. 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. The total cost for the project was approximately $3 million, plus an endowment fund to support ongoing operational costs.
  • Sweeney Field: Laid out in a natural bowl in the center of Saint Joseph's campus, Sweeney Field (formerly known as Finnesey Field) has been the home of Hawk athletic teams since 1929. 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.
  • Tennis Complex at the Maguire Campus: The tennis team moved to the six refurbished courts on the Maguire Campus in 2009 with the first SJU Invitational.
  • Finnesey Courts: Adjacent to Sweeney Field stand the Finnesey Courts and home to the Hawk men's and women's tennis teams from the late 1940s until 2009. Prior to that SJU primarily played its home matches at the nearby Narberth courts. When courts were first built on campus, they were located where Bellarmine Hall now stands. Due to Bellarmine's construction in the summer of 1960, however, the Finnesey courts were torn down and rebuilt in their current location. These courts are still used by students.
  • Michael J. Hagan Arena: The on-campus home of the Hawks basketball teams, 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
  • The university also has a 240 by 120 four-court multi-purpose area for basketball, tennis, and volleyball, an indoor four-lane 200-yard (180 m) jogging track, an 8-lane 25-meter indoor pool with a 300-seat observation area, four racquetball courts, locker rooms and saunas, a large fitness center, and nine outdoor tennis courts. The Maguire Campus includes another two gyms, a pool, and a weight room, this has been renamed to the O'Pake Athletic Center.

    Alumni

    There are over 60,000 living alumni of Saint Joseph's who live in all 50 states and 59 countries.

    References

    Saint Joseph's University Wikipedia


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