General News

Nicholas Bloom, Ph.D., the William D. Eberle Professor of Economics at Stanford University, will deliver The University of Scranton's 40th Henry George Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. Dr. Bloom's lecture, “How Working from Home Reshaped America," will begin at 7:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Dr. Bloom is internationally recognized as one of the world's leading economists studying productivity, management practices, technological change, remote work and innovation. His research has transformed the understanding of how management quality influences firm performance and economic growth. It has provided influential evidence on the effects of hybrid and remote work on organizations and employees. His work has been widely cited by policymakers, business leaders and researchers around the world.

Dr. Bloom earned his Ph.D. in Economics from University College London and joined Stanford University's Department of Economics after faculty appointments at the London School of Economics and Stanford's Graduate School of Business. He is a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), a fellow of the Econometric Society and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

His research has appeared in many of the profession's leading journals, including the American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Review of Economic Studies and Management Science. He has received numerous honors for his research contributions and is widely recognized for pioneering large-scale studies examining management practices across countries, as well as the economics of working from home.

Considered the preeminent public lecture series on economics in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Henry George Lecture Series is presented by The University of Scranton's Department of Economics, Finance and International Business and the University's chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society in economics. Previous Henry George lecturers include 13 Nobel Prize winners in Economics: Philippe Aghion (2025), Daron Acemoglu (2024), David Card (2021) Paul Romer (2018), Robert Shiller (2013), Tom Sargent (2011), Peter Diamond (2010), Paul Krugman (2008), Joseph Stiglitz (2001), George Akerlof (2001), Amartya Sen (1998), Robert Lucas (1995) and Robert Solow (1987). The lecture series is named in honor of 19th-century American economist and social reformer Henry George and is supported financially through a grant from the Progress and Poverty Institute.

For more information about the Henry George Lecture, call 570-941-4209 or email pamela.turbessi@scranton.edu.

The University of Scranton is one of America’s Best Colleges, according to an inaugural ranking produced by TIME Magazine in partnership with data research firm Statista.

TIME’s list consists of 500 colleges and universities that earned the highest final scores based on a model structured around three key pillars: Student Outcomes, Learning Environment and Attractiveness.

The rankings were weighted heavily toward Student Outcomes, which accounted for 75% of a college’s final grade. According to TIME, this category “assesses what students gain from attending an institution, measured after they leave it.” TIME used three data components — graduates’ earnings, graduation rate and return on education — to determine each college’s Student Outcomes value.

The University of Scranton had a strong performance in the Student Outcomes pillar, ranking No. 150 in the nation.

Overall, Scranton is No. 241, ranking ahead of in-state colleges and universities including Washington and Jefferson, Duquesne, Pitt and Temple, among others.

Follow this link to read more about the study’s methodology.

Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton is a Catholic and Jesuit university with 70 majors and more than 40 graduate programs housed in its three colleges (the Kania School of Management, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Leahy College of Health Sciences). Scranton has recently been recognized in national rankings by U.S. News and World Report, Forbes and The Princeton Review. The most recent First Destination Survey by the Roche Family Center for Career Development  revealed success rates of 99% and 100% for Scranton's undergraduate and graduate members of the Class of 2024.

The Hope Horn Gallery at The University of Scranton will present five exhibitions during its 2026-27 season, featuring works by acclaimed artists, educators and collectors while also hosting lectures, receptions and educational programs.

The season opens Sept. 8 with “Joy in the Process: Selections from a Regional Collection,” a curated exhibition highlighting artists who have helped shape Northeastern Pennsylvania’s arts scene. This curated exhibition features work by John Willard Raught, Graydon Mayer, Hope Cumming Horn, Predrag Djordjevic, Louis Pontone, Cliff Prokop, William Tersteeg and Karl Neuroth, among others. The curator’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, followed by a public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. The exhibition will remain on display through Oct. 9.

The next exhibition is “Peter Hoffer: Reflections Five Decades of Art,” opening Oct. 19. Hoffer, professor emeritus at Marywood University, has worked for than 50 years as an artist and educator. The exhibition features paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints and collages he produced. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, followed by a public reception on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will remain on display through Nov. 20.

“Inscapes: Paintings by Leigh Pawling” is the next exhibition, which will open Feb. 1. Pawling, who maintains a studio in Kingston, is a painter who uses systems of mark-making to explore the symbolism of numbers, vertical lines, circles, the figure in motion and nature. Pawling’s artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, with a public reception on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will remain on display through Feb. 26.

Next is “Meditations: Drawings by J.M. Dunn,” an artist and art historian and professor emerita at The University of Scranton. Dunn has spent a lifetime considering and creating relationships between words and images. Spontaneously produced with marker using an automatic drawing technique, this series is informed by Dunn’s study and understanding of Biblical narratives and Renaissance art. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium. A public reception will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. It will remain on display through March 24.

The final scheduled exhibition is “Jon Carsman: Painting and Place,” opening April 1. Carsman was born and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Back Mountain region. He was a painter and printmaker known for his vibrant images of forest streams, village roads and urban neighborhoods. Included in the exhibition are acrylic and watercolor paintings representing Carsman’s work from the 1970s and 1980s. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 2, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium. A public reception will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. It will remain on display through May 14.

The Hope Horn Gallery is a facility devoted to fostering the arts in Northeastern Pennsylvania with exhibitions and programs designed to complement the University’s curricula, encouraging campus and community collaborations, supporting regional artists, providing arts in education opportunities and showing students’ work. All exhibitions, lectures and receptions are free and open to the public.

For more information, please visit the Hope Horn Gallery’s webpage.

A full day of collaboration, reflection and planning marked the latest milestone in The University of Scranton’s Middle States Self-Study. Self-study is a process of reflection and assessment undertaken by institutions accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) every eight years. The process invites institutions to evaluate their effectiveness, demonstrate compliance with accreditation standards, assess educational quality and success in meeting its mission and identify priorities for continuous improvement.

Approximately 60 faculty, staff and administrators gathered in August for a daylong retreat, convening the University’s steering committee and their working group members as they examine the University from all angles and discuss ways in which it can advance its Catholic and Jesuit mission.

“At a time when higher education is facing serious challenges, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to engage with an expansive group of people from across the University to kick off an intentional process of self-study,” said Michael J. Jenkins, Ph.D., co-chair of the Middle States Self-Study along with Sarah B. Kenehan, Ph.D. “Throughout this self-study, we will reflect on aspects of this institution that make this place special, while also answering important questions about what our institution needs to do to meet future challenges and continue serving our students and community.”

Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., president, opened the retreat with a prayer, followed by an address from WeiDong Zhu, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Participants then reviewed progress, examined supporting evidence, shared findings from across their groups and collaborated on next steps to strengthen the self-study report.

The Middle States Self-Study is in Year 2 of a three-year process. It will continue throughout the academic year, with opportunities for University community members to engage in discussions and provide feedback that will help inform the final report.

For more information about the University's self-study process, please visit its page on the University website.

A diverse collective of University of Scranton faculty and staff recently gathered to discuss the increasing influence of artificial intelligence, with Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical letter as a focal point.

The Jesuit Center at the University led a reading group examining “Magnifica humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence” on Aug. 28. The encyclical, published in May 2026, is divided into five chapters and includes the pope’s appeal for accountability in the development process of AI.

According to Tim Dulle Jr., Ph.D., executive director of the Jesuit Center, 44 faculty and staff signed up for the reading with an additional waiting list. Because of the high demand, participants were split into separate discussion groups held simultaneously in Brennan Hall’s Casey Conference Room and the Slattery Center. Both groups will meet again on Sept. 14.

The encyclical and its contents were of particular interest to the Jesuit Center, whose mission is to assist the University “in keeping its Catholic and Jesuit character at the center of the educational enterprise.”

“There was so much energy around the first American pope, so, when they were releasing 'Magnifica humanitas,' I thought, ‘We have to do something on this. This is right in our wheelhouse,’” Dr. Dulle said. “We are dealing with what it means to be people in the age of AI. We are trying to teach students to be responsible in the age of AI.”

Members in attendance at Brennan Hall began by watching a short video accompanying the letter’s release, which encouraged viewers to “break the chains of digital slavery.” They reflected on the first three chapters of the document with the campus community in mind, pointing out students and faculty have expressed varying viewpoints on the applications and usefulness of AI.

Some emphasized the importance of critical thinking, and expressed concern the pope's outline didn't address its decline in greater detail. Others pondered whether further development of AI could take away the dignity of the individual and create wider technological divides within communities.

“I thought it was really useful to contextualize these current technological changes with Catholic social teaching, and how people and faculty at a Jesuit university should think about that and incorporate it into our everyday work,” said Adam Pratt, Ph.D., chair of the History Department.

Dr. Dulle ultimately characterizes the encyclical as a conversation starter more than a full-on critique or attack on AI, but it leaves plenty of room for debate and engagement. The letter includes multiple uses of words such as “criteria” and “foundations,” suggesting the pope is encouraging wider dialogue.

“The news headlines really framed this as the pope vs. big tech,” Dr. Dulle said. “And I think to frame it like that says more about what people think about big tech than it does about the encyclical.”

Visit the Jesuit Center homepage to learn more about its programs and upcoming events.

University of Scranton President Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., announced an administrative reorganization on Wednesday, Sept. 2, designed to support the University’s strategic priorities and position the institution for continued success.

As part of the reorganization, Robert W. Davis Jr., Ed.D., ’03 G'10 G'13, will be appointed Executive Vice President, effective Sept. 4. In Dr. Davis’ new role, the following divisional leaders will report to him: Elizabeth M. Garcia, Esq., Associate Vice President for the Office of Institutional Compliance and Title IX; Stephen Hietsch, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration; and Patricia L. Tetreault ’93 G'00, Vice President for Human Resources. They will remain members of the President’s Cabinet. Dr. Davis, who has served since 2022 as Vice President for Advancement, will continue to lead Advancement and serve as the Athletics Direct Report.

“Over the past two decades, Bobby has brought dedication, imagination and a very impressive work ethic to every role in which he has served,” Fr. Marina said in a letter to the University community. “His experience leading our Student Life, Athletics and Advancement teams and serving as Chief of Staff for three presidents has given him a highly comprehensive understanding of the University. Along the way, he worked hard to improve his knowledge of higher education, earning a Doctor of Education Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016.”

The following members of the President’s Cabinet will continue to report directly to Fr. Marina: Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., Vice President for Mission and Ministry; Robert B. Farrell, J.D., Ed.D., General Counsel; Lauren S. Rivera, J.D., M.Ed., Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students; Gerald C. Zaboski ’87 G’95, Senior Vice President for the Office of the President; WeiDong Zhu, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Shannon Zottola, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing.

“Making this change will allow me to focus even more time on ensuring the success of our Strategic Plan and Strategic Enrollment Management Plan,” Fr. Marina said. “It will free me up for more fundraising and for building community, both internally and externally.”

Having earned bachelor’s, master’s and MBA degrees from The University of Scranton, Dr. Davis brings more than 20 years of experience in student life, athletics, advancement and executive administration, along with a deep commitment to the University’s Catholic and Jesuit mission. As Vice President for Advancement, he provided overall leadership for “A Fire That Kindles Other Fires Campaign to Advance Mission, Access and Excellence,” the largest capital campaign in University history, which exceeded its goal by a wide margin and raised $155.7 million.

The new structure reflects the University’s commitment to advancing the goals of Strategic Plan 2030, announced earlier this year.

The University of Scranton's 2026-27 academic year is underway.

As the seasons change, here are a few summer headlines you may have missed, as well as some announcements for upcoming events in the fall.

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Princeton Review: Scranton a 'Best College' With Top Marks for Service and School Pride

The University of Scranton was once again selected by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges, in addition to earning three national top-25 rankings in categories that reflect a campus culture rooted in connection, service and school pride.

Read a full article about the rankings by clicking this link.

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F.I.R.S.T. Program Hosts Community Fun Day, School Supply Giveaway

Forty incoming University of Scranton students traded a week of summer break for a week of service, highlighted by a Community Fun Day and back-to-school supply giveaway for local families.

FOX56, WBRE and WNEP were among the media outlets that covered the activities organized by the University's F.I.R.S.T. (First-years Involved in Reflective Service Together) program.

Follow this link to see full coverage on Royal News.

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Senior Accounting Student Named PCAOB Scholar

Camia Rosella Capalongo ’27, an accounting major from Scranton, was named a 2026 Scholar by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. She is one of 677 college students in the nation to receive the scholarship, which recognizes students pursuing accounting studies and supports their development as future professionals.

Read more about the honor in a full article on Royal News.

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Fall Schemel Forum Programs To Feature Nationally Recognized Presenters

The University of Scranton's Schemel Forum will offer an eclectic lineup of programs this fall, including a World Affairs Luncheon Seminar with Rev. James Martin, S.J., H'17, a New York Times bestselling author and frequent media commentator.

Read the full lineup of fall Schemel Forum events by following this link.

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Fall Concert Season Schedule Announced

Performance Music announced its fall concert season public performance lineup, with the first show quickly approaching on Friday, Sept. 18.

Read more and discover the full schedule of events by following this link.

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The nation’s leading organization for sustainable building practices recently awarded one of its highest ratings to The University of Scranton’s newest facility, as the U.S. Green Building Council recognized Robert S. ’68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall with LEED Gold certification.

Opened at the start of the 2025-26 academic year, Weiss Hall is Scranton’s fourth building to achieve LEED certification. The Loyola Science Center is also Gold, while Edward R. Leahy Jr. Hall and the Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center are Silver.

According to James L. Caffrey, DBA, associate vice president for facilities management, Weiss Hall was initially targeted to achieve LEED Silver certification. He described the Gold designation as coming with both “a profound sense of pride and a deep sense of responsibility,” as the University is currently engaged in a seven-year process to become designated by the Vatican as a Laudato Si’ University. 

Among the major elements that helped Weiss Hall achieve LEED Gold certification are:

• Mass timber construction: Weiss Hall was built using a sustainable wood product that significantly reduces the building’s carbon footprint.

• Solar power: Rooftop solar panels generate clean electricity.

• Natural light design: Large glass windows and walls bring more daylight into the building, reducing the need for artificial lighting.

• Energy-saving climate systems: High-efficiency heating, cooling and ventilation systems automatically adjust temperatures to reduce energy use.

• Water conservation: Low-flow fixtures lessen demand on municipal water supplies. 

“Earning the LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council represents a major milestone for The University of Scranton,” Dr. Caffrey said. “It signifies that Weiss Hall exceeds industry standards for sustainable design, energy efficiency, reduced water use and environmentally conscious construction.”

Weiss Hall is a four-story, nearly 90,000 square-foot facility on Madison Avenue. It houses more than 30 offices/research spaces, 12 study rooms, 11 classrooms, six exam rooms, two large seminar rooms and two rooftop terraces. It was built to support both institutional and community excellence, serving as the home for the University’s Small Business Development Center, the University of Success, Student Health Services and the Center for Health, Education and Wellness, as well as the Departments of Cybercrime and Homeland Security and Psychology. Weiss Hall also has a first-floor IDEA Center, which is equipped with cutting-edge equipment for production of various means.

LEED certification stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and is recognized worldwide as a marker for achievement and leadership in sustainability.

Once again selected as one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The University of Scranton also earned three top-25 rankings that reflect a campus culture rooted in connection, service and school pride.

The Princeton Review’s annual college guide, “The Best 392 Colleges,” was published Tuesday, Aug. 18. The highly anticipated ratings and rankings are based on the results of thousands of surveys, completed by college administrators and current students, plus institutional data.

In addition to being counted among the 392 best colleges — The Princeton Review does not rank the schools overall in a numerical list — Scranton ranks in the top-25 nationally in the following categories:

• No. 20 Great Outdoors: Students Get Outside

• No. 24 Most Engaged in Community Service

• No. 25 Students Love Their School Teams

The Princeton Review rates colleges in several categories on a scale of 60 to 99. Among Scranton’s highest scores were 90 for accessible professors and 86 for interesting professors. The publication quoted students saying professors are “at Scranton because they want to teach and forge relationships with students” and they “are very determined to see you succeed.”

Scranton also received high scores of 85 for financial aid and 85 for quality of life, with students saying the campus atmosphere “is typically rather lively” with a “pretty walkable” campus that has many “comfortable and beautiful places to study and do work.”

“The colleges we profile in ‘The Best 392 Colleges’ vary by type, size, locale and campus culture,” Rob Franek, the book’s lead author, said in a press release. “The colleges that make our ranking lists in the book do so entirely as a result of their own students’ opinions of them. We don’t rank the schools on a single hierarchical list, nor have we ever crowned one college ‘best’ overall. No school is best overall. For 35 years, our goal for this project has been to create multiple ranking lists and resources to help college applicants answer what is likely the toughest but also the most important question in their journey to college: ‘Which college is best for me?’”

Earlier this summer, The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management appeared on The Princeton Review’s list of Best Business Schools for 2027. This is the 21st consecutive year that Scranton has been included in the listing among the nation's top business colleges. Scranton’s KSOM was one of 208 colleges selected as a Best On-Campus MBA Program. Selections and rankings were based on more than 60 data points derived from surveys of students and business school administrators.

Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton is a Catholic and Jesuit university with 70 majors and more than 40 graduate programs housed in its three colleges (the Kania School of Management, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Leahy College of Health Sciences). Scranton has recently been recognized in national rankings by U.S. News and World Report, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. The most recent  First Destination Survey by the Roche Family Center for Career Development revealed success rates of 99% and 100% for Scranton's undergraduate and graduate members of the Class of 2024.

Forty incoming first-year students at The University of Scranton will begin their college experience with a week of service, reflection and community engagement through the University’s F.I.R.S.T. (First-years Involved in Reflective Service Together) program.

Now in its 24th year, F.I.R.S.T. brings first-year students to campus approximately one week before the start of classes to participate in volunteer service with nonprofit and community organizations throughout the Scranton area. The students are guided by a team of upper class student leaders and staff members from the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice.

The 2026 F.I.R.S.T. program will take place Monday, Aug. 24, through Friday, Aug. 28, with students volunteering at a variety of organizations and community sites, including the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center, St. Joseph’s Center, NeighborWorks, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank and CHOP Out Hunger. The program will also co-host a community day on Tuesday, Aug. 25, in conjunction with Friends of the Poor/Catherine McAuley Center: Partnership for the Common Good at Novembrino Park in West Scranton.

The program is coordinated by the Center for Service and Social Justice, which provides students with opportunities to engage with community partners, develop leadership skills and connect service experiences with the University's Jesuit mission.

For more information, please email avianna.carilli@scranton.edu or call 570-941-7429.

The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum will offer an eclectic lineup of programs this fall, spanning topics including culture, health care, history, media, politics and beyond. The events are sponsored by Munley Law.

The first of the Schemel Forum’s two evening courses this fall explores television series M*A*S*H as a lens through which to examine American culture, war and storytelling. Charlie Cino, English and theatre instructor at The University of Scranton, will lead the course. The second evening course examines Karl Marx’s “Das Kapital,” one of the most debated and influential works of economic and political thought. Andrew LaZella, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at The University of Scranton, will lead the course. The M*A*S*H course will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, beginning Sept. 10 and concluding Oct. 15, in Room 305 of the Weinberg Memorial Library. The Karl Marx course will be held from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on Mondays, beginning Oct. 19 and concluding Nov. 23, also in Room 305 of the library.

The first of four World Affairs Luncheon Seminars will feature Rev. James Martin, S.J. H’17, a New York Times best-selling author and frequent media commentator seen and heard throughout the world. Father Martin’s lecture will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, inside the McIlhenny Ballroom on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center. Terence Keel, Ph.D., an award-winning professor at UCLA, will discuss death records and accountability in cases involving police violence from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Dr. Keel’s presentation will be held inside the Rose Room on the fifth floor of Brennan Hall. Victor Goines, jazz chair at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, will explore the various forces that have shaped the evolution of jazz from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the Rose Room in Brennan Hall. Steven J. Scheinman, M.D., dean emeritus of the Geisinger College of Health Sciences, will present on the “social determinants of health” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, at the Rose Room in Brennan Hall.

The Schemel Forum will co-sponsor two collaborative programs, beginning with Peace Ike’s presentation and discussion on “The 3 Degrees of Why: Moving Beyond Positions to the Stories That Shape Us.” Ike is a culture strategist, dialogue facilitator and speaker who works across secular and faith-based spaces to build bridges and foster cultural transformation. Ike’s presentation, offered in conjunction with the University’s Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall. Beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Pearn Auditorium on the second floor of Brennan Hall, the documentary,"The Librarians," will be screened. A panel discussion will follow featuring Susan Campbell Bartoletti, an award-winning author; Kate Cummings, assistant professor and research and instruction librarian for business and AI at the University’s Weinberg Memorial Library; and Michele Legate, district consultant for the Northeast Library District, based out of the Scranton Public Library. The screening and panel are presented in partnership with the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

The Schemel Forum’s annual University for a Day program will return from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, in the Moskovitz Theater of the DeNaples Center. Participants will attend three lectures presented by University faculty members on topics ranging from theology and mindfulness to college football analytics. Presenters include Will Cohen, Ph.D., professor of theology; Katherine J. Stefanelli, Ph.D., assistant professor of counseling and human services; and David A. Mahalak, D.Eng., assistant professor of operations and analytics.

Registration fees vary by program and membership level. The collaborative programs are offered free of charge. World Affairs Luncheon Seminars are priced at $30 per person. University for a Day is $35 per person; however, the first 100 high school students to register may attend free of charge. Membership options and package rates are also available.

For complete program details, registration information and membership rates, please visit the Schemel Forum website, email schemelforum@scranton.edu or call 570-941-4740.
 

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• Two courses

  • M*A*S*H: Television, War and American Culture with Charlie Cino, English and theatre instructor at The University of Scranton (Thursdays Sept. 10, 17, 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15 at 6 p.m.)
  • Karl Marx’s Das Kapital with Andrew LaZella, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at The University of Scranton (Mondays Oct. 19, 26, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23 at 6 p.m.)

• Four World Affairs Luncheon Seminars

  • James Martin, S.J. H’17, “Work in Progress: Confessions of a Busboy, Dishwasher, Caddy, Usher, Factory Worker, Bank Teller, Corporate Tool and Priest (Friday, Sept. 18 at 11:30 a.m.)
  • Terence Keel, Ph.D., “The Coroner’s Silence: Death Records and the Hidden Victims of Police Violence” (Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 11:30 a.m.)
  • Victor Goines, “Jazz: From the Streets and Clubs to the Schools and Concert Halls” (Friday, Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m.)
  • Steven J. Scheinman, M.D., “Why Do We Have the Worst Health Care Outcomes? A Consideration of the Social Determinants of Health” (Monday, Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m.)

• Two collaborative programs

  • “The 3 Degrees of Why: Moving Beyond Positions to the Stories That Shape Us” with Peace Ike (Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.)
  • “The Freedom to Read: A Screening and Panel Discussion of The Librarians” with Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Kate Cummings and Michele Legate (Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m.)

• One session of University for a Day (Saturday, Sept. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)

  • “The ‘New Right’ and the Old Liberalism of John Courtney Murray, S.J.” with Will Cohen, Ph.D., professor of theology at The University of Scranton
  • “Stress, Mindfulness and Resilience: Small Changes, Big Results!” with Katherine J. Stefanelli, Ph.D., assistant professor of counseling and human services at The University of Scranton
  • “Evaluating Alternative College Football Playoff Structures: A Multicriteria Framework for Balancing Stakeholder Objectives” with David A. Mahalak, D.Eng., assistant professor of operations and analytics at The University of Scranton

Performance Music at The University of Scranton is excited to announce to the public its fall concert season public performance lineup.

The concerts are open to the public and free of charge. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted (e.g. Noel Night), and take place in the Houlihan-McLean Center at Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton.

For further information on the concerts or Performance Music at The University of Scranton, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on guest artists, please visit their artist websites (links can be found on the events page at scranton.edu/music).

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Friday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m.
IN RECITAL: BAROQUE OR BUST!
Aisslinn Nosky, violin, and Caroline Nicolas, cello

Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.
FAMILY WEEKEND CONCERT: SWINGIN’ THE CLASSICS
The Anderson Twins Sextet with an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.
GENERAL RECITAL
University of Scranton Performance Music student musicians in solo, duo, trio and small ensemble performances

Friday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.
IN RECITAL: SAINTS & SPIRITUALS
Marcus Printup, trumpet, and Riza Printup, harp

Saturday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.
IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton Jazz Band with guest artist Victor Goines, woodwinds
(Visit scranton.edu/schemelforum for info on Goines’ luncheon lecture on Friday, Nov. 6.)

Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.
IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton String Orchestra

Saturday, Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m.
IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton Symphonic Band

Saturday, Dec. 5, 8 p.m. (prelude from 7:05, doors open at 7)
59th ANNUAL NOEL NIGHT
The University of Scranton Singers, String Orchestra and Chamber Ensembles with special guest Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon H'06

Friday, Dec. 11, 7:30 p.m.
EMPTY STOCKING BENEFIT CONCERT: HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD featuring Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner, piano
(Admission “charge” is one new unwrapped toy or piece of children’s clothing, or a cash donation. All proceeds will directly benefit local families in need.)

 

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IF YOU GO

What: Free concerts at The University of Scranton
When: September through December 2026
Where: The University of Scranton Houlihan-McLean Center (Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton)
Admission: Free

The University of Scranton’s University of Success recently received a $2,000 donation from Waymart Inmates Nurturing Growth and Stability (WINGS).

Founded in 1996, the University of Success is a four-year, pre-college mentorship program that provides high school students with educational opportunities and support designed to help them gain entrance into a college or university. The program is a fully funded by corporate and foundation grants, ensuring there is no charge to students and their families.

WINGS, based at SCI Waymart, actively raises funds for charitable causes and local organizations including the University of Success.

Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University of Scranton president, took part in a portion of this year's Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Presidents’ Pilgrimage to Rome, where he and his peers met Pope Leo XIV.

Father Marina met with the Pope on Thursday, June 25, at Consistory Hall, where Pope Leo acknowledged the challenges facing humanity and higher education.

“Often times young people are left without hope in a world that seems to lack the promise of a better future, and the natural environment continues to be degraded by those who would use the planet’s resources for their own interests instead of for the common good,” Pope Leo said. “Our world is also increasingly aware of the growing impact of artificial intelligence and the wider-ranging effects it can have on humanity.”

Pope Leo encouraged the AJCU delegation to address these challenges, using a framework provided by the Society of Jesus’ four Universal Apostolic Preferences as their guide. The full text of Pope Leo’s address is available online.

“Students normally begin their academic careers full of idealism and energy, often seeking to serve the needs of others,” Pope Leo said. “The studies that take place on your campuses, the friendships that naturally blossom there and the opportunity for all in your academic communities to encounter the thought and research of great scholars, both past and present, can bring a sense of hope and the promise of what could change for the better.”

Father Marina, who entered the Society of Jesus in 2004 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2012, described the experience as “inspiring.”

“It’s hard to describe what it feels like and how inspiring it is when you’re there not only representing yourself, but a much broader reality, namely the mission of Jesuit higher education and The University of Scranton,” Father Marina said. “I was very proud to represent this fine institution that we all know and love so well.

“And I want to bring that experience back here to Scranton. It should not be just a memory and an experience that I had but something that we can all share together.”

Father Marina’s cohort also met with Very Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J., superior general of the Society of Jesus.

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A photograph of the presidents’ meeting with Father Sosa appeared in a news article on the AJCU’s website. A gallery of online images is posted on the Vatican Media website.

Born in Chicago, Pope Leo was elected last year as the United States of America’s first leader of the Roman Catholic Church. His predecessor, Pope Francis, who served from 2013 until his death in 2025, was the first Jesuit pontiff.

Father Marina has served since 2021 as The University of Scranton’s 29th president. He previously served as an administrator at institutions of higher learning including Le Moyne College, where he was provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of education. He is a graduate of St. John’s University, Boston College and Fordham University.

Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton offers 70 majors, more than 40 graduate programs and has been recognized in recent national rankings by U.S. News and World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Princeton Review and Forbes. The most recent First Destination Survey by the Roche Family Center for Career Development revealed success rates of 99% and 100% for Scranton's undergraduate and graduate members of the Class of 2024.

The Society of Jesus is the Catholic Church’s largest religious order of priests and brothers. The AJCU is comprised of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities spanning 17 states, the District of Columbia and Belize.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This message, written by Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, was shared ahead of Independence Day with members of the University community.

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Dear Friends,

Yes, I am old enough to remember the bicentennial celebration of the United States of America in 1976! In fact, it occurred in the same year that I graduated from elementary school. Now, as the USA approaches its 250-year anniversary, Scranton continues to show forth a resilient people and a nation still emerging.

When I moved to Scranton more than five years ago, I carved out a daily walking route that took me through the historic Scranton Iron Furnaces just beyond Fitzpatrick Field. I remember being moved by those moments of stillness, peering over the ledge into the silos and imagining the booming, back-breaking work being done by thousands of Scrantonians in the 19th century.

I learned during my early days in Scranton that, before iron rails and anthracite coal defined the local industry, there was a previous attempt to advance commerce in the Area by manufacturing wrought iron nails. I also read that the nails produced here often failed. They were brittle and broke easily. The venture to build up Northeastern PA nearly went from boom to bust but was saved when proprietors deftly ditched the nails for rails, giving way to something stronger and more enduring.

And yet, the thought of those nails lingers in my mind — an early failure at the root of a story about reinvention and strength.

We know that not all nails fail. In the saving death of Jesus, the nails held. They pierced both his hands and feet, bearing the full weight of suffering and sacrifice as the life of the world itself seemed to give way.

However, something much greater was unfolding. What appeared to be the end was actually a beginning and what seemed to be defined by death was, in fact, transformed into life eternal.

Both stories, one industrial and one sacred, reflect the passage of hardship into something brighter and enduring. Each story reflects the truth of a people and perhaps a nation: that we are formed not only by what succeeds, but by how we endure and respond in the face of challenge. We are saved by grace, not by nationalism.

As we reflect upon America’s 250th birthday through a local lens, what can we discover here in Scranton?

To begin with, our summer is already an active one. The great Big Boy train engine rolled into town a couple of weeks ago with much fanfare, drawing tens of thousands of onlookers. The city’s downtown has “World Cup fever," with fans gathering for live entertainment and festive fun. Incoming first-year students have carried their hopes and dreams onto our campus for New Student Orientation and our summer schedule of camps and conferences is just revving up.

While our coal mines and iron furnaces have been quiet and cool for decades, hard work in our city and at our University has not gone away. It has simply taken on new forms inside classrooms, laboratories, hospitals and small businesses where another kind of labor, which calls for its own endurance and skill, has emerged.

These do not feel like separate moments but signs of life instead, continuing at a place still gathering, still welcoming, still becoming. We do not see a story of uninterrupted success but instead something more honest and human. We see a place and a country shaped by what breaks and by what holds.

On behalf of my Jesuit brothers, please accept my very best wishes and promise of prayers on this great anniversary of our nation. May the very best still lie ahead of us, for our nation and for our mission.

Yours faithfully,
Joseph G. Marina, S.J.
President

The University of Scranton's New Student Orientation for the Class of 2030 concludes on Thursday, July 2, capping a two-week, four-session program that offered incoming students a first look at campus life and connections with classmates, faculty and staff.

Across the sessions, students were introduced to the academic, extracurricular and community opportunities that define the Scranton experience. A large group of orientation leaders and staff members guided the newest Royals — and their family members — through the transition to college, encouraging them to engage fully, build relationships and begin finding their place within the University community.

The incoming students were divided into four groups who each participated in a two-day orientation session. The fourth and final group began its session on Wednesday, July 1.

The University's 2026-2027 academic year begins with the first day of classes on Monday, Aug. 31.

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This Year’s Leaders Share Advice for New Student Orientation

Ahead of this year's New Student Orientation, Royal News caught up with the four current undergraduate students who served as Orientation Team Leaders.

Click here to read what Mary McAlpin, Michael Mancini, Gavin Kovaleski and Michael Zipay shared with readers and incoming students. 

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Pope Francis Co-author Speaks at University's Judaic Studies Lecture

While the University turns its attention to the upcoming school year, we aren't too far removed from the end of the past school year.

One of the highlights late in the spring term included Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Ph.D., a globally recognized scholar, author and longtime collaborator of Pope Francis, who visited Scranton to deliver the Judaic Studies Institute Lecture.

Click here to read more about Dr. Skorka's appearance.

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University to Honor Robert S. '68 and Marilyn A. Weiss at President's Medal Gala

In case you missed it, the University announced this year's President's Medal Gala will be held Thursday, Oct. 1, at Pier Sixty in New York City.

Click here for more information about the upcoming event and the President's Medal recipients, Robert S. '68 and Marilyn A. Weiss.

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In addition to the regular Wednesday email newsletter, The University of Scranton's Royal News website is updated continuously throughout the year with new stories, features and announcements. Readers may visit at any time to find the latest news from across the University.

The University of Scranton hosted Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Ph.D., a globally recognized scholar, author and longtime collaborator of Pope Francis, at its recent Judaic Studies Institute Lecture.

Dr. Skorka’s lecture, titled “The Pope and the Rabbi: My Story of Friendship and Dialogue with Pope Francis,” took place Tuesday, May 12, at the Pearn Auditorium inside Brennan Hall. It was free and open to the public.

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dr. Skorka highlighted his decades-long relationship with Pope Francis, a fellow Argentine. Dr. Skorka and Pope Francis’ friendship began in the second half of the 1990s and evolved through ongoing dialogue grounded in mutual respect and intellectual exchange. They collaborated on the 2013 book “On Heaven and Earth,” which explored topics including faith, family and the role of the Church in the modern world.

The Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute was created at Scranton in 1979 through an endowment funded by the local Jewish community. The lecture is one of the program’s annual highlights. Marc B. Shapiro, Ph.D., professor and chair of theology and religious studies at The University of Scranton, serves as its chair.

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From Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 24, The University of Scranton welcomed thousands of guests who arrived with the shared motive of celebrating Scranton's newest graduates.

Karen L. Pennington, Ph.D. '76, G'83, H'15, was among commencement's most active participants. Dr. Pennington, a longtime higher education administrator, was in town to celebrate her 50-year class reunion and to also serve as the principal speaker who imparted wisdom upon the 900-plus undergraduate and 450-plus graduate members of the Class of 2026.

"Some of us old-timers are back here today because there's something about this University that not only lives in your memory, but that gets in your bones and never goes away," Dr. Pennington said at the undergraduate commencement ceremony. "It's not just the cura personalis that was part of your Ignatian experience; it's the community of which you have been and will always be a part. There are faculty members whose words will come to you at the strangest times. There are lessons you learned that you won't even realize you learned until you need them. And those people sitting beside you, those classmates who were there — they're so much a part of your Scranton days and will continue to be so important to you at your best and your worst times."

In case you missed it, here are a few stories covering one of the best times of year at The University of Scranton:

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Scranton Holds 2026 Undergraduate Commencement (Full Story + Photos)

Curious about this year's most common majors? The most populous states? The distinguished individuals who received honorary degrees?

We've got you covered. Click here to read more about the undergraduate commencement ceremony. Follow this link to watch it.

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Graduate Commencement Held at Mohegan Arena (Full Story + Photos)

For master's and doctoral graduates at The University of Scranton, commencement offered an opportunity for class speaker Harshil Nariya G'26, of Enola, to reflect on the empathy, resilience and sense of responsibility he and his classmates developed at Scranton.

Click here to read the full story from graduate commencement. An archived video recording is available at this link.

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Class of 2026 Selects Teachers of the Year

The University’s graduating senior Class of 2026 awarded this year’s Teacher of the Year to Sinchul Back, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the cybercrime and homeland security program; and Andrew Venezia, Ph.D., associate professor of health and human performance.

Click here to read more about the faculty members and their meaningful award.

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Outstanding Graduates Recognized at Class Night

The University of Scranton honored 65 members of its undergraduate Class of 2026 for academic excellence, leadership and service at a Class Night ceremony.

Click here for a list of all the award winners and their awards.

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Top Master's, Doctoral Graduates Awarded

The University of Scranton recognized 34 outstanding master’s and doctoral degree graduates at its graduate commencement events.

Click here to read more about the graduate honorees.

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Scranton Graduates Commissioned as Second Lieutenants

Five members of The University of Scranton's Class of 2026, along with three additional members from other regional colleges, were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army.

Click here to read more about the Royal Warrior Battalion.

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Additionally, the University was featured in a handful of news articles and videos about topics unrelated to graduation:

• WBRE visited the IDEA Center at Weiss Hall
• The Hope Horn Gallery's anthracite art was featured on WVIA
• WNEP spoke with a faculty member about bird migration

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Continue reading Royal News all year round to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings at Scranton.

The Scranton Brass Orchestra will perform a “pops” concert on Sunday, June 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center at The University of Scranton. Admission is free. The performance is open to the public with doors opening at 6:50 p.m. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

The program for the concert features compositions, arrangements and transcriptions for brass band/brass orchestra, including pops hits, Disney favorites and music for film. The evening’s fare will include Malcolm Arnold’s "Four Scottish Dances," Turrin’s "Overture for Brass," a number of Disney favorites, the theme from "Bridge Over The River Kwai" and more.

The Scranton Brass Orchestra is under the direction of Cheryl Y. Boga and is presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton. Co-founded by Dr. Hal Baillie and Mark Gould, the fully professional 26-member ensemble comprised of brass and percussion players/teachers from the region is entering its 14th season. The group's performances are free of charge, open to the public and have often featured nationally and internationally acclaimed guests, including many of the most respected brass players of our time. The group made its debut before hundreds of appreciative audience members in June 2011 and has since garnered acclaim from both audiences and musicians alike.

For additional information, visit scranton.edu/music or email music@scranton.edu.

One person's dedication can have a profound positive impact on the lives of many. 

On Nov. 5 in Manhattan, Regis High School recognized Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., H'04, as an individual of that caliber.

Fr. McShane, the Superior of the Scranton Jesuit Community, received the Regis 2025 Deo et Patriae Award at a reception held on Nov. 5 at the tuition-free and merit-based Jesuit High School in New York. Fr. McShane led The University of Scranton as president from 1998 to 2003. 

The award is given annually by Regis, to "a person who has served Regis and the community in a distinguished capacity during the course of his or her life," as described in an article on the school's website. 


(Photo Courtesy Regis High School / Regis.org)
Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., Superior of the Scranton Jesuit Community, received the Regis 2025 Deo et Patriae Award at a reception on Nov. 5 at Regis High School in New York. Shown are, from left, Russell Quiñones, Regis REACH program director; Maureen Barry, Regis vice president for advancement; Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., and Rev. Christopher J. Devron, S.J., Regis president. 

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Fr. McShane, a member of the Regis Class of 1967 and the former President of Fordham University, is quoted in that same article:

"My debt to Regis is enormous," said Fr. McShane.  "In fact, it is not wide of the mark to say that after my parents, Regis was the most formative influence in my life. And so the truth of the matter is I owe just about everything — everything I have and everything I have become — to Regis. Everything."

Learn more about Fr. McShane's outstanding dedication to Jesuit education and his instrumental work in establishing the residential component for Regis’s REACH Program at both Regis and The University of Scranton. REACH, through a transformative middle school program, empowers high-achieving young men from underserved communities as Catholic leaders committed to faith, scholarship, and service.

View a video of the award presentation.

Nearly 100 students bagged, loaded and delivered food to local families as part of The University of Scranton’s Thanksgiving Feed-a-Family Project.

This annual initiative, organized by the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice (CSSJ), featured significant involvement from nearly 100 students including several dozen members of the men’s lacrosse team who worked alongside CSSJ staff members to bring holiday cheer to families in need.

Food was purchased with contributions from the University’s annual drive and supplemented by donations from Wegmans and the Weinberg Food Bank. Volunteers began packing bags on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 23, and within hours, had delivered 150 Thanksgiving meals to residents of Valley View Housing and Hilltop Apartments in Scranton.

For additional coverage, please visit WNEP and The Times-Tribune.

Continuing a beloved holiday season tradition, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present its 58th annual Noel Night concert on Saturday, Dec. 6. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. in the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Doors open at 7 p.m. and prelude begins at 7:05 p.m. Admission is free with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Considered the University’s Christmas gift to the community, Noel Night has been a must-attend event for many Scranton-area residents since its founding almost 60 years ago by the Rev. Edward Gannon, S.J.

Noel Night features The University of Scranton Singers with preludes this year performed by the String Orchestra and Flute Ensemble. Outdoor instrumental caroling by members of the University Bands will greet audience members as they arrive. The concert will also feature guest harpist Marg Davis and pianist Ron Stabinsky.

Davis is a multi-genre harpist based in Houston, Texas. She performs regularly with professional orchestras such as the Houston, Kansas City and St. Louis Symphonies, as well as in solo, choral and chamber music performances throughout North America. She has collaborated with jazz guitarist and vocalist Vilray on his debut single, “Even in the Evening.” Davis graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Harp from The Juilliard School and earned her Master of Music degree from Yale School of Music.

Stabinsky is probably best known nationally as a member of the notorious band “Mostly Other People Do The Killing,” the reunited rock band “Meat Puppets,” Relache Ensemble and The Peter Evans Ensemble. A classical solo and orchestral pianist, a straight-ahead jazz musician, occasionally a rock musician and an accomplished free improviser, he enjoys making music in stylistically diverse situations throughout the United States and Europe with a wide variety of musicians and ensembles.

According to Performance Music conductor and artistic director Cheryl Y. Boga, the program will continue its tradition of performances of a variety of sacred selections interspersed with readings of Nativity texts. Included in the program are musical works by J.S. Bach, Judith Clurman, Dan Forrest, Noël Goemanne, Stephen Paulus, Saint Saëns, Mark Sirett and André Thomas.

The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no music major at the University and all enrolled University of Scranton students are eligible for membership in the bands, choirs and string ensembles, with neither an audition nor enrollment fee required for membership. Hundreds of students participate in the ensembles each year.

For more information on Noel Night, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website.

 

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IF YOU GO:

What: 58th annual Noel Night concert, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton

When: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, 8 p.m. (doors open at 7, prelude begins at 7:05)

Where: Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton

Admission: Free

The University of Scranton's graduate program in clinical rehabilitation counseling recently marked a milestone with the help of its alumni.

The program hosted a 60-year anniversary celebration on Oct. 30, when numerous alumni and community members attended the event at the Kane Forum inside Weiss Hall.

Two distinguished program alumni — Rob Froehlich, an associate professor of counseling at George Washington University and staff member at George Washington’s Center for Rehabilitation Counseling, Research and Education, and Helen Froehlich, senior vice president of Utilization Management at Genex — presented, “AI – Where Do We Draw the Line? Ethics and Boundaries.”

The program is now accepting applications for the fall of 2026. Visit the graduate admissions webpage for more information.

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The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum will offer Collaborative Programs exploring medieval books and Finland’s history, culture and economy.

On Thursday, Nov. 13, the Schemel Forum will partner with Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library for the lecture, “From Manuscript to Print: The Journey of Medieval Books,” presented by Professor Michael Knies, special collections librarian and university archivist.

This fall, the McHugh Family Special Collections at the Weinberg Library unveiled its earliest printed book — a circa-1470 editio princeps of De Dignitate Sacerdocii (Dialogue on the Dignity of the Priesthood) by St. Johannes Chrysostomus, as part of an exhibit of the Library’s medieval collections. Donated by University benefactor Edward R. Leahy ’68, H’01, this rare incunabulum, printed by Ulrich Zell, links directly to the legacy of Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of printing.  It is one of about 10 known copies of this book worldwide and is the earliest printed book in the Weinberg Library’s collections.

According to Knies, the book was produced by the first printer in cologne, Germany, Ulrich Zell, who learned the craft from Gutenberg’s partners. An especially interesting feature is the inclusion of a hand-painted initial, something not found in all early printed books.

“The main text of the book was printed and space was left for painted initials added later by a specialized scribe called a rubricator,” said Knies.

Along with the recent donation, the exhibit will include other early printed books, three complete medieval manuscripts and many individual pages from other manuscripts. The manuscripts are unique by definition as they were written by hand and many have decorated initials and decorative borders. Additionally, less than 5% of manuscripts created from this period are still in existence. What remains are “the survivors,” said Knies. These books offer a rare window into a 1,000-year period of Western history, both secular and religious.

“Each piece embodies the preservation and transfer of information and knowledge, as well as artistry and craftsmanship that went into making the book,” said Knies.

During his presentation, Knies will trace the transition from handcrafted medieval manuscripts to the mechanical press, featuring the Library’s complete manuscripts, manuscript leaves and incunabula (early printed books) from before 1500.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. The lecture, exhibit and light refreshments are complimentary and open to the community, courtesy of the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library. The accompanying exhibit will be on display in the Weinberg Library’s Heritage Room through December 12.

“Finland: History, Culture, Economy,” a collaborative program with the Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series, will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in the PNC Auditorium and Atrium of the Loyola Science Center.

The ninth presentation in the Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series will welcome the distinguished Ambassador, Her Excellency Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, of Finland, to The University of Scranton. The evening will offer the campus and broader community an enriching exploration of Finland’s fascinating history, vibrant culture and dynamic economy through the ambassador’s presentation. Following the lecture, attendees will be treated to an authentic cultural performance that will showcase the rich artistic traditions of this Nordic nation. The program will conclude with a reception, providing an opportunity for informal conversation and cultural exchange between the ambassador, performers, students, faculty and community members.

This event continues the lecture series’ mission of bringing international perspectives to Scranton while fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation for Finland's unique contributions to world history, arts, and global commerce.

The lecture, cultural performance and reception will be complimentary and open to the community, courtesy of the Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Endowment.

For additional information or registration information, contact Rose Merritt at 570-941-4740 or rose.merritt@scranton.edu.

Additional Schemel Forum events can be found on the Schemel Forum’s webpage.

The University of Scranton’s positive momentum, as it sustains and improves upon its status among the nation’s top universities, is reflected across multiple categories examined by The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal’s list, “2026 Best Colleges in the U.S.,” released Sept. 27, features Scranton ranking No. 112 in the all-encompassing “Best Colleges” category. Two years ago, Scranton ranked 148th and one year ago it was 125th in the category, which considers graduate salaries, graduation rates, diversity and the results of a survey about institutions’ learning environments.

“Unlike other school rankings, this list emphasizes one point: How well did the college prepare students for financial success?” The Wall Street Journal said. “More than any other factor, it rewards the boost an institution provides to its graduates’ salaries, beyond an estimate of what they could have expected from attending any college.”

Factoring heavily into Scranton’s success in the overall category is a strong performance in “Best Salaries,” where Scranton ranks No. 124 nationally and No. 10 in Pennsylvania. Once again, Scranton is moving closer to the top, as it ranked No. 152 last year and No. 170 two years ago. The methodology is based on a college’s impact on graduate salaries and how it relates to the cost of attending the colleges.

Taking into consideration a range of criteria related to cost and returns — namely the average net price and value added to a graduate’s salary — The Wall Street Journal theorizes Scranton graduates need only a short time (two years, six months) to "pay off" the net price of their college degree.

Additionally, Scranton ranks No. 140 overall and No. 5 in Pennsylvania in “Social Mobility.” After ranking No. 282 last year, Scranton climbed 142 spots year-over-year. This category reflects several factors, including a college’s ability to maintain high graduation rates and have a positive impact on graduate salaries while minimizing the cost of attending the college.

The Wall Street Journal’s “2026 Best Colleges in the U.S.” list, is one of numerous publications to recently tout the value of a University of Scranton degree. Forbes and the Princeton Review also rated Scranton among the best colleges in the nation and U.S. News and World Report ranked it for the 32nd consecutive year as a top-10 college in its region.

In the next few weeks, voters will have an opportunity to visit The University of Scranton and hear directly from candidates in two important and high-profile elections on the ballot in the Nov. 4 general election.

The Scranton Mayoral Debate will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at the PNC Auditorium inside the Loyola Science Center. The Lackawanna County Commissioner Debate will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Pearn Auditorium inside Brennan Hall.

Both debates are being organized by the University’s Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service. The center’s director, Brian Snee, Ph.D., will be the debate moderator. Journalists from several local news organizations, including the Times-Tribune, Fox 56, WBRE, WNEP and WVIA, will serve on the panels.

The debates, which are expected to last about 60 minutes, are open to the public. Seating is first-come, first-served and subject to capacity limits. The debates will be shown on ECTV.

The University of Scranton — recently selected by multiple publications as one of the best colleges in the nation — will welcome hundreds of prospective students and their families to campus later this fall for a pair of Open House events.

The University will host its first Open House at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 26. A second Open House is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 9. The events conclude at about 1 p.m.

Both Open Houses will start at the John J. Long, S.J., Center before embarking on student-led tours across campus. There will be ample opportunities to interact with students, faculty, staff and administrators. Representatives of student organizations, athletic programs, arts groups and the University’s Honors Programs will be available to answer questions and provide a firsthand account of the Scranton experience.

Attendees, who will be treated to a brunch and lunch, will learn more about the unique paths available to each student in the form of 70 majors and 47 minors, as well 100-plus clubs, hundreds of service opportunities, 24 NCAA programs, intramural sports leagues and a vibrant array of creative and cultural experiences.

The University of Scranton has recently received national recognition in several publications, including the Princeton Review, which ranked it as a top-25 college in the nation in the Most Engaged in Community Service and Best Science Lab Facilities categories. The Princeton Review also selected Scranton as one of the nation’s 391 Best Colleges and featured its Kania School of Management (KSOM) on its Best On-Campus MBA Program list.

Forbes designated Scranton as one of America’s Top 500 Colleges, a ranking based on factors including outcomes for graduates. Scranton has been a top-10 Best Regional University in the North, per U.S. News, for 32 consecutive years.

The Roche Family Center for Career Development’s First Destination Survey for the Class of 2024 reported a 99% success for bachelor’s degree and 100% for graduate degree recipients. Additionally, Niche recognized Scranton as one of 50 schools with the Best College Food in America.

For more information and to register for the Open House, please visit the admissions webpage.

The University of Scranton is a top 10 college in its region with nationally ranked academic programs and distinction for innovation and support for veterans, according to U.S. News and World Report.

The publication’s 2026 Best Colleges report, published Tuesday, ranked The University of Scranton No. 8 in the Regional Universities (North) category. U.S. News has ranked Scranton in the top 10 in its category for an astounding 32 consecutive years.

Two of Scranton’s academic programs ranked among the top 40 in the nation. Scranton placed No. 38 in “Best Undergraduate Programs in Analytics” and No. 40 in “Best Undergraduate Programs in Accounting.” The University also tied for 135th in “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs,” tied for 162nd in “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” and tied for 254th in “Best Undergraduate Business Programs.” Scranton also tied for 410th in “Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs.” National rankings reflect the results of peer surveys used to identify programs of high academic quality.

The University achieved high marks in several regional categories, including No. 3 in “Best Colleges for Veterans,” a selection of schools recognized for making higher education more accessible and affordable for veterans and active-duty service members. Scranton ranks No. 9 in “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” which recognizes schools’ strong commitment to teaching undergraduates rather than conducting graduate-level research. Scranton tied for 13th in “Most Innovative Schools,” which identifies institutions making innovative improvements in curriculum, personnel, campus life, technology or facilities.

The University placed 55th on U.S. News’ “Best Value Regional Universities (North).” Scranton also tied for 106th in “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” which examines the success of schools that enroll and graduate students who were awarded Pell Grants.

U.S. News uses numerous data points to rank bachelor’s degree colleges in America, including graduation rate and graduation rate performance; retention rates; borrower debt; peer assessments; faculty salaries; student-faculty ratio; financial resources; standardized test performance; and Pell Grant student graduation rates and performance.

U.S. News categorizes colleges for their rankings based on the official Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification of universities.

Earlier this year, U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings placed five University programs in the top 50 in the nation, and several programs ranked in the top 150 in the country, including business analytics, tied for 28th; finance, tied for 31st; accounting, tied for 39th; healthcare management, tied for 46th; rehabilitation counseling, tied for 49th; occupational therapy, tied for 79th; part-time MBA, tied for 80th; physical therapy tied for 105th; nursing-anesthesia, tied for 111th; doctor of nursing practice, tied for 127th.

Scranton has recently appeared in other national rankings, as well, including being designated as one of the nation’s best colleges by Forbes and the Princeton Review.

The University of Scranton was already one of America’s best colleges, according to Forbes.

Now, the publication says, the University is getting even better.

The University of Scranton rose more than 125 spots year over year, making a return trip as one of 500 institutions of higher learning on the annual Forbes List of America’s Top Colleges 2026. The ranking is based on return on investment, average student debt and outcomes for graduates, among other factors.

Scranton is ranked 261st, climbing 138 spots from its 399th ranking a year ago.

This is the 17th year in which Scranton has made the list of elite schools, which includes 26 others in Pennsylvania.

Forbes’ ranking methodology was based on: 20% alumni salary, 15% debt, 15% graduation rate, 15% Forbes American Leaders List, 15% return on investment, 10% retention rate and 10% academic success.

Scranton’s Class of 2024 reported a 99% success rate in achieving their intended career path for graduates earning a bachelor’s degree. Those earning a graduate degree reported a 100% success rate, according to the Roche Family Center for Career Development’s First Destination Survey.

The University of Scranton has recently appeared on multiple noteworthy lists. Among them, the Princeton Review ranked Scranton a top-25 college in the nation in the Most Engaged in Community Service and Best Science Lab Facilities categories. The Princeton Review, which selected Scranton as one of the nation’s 391 Best Colleges, also featured the University’s Kania School of Management (KSOM) on its Best On-Campus MBA Programs list. The University was also highlighted by Niche as a top-50 destination for Best College Food in America. Scranton has also ranked as a top-10 Best Regional University in the North by U.S. News for 31 consecutive years.

Performance Music at The University of Scranton will welcome Relic Ensemble, an 11-piece period instrument chamber orchestra that connects with audiences through intimate, imaginative and dramatic representations of early music, on Friday, Sept. 12.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

This performance, part of Relic’s fourth U.S. concert tour, will be Relic’s inaugural performance at The University of Scranton. However, some of its individual members have graced the stage of Houlihan-McLean in seasons past (including Kako Boga, “bonus daughter” of Performance Music conductor and artistic director Cheryl Y. Boga).

The tour debuts Relic’s newest program, “The Spheres,” which takes audiences on a breathtaking journey through the cosmos by bringing to life the rich mythology of the celestial spheres through works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and others. 

Lauded as “stylish and innovative," by New York Classical Review, Relic’s programming uses narrative “chapters” to unite a variety of repertoire into a breathtaking concert experience, capturing the hearts of new and seasoned concertgoers alike. Founded in 2022, Relic's commitment to taking early music on the road to all 50 states brings it to dozens of communities each season. Relic’s recent presenters include Chamber Music Detroit, Academy of Early Music, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Indianapolis Early Music Festival, Western Michigan University and Gotham Early Music Scene. Its current season includes performances in Ohio, Michigan, Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

Committed to sharing their passion for early music with students of all ages, Relic members have given workshops, masterclasses and side-by-side performances at numerous schools. Most recently, Relic engaged in residencies at University of Maryland, Washington International School and Kalamazoo College. Relic actively seeks community engagement opportunities, offering children’s concerts, performances in nontraditional venues and open rehearsals in many of the regions it visits.

For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website. For more information on Relic, visit its website.

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If You Go:

 

What: In Concert: Relic Ensemble, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton

When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 12

Where: Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton

Admission: Free