University News

Student tradition: As a new class enters Saint Francis University, incoming students gather around the campus bell tower for a ceremony that marks the beginning of their university careers. A short four years later, seniors gather to listen to the bells signify the successful conclusion of their college careers. Tradition maintained: For the seniors in the Class of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic made gathering at the bell tower physically impossible. Yet University President Fr. Malachi Van Tassell TOR wanted to make sure the class received the traditional honor of closing bells. View the Class

On April 24, 2020, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope celebrated the 30th anniversary of its launch aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery with the release of a stunning new Hubble image! The Science Outreach Center at Saint Francis University is pleased to have been selected as one of a limited number of locations across the nation to unveil the anniversary photo to the public. While were we unable to celebrate in person, we were able to wish Hubble a happy birthday virtually by enjoying this new image, titled “Cosmic Reef,” pictured above. These national unveilings were the brainchild of the Space

Saint Francis University President, Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R. Ph.D., has shared the following message with the University community, announcing a move to remote instruction starting March 18th in response to the global Coronavirus outbreak . President Malachi’s message to the University community: Dear Members of University Community: I am writing to you today to share updates and decisions relative to Saint Francis University’s response to the global Coronavirus (COVID-19). While there are no confirmed cases on our campus, the institution has made several decisions that are

Redshirt senior Isaiah Blackmon (Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte) was named the third Northeast Conference Player of the Year in program history on Tuesday, joining Mike Iuzollino (1990-91) and Keith Braxton (Glassboro, N.J./Delsea) (2018-19) before him. "I am extremely happy for Isaiah," said Saint Francis head coach Rob Krimmel . "He has had to overcome so much adversity in his career and for him to win this award is a credit to his character perseverance, and work ethic. Isaiah will be remembered as one of the greatest scorers in Saint Francis history, but his ability to impact the game in a

For the tenth year, Saint Francis University has been named a “Military Friendly School” by VIQTORY. This year, the university earned the organization’s "Top 10 School" Award, which is the highest award a school can earn.

Saint Francis University’s Literature & Languages Department sponsored its third annual writing contest for ninth- through twelfth-grade students attending schools in the counties of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Clearfield, Indiana, Somerset, and Westmoreland. Students from various high schools in these seven counties and beyond submitted their short fiction, poetry, essays, and personal narratives for the contest. Each submission was judged and scored by English faculty according to these five criteria: (1) creativity, (2) structure, (3) content, (4) style and expression, and (5) grammar

Veterans and military personnel will now have an easier way to finish their degree and obtain occupational licensing. The U.S. Department of Labor announced that Saint Francis University has been awarded a 3-year, $1 million dollar grant under the Veterans Accelerated Learning for Licensed Occupations (VALLO) project. Acquired through the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation (CSOR) which is housed at the Shields School of Business , the grant allows Saint Francis University to launch the Veterans Accelerated Learning Program (VALP) . Studies have found that many veterans have a

Saint Francis University has selected American Esports to help launch its new initiative, SFU Esports . American Esports, recognized for its expertise in developing gaming programs on behalf of academic institutions, will work with Saint Francis to design its first esports arena and will provide supporting services to then structure a collegiate esports team. “We’re proud to be working with a university that has the prestige of Saint Francis," said Dani Canubas, CEO & Founder of American Esports . "This important initiative is another differentiator for a university well recognized for its

Young children develop as they explore their environment. Most are able to independently crawl, roll, scoot, creep, or walk around to explore and learn. When they are unable to do this independently they are at a disadvantage. They are limited to what toys are within reach and are often times stationary and only mobile by means of a caregiver leading the exploration. The Physical Therapy Department at Saint Francis University has a solution. In collaboration with the national organization, GoBabyGo , the university will begin producing ride along, modified battery powered cars for children

For the ninth year, Saint Francis University has been named a “Military Friendly School” by VIQTORY. This year, the university earned the organization’s Gold Award , which suggests that its programs scored within 10 percent of the 10 th ranked institution within a given category. This designation reflects the high standards upheld by the university in serving military families. The university's service-focused mission couples well with their duties as active duty or reservist men and women. SFU also welcomes veterans who have honorably served and seek to successfully transition into the