Messiah University Q&A
You've got questions, we've got answers!
Below are the most frequently asked questions we've heard about Messiah College becoming Messiah University so far, and we'll continue to expand as we hear more.
The board of trustees and the President’s Cabinet endorsed Messiah College becoming Messiah University to better reflect our comprehensive mix of undergraduate and graduate programs—including our expansion in recent years to master’s and doctoral programs. University status also more clearly communicates Messiah’s national visibility; top-tier facilities; and breadth of academic, research, and off-campus programs for students, including international study, service and internship and career opportunities. University is also a term more readily understood outside of the U.S., which supports our continued expanding efforts to recruit international students and develop global partnerships.
The process to change from college to university with our accrediting body (Middle States Commission on Higher Education) was assisted by the fact that our institutional mission will remain the same and we have already been offering graduate programs for several years. As such, we simply needed to notify them in writing of the change prior to it occurring.
The process with the Pennsylvania Department of Education was somewhat more involved. President Phipps was required to write a letter requesting the change and describing our rationale. Messiah’s trustees needed to approve the change in their bylaws, and a copy of this action was submitted with the president’s letter to the DOE. Additional criteria is that Messiah must have been in existence for at least 10 years and in good standing with Middle States (which we meet on both counts). The College took all of these actions during spring semester 2019, and the College’s request was published by the State of Pennsylvania for a period of public comment for 4-6 weeks.
In early June 2019, Messiah College received official approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and official acknowledgement from Middle States that Messiah College will become Messiah University, effective July 1, 2020.
Students who begin at Messiah in the fall of 2020 will be the first official incoming students to Messiah University.
The undergraduate and graduate Classes of 2021 will be the first students to graduate from Messiah University.
Effective July 1, 2020, Messiah alumni may request a replacement credential (i.e. diploma/certificate) with the new Messiah University name, logo and new format/size. For previous Messiah College graduates, a notation will be made on the replacement credential stating “Original (diploma/certificate) issued by Messiah College” with the current school officials’ signatures and names. Please visit the Registrar’s Office webpage at the links below for more information.
Previous graduates may also request a replacement diploma cover by submitting a formal signed request to the Registrar’s Office using the link below. Please be advised that beginning July 1, 2020, only Messiah University diploma covers will be issued. Please visit the Registrar’s Office webpage at the links below for more information.
Note: The undergraduate and graduate Class of 2020 was the last official class to graduate from Messiah College and, as such, will receive a Messiah College diploma via U.S. mail, and will receive a Messiah College diploma cover at the rescheduled Commencement ceremony. The undergraduate and graduate Class of 2021 will be the first graduates to be awarded Messiah University credentials and diploma covers.
Messiah was originally planning to celebrate its university launch with large-group gatherings with students and employees at the start of the school year (August 2020) and with alumni and parents at Homecoming and Family Weekend (October 2020). However, Messiah has postponed these plans due to safety restrictions related to COVID-19, but will schedule additional opportunities to celebrate with its campus community in the year ahead as health and safety considerations allow.
Yes--the new mailing address for Messiah University is One University Avenue, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.
No, tuition is not impacted by Messiah’s becoming a university. Our tuition and fee schedule, at both the undergraduate and graduate level, is set annually by other unrelated institutional parameters.
Messiah’s current breadth of curriculum and academic structure already supports university status. However, future program development for undergraduate, graduate and adult degree students has been, and continues to be, a part of the institution’s strategic planning, and academic restructuring will be considered as part of the institution’s prioritization review process.
The Messiah University name and logo may begin to be publicly used on July 1, 2020! Messiah employees may refer to this announcement from the University Implementation Team about the parameters for phasing out the Messiah College logo.
The new Messiah University logo will be downloadable from Messiah's visual identity website starting on July 1, 2020, when Messiah officially becomes a university. Messiah's full visual identity website, including its new institutional brand refresh, will launch by Aug. 1, 2020, prior to the start of the new academic year.
No. Messiah University will keep the same mission statement as Messiah College. The university will also use Messiah’s current tagline, “see anew,” and identity line, “Sharpening Intellect. Deepening Christian Faith. Inspiring Action.”
Messiah Athletics will keep their current Falcon and program-specific visual identity marks, since they use “Messiah” vs. “Messiah College” and do not need to change.
There are no plans at this point for Messiah University to have a football program; this was not part of the rationale for our move to university status.