New Nursing Simulation Lab
Immaculata University expanded its nursing facilities, opening a new nursing simulation laboratory. The nursing simulation lab, located in Loyola Hall, will be equipped with two health assessment beds and four simulation beds that include adult and infant simulation mannequins. An observation room allows students to observe the simulations virtually on a television monitor. The new lab space also includes a control room, where faculty facilitate the simulations.
Immaculata thanks the generous donors whose support made this simulation lab possible.
Zero-Cost Textbooks
This past fall, Immaculata launched Open Educational Resources (OER) to offer students zero-cost textbook alternatives. With funding from the PA GOAL (Pennsylvania Grants for Open and Affordable Learning), 10 courses, which served multiple majors and/or fulfill components of the university’s liberal arts core curriculum, were designed so that students did not pay for any additional course material. These OER-based courses replace traditional textbooks with a variety of online resources, including online texts from open-source sites, web-based articles and audio-visual resources in the public domain.
Parsons Science Pavilion Solar Power Donation
With a generous donation from President Barbara Lettiere ’72, the new Parsons Science Pavilion will include 28 institutional grade solar collector panels mounted on a portion of the building’s roof parapet, which will supply much of the electricity needed to operate eight enthalpy wheels. As an integral component of the HVAC system, these wheels will recover and redistribute previously expended energy used in the heating and cooling of the new facility. In combination, the two systems are estimated to save approximately $17,000 per year in electric and fuel costs, reduce the consumption of propane burned each year by approximately 8,200 gallons, and reduce CO2 emissions by the equivalent of approximately 68,000 pounds of coal not burned by the utility company to produce electricity.
Adding the solar panels is one of many energy saving initiatives underway or being planned by the university, including replacing light fixtures with LED lights across campus, using geothermal wells to heat and cool buildings, installing occupancy sensors and upgrading HVAC controls to save energy, and upgrading to low flush toilets and water saving fixtures. In addition, Immaculata continues its recycling program.
Saint Catherine Medal Recipient
Francesca Kalie ’22 was awarded the prestigious Saint Catherine of Alexandria Medal for 2021–2022. The Medal was presented during the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Kalie, who is a biology with secondary education major, is an engaged student at Immaculata University. She is the senior class president, a commuter assistant, an admissions ambassador, treasurer of the IU Dance Company and was previously an orientation leader for New Student Orientation. Kalie plans to teach middle school science after graduating from Immaculata.
Academic and Career Academy for Conwell-Egan Students
Immaculata launched a new collaborative educational partnership with Conwell-Egan Catholic High School (CEC), offering CEC students dual enrollment courses and an Academic and Career Academy. The new Academic and Career Academy provides an immersive and enjoyable experience for students to explore academic and career pathways before entering college. The Academy is divided into four groupings to provide various perspectives to students based upon their particular interests. The four groups are STEM, health sciences and nursing; arts education; social sciences and humanities; and business. During high school, CEC students will explore these four areas with the expert assistance of Immaculata’s career development staff, faculty, students, alumni and employer representatives.
Women’s Locker Room
The Immaculata women’s locker room was recently refurbished and updated with the generous support of an anonymous donor. The updates included removal of benches and tile flooring, replacement of lockers/cubbies, installation of carpeting and new lighting and applying fresh paint and the IU monogram.
Marywood Partnership
Operated by the IHM Sisters, Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Immaculata have entered an agreement to offer undergraduate students a path to select master’s degrees. Students from both educational institutions can choose from five degrees, and qualified applicants accepted into the program will receive a 20% tuition discount. Programs offered at Immaculata are the Master of Arts in music therapy and the Master of Science in nursing. Marywood’s degrees include Master of Arts in art therapy, Master of Science in criminal justice and Master of Social Work.
Student Scholarships
Business Advisory Scholarship
Hannah Clark ’24 was the recipient of a scholarship from the Immaculata University Business, Fashion and Leadership Department’s Business Advisory Board. The scholarship provides $2,000 each year until graduation. Clark is majoring in business management with a minor in pre-law.
McLean Scholarship
Two undergraduate nursing students, Jennifer Grubb ’22 and Margarita Barnes ’22, were selected from a substantial pool of students from Pennsylvania to receive the 2021 McLean Scholarship for Nursing and Physician Assistant Majors. The scholarships are from an endowment established by a gift from the McLean Contributionship and administered through the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania.
