Many of the communities that Alverno College serves have seen a decrease in college attendance rates across the board. The school is combatting that with ambitious capital projects. (Photo courtesy of Alverno College)
Institutions of higher learning — specifically Catholic colleges and universities — are adapting to a changing landscape that gives no signals of where it’s headed next.
Costs, declining enrollments and a workforce that is transforming have forced colleges to become creative and resourceful in dealing with the challenges that lie ahead.
“The changing landscape in higher education has made it more challenging for small religious-based institutions to thrive,” said Mount Mary University President Isabelle Cherney. “Fewer students are choosing to attend college, and many young people are taking a nontraditional route into the job market.”
That abstract concept became a stark reality on Monday, April 10, when Cardinal Stritch University in Fox Point announced it was closing its doors at the end of this semester.
The three remaining Catholic institutions in the Milwaukee area — Alverno College, Mount Mary University and Marquette University — have been planning for the shifting landscape for years with campus improvements, fundraising campaigns and innovative new programs.
“Smaller, private institutions can also be nimble and proactively implement new approaches,” Marquette University President Michael Lovell said. “We can try new things, get fast feedback and figure out what’s going to work best for our students.”
Some of the factors that have created lower enrollments and tightening budgets include the Great Recession of 2008-10, which saw decreased birth rates; the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a disruption to so many industries; and changing attitudes toward the value of a college education.
“At Marquette University, we’re emphasizing how the value of a four-year degree contributes to upward mobility and how the connections established here as a student set our graduates up for career success after graduation,” Lovell said. “We’re trying to tell this story as much as possible, sharing examples of how we prepare students to thrive as agents of positive change, capable of transforming their fields and society.”
An extenuating circumstance at Alverno is many of the communities it serves (including first-generation students and Pell Grant eligible students) have seen a decrease in college attendance rates across the board, according Kate Lundeen, the college’s Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing.
Marquette University has taken major steps in recent years to transform its campus, including a new student success center, a wellness and recreation facility, and a state-of-the-art college of business administration. The college is creating strategic partnerships to prepare students for jobs that may not even exist yet.
Marquette’s undergraduate enrollment has decreased by 987 students since the 2019-20 school year, from 8,515 to 7,528.
Marquette has also raised $665 million of $750 million goal for its multi-year Time to Rise fundraising campaign.
Among the capital improvements made at Alverno College are the Thea Bowman Institute for Excellence and Leadership, the Alverno Greenhouse, the Center for Academic Excellence, and the Research Center for Women and Girls.
The Thea Bowman Institute is a cohort model, full-scholarship program for Black undergraduates who have a strong desire to serve as leaders. The greenhouse is a state-of-the-art aquaponics facility that sustainably grows plants, vegetables and perch, offering students an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning, participate in research projects, and explore new career paths in science, food, urban agriculture, water research, conservation and human services industries. The Research Center for Women and Girls is devoted to taking scholarly research that applies to the real world, where it can inspire, transform and support initiatives that improve the lives of women and girls in Wisconsin and beyond.
Mount Mary University has actually seen an increase in its undergraduate population since the 2019-20 academic year, growing from 641 students to 647.
Despite the slight increase in students, Cherney said the university is facing the same issues as its counterparts.
“Mount Mary University has not been exempt from these issues,” Cherney said. “Mount Mary has been proactive with a major focus on enrollment growth through new programs, stronger retention and diversification of revenue. Mount Mary continues to be rated among the most successful institutions in the Midwest for graduating diverse and low-income students, and in providing value for all students regardless of their background.”
Enrollment Changes
Alverno College
3400 S. 43rd St., Milwaukee
2019-20 Enrollment: 1,743
2022-23 Enrollment: 1,596
Decrease: 147
Mount Mary University
2900 Menomonee River Parkway, Milwaukee
2019-20 Enrollment: 641
2022-23 Enrollment: 647
Increase: 6
Marquette University
1250 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee
2019-20 Enrollment: 11,819 (undergraduate and graduate)
2022-23 Enrollment: 11,167 (undergraduate and graduate)
Decrease: 652
Local Leaders Respond to Stritch News
In the spirit of giving that is one of the cornerstones of the Catholic Church, leaders of the three other Catholic colleges in Milwaukee have reached out a helping hand to students, faculty and staff affected by the news Cardinal Stritch University will cease operations at the end of this semester.
Leaders at Alverno College, Mount Mary University and Marquette University all said they will try to assist in any way possible. That was especially welcome news for Stritch students, with the timing of the announcement on April 10 putting them past most colleges’ transfer windows.
Mount Mary President Isabelle Cherney, Ph.D., wrote in a statement on April 12: “It is our goal to support Cardinal Stritch students in this difficult time. A plan is in place to allow current Cardinal Stritch students to seamlessly transfer to Mount Mary without losing any credits or class standing. In addition, we encourage Cardinal Stritch faculty and staff to apply for any vacant Mount Mary positions.”
Kate Lundeen, the Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at Alverno, said her institution is collaborating with Cardinal Stritch to build teach-out agreements and transfer plans to make the transition to Alverno as seamless as possible.
“Some of that includes offering generous acceptance of academic credits earned in order to keep students on track to their planned graduation, and working to create financial aid awards and tuition plans that match or reasonably reflect their current financial plans,” Lundeen said.
Marquette University President Michael Lovell said his school is working to hold a job fair and a student transfer fair.
“I met with Cardinal Stritch University President (Dan) Scholz, and I extended an offer for Marquette to help address the most immediate needs at Cardinal Stritch — supporting their students and employees,” Lovell said. “Both university’s teams have been working together on this.”
While the first instinct of the contemporary institutions was to reach out to help, the news wasn’t taken lightly.
“I was disheartened to see the news about Cardinal Stritch closing,” Lovell said. “It’s a loss to Catholic higher education in our community, and we believe that Catholic education teaches students to become ethical leaders in their fields by developing real skills, emotional intelligence and the ability to dissect complexity. Marquette University and Cardinal Stritch share the traditions of leadership, experiential learning and service to others that are common to our faith and our missions.”
For Lundeen, the news hit close to home — her brother earned his master’s degree, many of her teachers were instructors there and she has many close colleagues who attended or worked at Cardinal Stritch.
“First, my heart is heavy for the entire Cardinal Stritch community,” Lundeen said. “The closing of a Catholic college in our community has both an immediate emotional impact as well as ripple effects through our city. Those of us who give ourselves fully to the life-changing work of educating and developing college students of all ages know how dedicated staff and faculty are to their institution and their students.”
Said Cherney, “We are all saddened by the announcement that Cardinal Stritch University plans on closing at the end of May. We are keeping all of their students, faculty, staff, alumni, sisters and partners in our prayers, as we know this must have been such a difficult and heart-wrenching decision. Cardinal Stritch shares our commitment to Catholic, transformative education, and we grieve this loss within our community. It is indeed devastating. Meanwhile, we pray for all those affected as we move into the future, aligned in spirit and mission.”
