Marywood University (MU)

Marywood University is well-known for offering some of the most unique and outstanding pre-professional programs of study in the Pennsylvania area. Students rave about the “really fantastic” education department, and they call the art therapy program “top-notch,” while the music program has a “fabulous reputation,” and the strength of the speech pathology, nutrition, physician assistant, school of architecture, and interior design programs also draw students from all over the area to the university. In addition to these outstanding programs, this small Catholic university, which consists of four colleges, a school of architecture, and a school of social work also offers a wide range of traditional undergraduate majors. Students characterize Marywood as “a small community that is serious about its academics.” Class sizes are “small, and it is easy to ask for help.” “Professors here know your name and are always willing to help you,” and according to Marywood students, “Small class sizes and attentive professors tend to favor discussion-based classroom settings.” The professors at Marywood “have a good mix of personalities.” Some professors “are nuns and priests, but most are not,” and “many of the professors are also currently working in the field,” which allows students to have a much richer, interactive learning experience.

Students describe the Marywood University community as “wholesome and welcoming.” A typical Marywood student is “well-rounded, friendly, and passionate about [his or her] field of study.” There tend to be subtle social divisions between various fields of study: “Students tend to gather in groups based on friendships formed through their majors.” Though the campus is not very diverse ethnically or economically, there is a great deal of diversity along the lines of students’ interests and personalities. Students “range from the athletic to the very religious to the extremely studious.” There are many art students on campus due to the strength of the art department, and there is a “great deal of athletes” as well. There is also a significantly larger percentage of females to males on campus. Many students are local to the area, and in general, the student body is made up of equal parts commuter students and students who dorm. Because of the small size of the university, “you see many of the same faces every day” and “get to know a lot of people” in the small campus community. “Most students interact with each other and get along well.”

Students love “the warm and welcoming feel of the campus. Everyone is so friendly, and there is so much to do. It’s more like a home than a school.” There is “usually something to do during weeknights”; the student activities club “organizes events like Bingo and Trivia Night a few times each semester as well as organizing other entertainment such as comedians and movie nights. There are clubs for every interest you can imagine.” There are also a “large number of recreational sports and classes available to students” on campus. On weekends, however, “campus usually turns into a ghost town.” On-campus rules in regard to alcohol are “overly strict,” resulting in weekend activities that often take place off campus, at “house parties and the University of Scranton.” “Students also enjoy going to clubs and bars in the downtown Scranton area on weekends,” and there are even clubs that allow students ages eighteen and up. First Fridays are a popular “monthly art/music/culture event that occurs downtown, providing the opportunity to meet local artists and musicians.” The large population of commuter students at Marywood say, “If you dorm, it is easier to be involved on campus, but commuting life is different for most people…Clubs and events are aimed more toward people who live on campus.” As for parking on campus, students say, “Finding a parking spot is as difficult as winning the lottery.”