Education Together

We are pleased to announce that St. Ambrose University has signed a new joint agreement with Mount Mercy University as we explore a potential strategic combination. We celebrate this exciting news not only for each of our universities and our communities, but also for the region.

The agreement will lead to more pathways for undergraduate and graduate students at both universities. There will be 18 distinct potential graduate pathways created by this agreement. Students on both campuses will have access to a range of courses from either university, whether in-person, or in a hybrid or online format beginning in fall 2024.

The goal of the agreement is to expand access and affordability to quality education for traditional students and adult learners alike. We also see anticipated student benefits that will include reduced time to degree completion, a strengthened core curriculum, and new opportunities for adult learners to obtain certificates and enhance their skills in the competitive labor market. We are in the process of finalizing a second agreement that will facilitate the seamless transition of qualified students from undergraduate into graduate degree programs.

Our deepened collaboration with Mount Mercy brings other benefits. Our faculty and staff will enjoy opportunities to reach more students, to collaborate with a broadened group of colleagues and to apply a more regional mindset in all we do. Our communities will be enriched by a more vibrant campus life. We anticipate co-curricular opportunities will flourish and grow as student groups involved with everything from music to athletics to student media and more will reach new audiences with their performances, competitions, and programming.

Finally, the future benefits that could result from a potential strategic combination are numerous and include cost savings and more efficient operations as we would look to share administrative functions and benefit from economies of scale.

We look forward to extending the conversation further into the community as this collaboration continues to take shape with the joint input from members of both the St. Ambrose and Mount Mercy communities.

Dr. Amy Novak, President, St. Ambrose University

Dr. Todd A. Olson, President, Mount Mercy University

Read the full press release.