President H. James Williams, Ph.D. thanks the Mount Community for a successful 2025-2026 academic year highlighted by record first-year enrollment, new academic programs, and championship athletics.
As we head into the Memorial Day holiday weekend, I write to express my deepest gratitude to each of you for the energy, dedication, creativity, and compassion you brought to the Mount, throughout the extraordinary 2025-2026 Academic Year. It was a year of remarkable progress and momentum, guided by our strategic plan, To New Heights. Together, we have advanced our priorities and Mission in meaningful ways, strengthened our community, and positioned the Mount for an even brighter future.
Academic Excellence and Innovation
The Mount’s commitment to academic excellence continues to attract talented students, as evidenced by the Fall 2025 incoming first-year undergraduate class – our largest in fifteen years! This success reflects the confidence students and families place in the transformative education the Mount provides.
We also expanded our academic offerings to meet emerging student interests and workforce needs by developing the following programs:
- a Master’s Degree in Social Work;
- a Bachelor’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence; and
- a Certificate in Sports Management.
All three programs will launch in the Fall of 2026, further enhancing the Mount’s ability to prepare students for impactful careers.
Across schools and departments, faculty and students achieved exceptional accomplishments:
- the Senior Thesis Presentations in Creative Arts were enhanced, showcasing the immense talent and scholarship of our students;
- the return of the School of Business & Communication’s High School Business Competition, inspired the next generation of innovators;
- a group of Computer Science students traveled to Finland to consult with local government leaders on artificial intelligence innovation;
- the Physician Assistant Program began clinical rotations in the United Kingdom, broadening students’ global healthcare perspectives;
- the School of Business & Communication held the inaugural “Women in Business Event,” connecting students with inspiring leaders and mentors;
- the Department of Physical Therapy was granted full 10-year reaccreditation, by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE); and
- the School of Education successfully completed its reaccreditation review by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), affirming the quality and excellence of the Mount’s teacher preparation programs.
Championship Athletics
This year marked the grand opening of the most powerful Esports arena in the region on the Mount’s campus, creating new opportunities for competition, community, and student involvement. The Women’s Soccer Team and Women’s Softball Team were, both, HCAC regular season champions! Nineteen student-athletes were selected for 1st Team All-HCAC, 29 student-athletes were selected for College Sports Communicators Academic All-District, and 86 student-athletes were named Academic All-HCAC. Notably, Football Player Eli Aston was named AFCA 1st Team and AP 2nd Team All-American, and Track and Field Athlete Diego Yun qualified for the DIII NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships! It was a fantastic year for Mount athletics!
Student Engagement
The Mount launched a new First-Year Experience (FYE) in Fall 2025, which 86% of first-year students successfully completed. Significant enhancements were made to key student experiences, including Summer Orientation, Welcome Weekend, and the University’s Graduation Ceremonies. Re-imagining signature programs, including Grad Finale and The Pinnacle Series, led to double the attendance over last year.
Arts and Cultural Enrichment
The Arts flourished on the Mount’s campus, throughout the year, enriching the community and celebrating creativity, including the following productions/programs:
- three theatre productions, including student-directed one-act plays;
- five choral performances;
- four band concerts, including Soul of a Nation: 250 Years of American Music; and
- the debut of the “Easter Egg Art Auction.”
Campus Enhancements and Community Well-Being
The University continued investing in the campus and employees, throughout the year and accomplished a number of enhancements:
- completed the renovation of the Seton Center Lobby;
- enhanced campus safety, with a new key card system in Seton Hall and updated campus IDs;
- re-organized The Center for Mission & Belonging and the Advising Resource Center, to better serve students;
- launched a campus-wide Civil Discourse Action Council, to foster thoughtful dialogue and respectful engagement among members of the Community;
- hosted the inaugural To New Heights Scholarship Benefit, during Homecoming Weekend;
- welcomed more than 200 students, faculty, and staff to the University’s Campus-Wide Wellness Expo; and
- re-introduced SpringFest at the Mount, an annual celebration of community.
The Mount also honored and supported employees through the launch of its first Employee Appreciation Week and new wellness initiatives, including “FitOn” and yoga classes, developed in response to the Employee Satisfaction Survey.
Finally, Archbishop Robert G. Casey visited campus in April of 2026, and engaged with both students and campus leaders. We are fortunate that Archbishop Casey will return to campus in October to bless the Mater Dei Chapel organ and preside over a Mass.
Looking Ahead
These highlights from 2025-2026 are significant, and, of course, are just a snapshot of all that happened at the Mount over the last year. Each of you contributed in unique and important ways to the Mount’s collective success this year. Indeed, the Mount’s incredible trajectory is the direct result of your hard work, your commitment to the Mission, and your belief in what we can achieve together.
To our students: thank you for your curiosity, resilience, and ambition!
To our faculty: thank you for your scholarship, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to student success!
To our staff: thank you for the countless ways you support our students and strengthen our community each day!
Because of your efforts, the Mount is growing stronger, reaching higher, and creating new opportunities for generations of students to come. As we look toward the future, I am filled with optimism and confidence. The momentum we have built together this year is extraordinary, and – the best is yet to come!
I wish you and yours a wonderful and restful Memorial Day Weekend.
With gratitude and pride,
Sincerely,
H. James Williams, Ph.D.
President