LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Administrators for Clarks Summit University announced on Monday that the nearly 100-year-old school would be shutting down for good because of ongoing financial problems.
Following the decision, Marywood University in Dunmore stepped up to offer any undergraduate students at CSU a chance to transfer.
"We are comprehensive, so we have a lot of those programs. Geographically, we are pretty close, and we knew we'd be a good fit," said Lisa Lori, Marywood University President.
Newly appointed Marywood University President Lisa Lori says the closure of CSU and other schools across Pennsylvania has led the private Catholic university to try and attract potential students at a time when enrollment across the country is down, "Higher education is going through a tough time with enrollment cliff that's coming up and financial challenges that happened after covid after federal funding started. I think we really thought ahead and planned for this."
Art Comstock, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Marywood, says the focus of higher education has shifted over the last two decades, "Years ago, when I first started at Marywood College, it was looked at as something that everybody strives for. In today's world, it's more about an expectation, and it's a transactional process as opposed to an experiential process."
While the next few years are expected to be tough, Comstock says Marywood is financially stable and ready to offer any student a chance to finish their schooling, "We just extended that hand to say hey we are here. We are in a good position. We can see you through this journey that you have."
So far, President Lisa Lori says two students from Clarks Summit University have transferred to Marywood for the upcoming school year.
She expects a handful of others from CSU and other schools to do the same.