January 23, 2020
The past 10 years have seen significant progress at Susquehanna University.
Here are some highlights.
Welcome, President Green
Jonathan Green became our 15 th president in 2017. His inauguration included delegates from more than 90 colleges, universities and professional societies. At the end of 2019, he announced the SU 2026 Strategic Plan.
Fly, River Hawks!
The River Hawks became our moniker in 2016, represented by Benny, our beloved mascot. Selected via a community-wide vote, River Hawks are distinctive, powerful, adaptive and resilient — all characteristics of Susquehanna’s students and alumni.
A Generous Gift
In 2018, the university accepted one of its largest gifts to date — from Lucille Arthur, widow of Douglas Arthur, Class of 1949 and World War II veteran. Doug Arthur Stadium was named in recognition of her $10 million gift.
New Digs
In 2010, the university dedicated its Natural Sciences Center, which is home to several programs. The 81,000-square-foot, LEED-certified facility is the largest academic building on campus.
In 2017, we dedicated our new Admission House, designed to be a campus beacon and a symbol of opportunity to all prospective students.
Sustainability Starts with SU
Our Center for Environmental Education and Research has expanded significantly over the past several years.
- Our Freshwater Research Institute, funded by a grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, opened in 2015 at the CEER.
- In 2018, we flipped the switch on our 14-acre, 12,000-panel solar array that supplies 30 percent of the university's electricity needs.
- Last year, we welcomed a flock of fleecy lawnmowers — sheep graze around the solar array to keep the grass trimmed.
- The Campus Garden has blossomed to 15,000-square-feet of raised beds, in-ground plots, and a greenhouse. Students grow and donate hundreds of pounds of healthy food each year to those in need.
Expanded Opportunities for Women
In 2019, we announced the Signe Gates and Dawn Mueller Women's Leadership Fund. The multi-million-dollar fund supports a robust, four-year preparation plan for every female student — nearly 1,300 — that includes career exploration in major cities; job-shadowing experiences with SU alumni; professional conferences; and summer research, internships or other experiential learning opportunities.
Weaving a Culture of Diversity and Inclusion
Two affinity ceremonies celebrate the accomplishments and experiences of students from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
Now in its fourth year, Umoja — the Swahili word for unity — honors students of color at Susquehanna. Umoja ceremonies are held in the fall to welcome first-year students and in the spring to celebrate graduating seniors.
Held for the first time in 2019, our Lavender Graduation Ceremony honors lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally students by acknowledging their achievements and contributions to the university.
Success on the Field and in the Classroom
Over the past decade, our athletes have captured 27 conference championship titles in 13 sports. The women's swimming and diving program has claimed nine consecutive Landmark Conference titles. The football team earned the program's first-ever national rankings in 2019 and has won three straight Centennial-MAC Bowl Series games. In the classroom, our student-athletes have captured five CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and 21 Landmark Conference Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards.
Alumni Mentor Students at Break Through
In 2012, the university launched Break Through, the annual two-day, student-alumni networking conference. Students benefit from a career expo and alumni presentations and panels. It has grown to include Career Treks of students visiting alumni at their offices in New York and Philadelphia.
3 + 2 = 2 in 5
In the latter half of the decade, we began offering dual-degree programs at three of the U.S. top-50 universities in engineering for our students majoring in chemistry, computer science, mathematics or physics. In addition to a degree from Susquehanna, students earn an engineering degree from Case Western Reserve, Columbia, or Washington University of St. Louis.
Bloomberg Terminals Offer Real-World Experience
In 2015, we added Bloomberg Terminals to our state-of-the-art Student Investment Center at the Sigmund Weis School of Business. The terminals allow students to analyze and trade stocks like professionals.
Endowment Sees 89% Increase
Over the past 10 years, Susquehanna’s endowment has grown from $91 million to $172 million. This growth enables Susquehanna to offer more financial aid to students, and to further enrich academic offerings.
