Cabrini News

Dear Colleagues, Students, and Friends,  

The Cabrini community is, in a word, amazing.

As we near the fifth anniversary of my inauguration in October, I remain in awe of what the Cabrini community has accomplished. I believe in the importance of celebrating ALL our University wins, as they reflect the very best of the institution and serve as symbols of what is possible when the entire Cabrini community comes together.

As I reflect on my time here and on our community’s successes, it is clear that Cabrini has much to celebrate.

Cabrini University is winning—in the classroom, on the athletic field, by living with purpose, and in advancing our campus plan. 

Our many accomplishments—our impact on the world—is only made possible because of the strength of our community.

Thank you for all you do to make Cabrini a winning team.

Go Cavs!

Donald B. Taylor, PhD

CABRINI IS WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM:

• Ranked among the top 40 Most Transformative Colleges in the nation by Money Magazine based on the institution’s “value add,” an indicator to showcase schools whose alumni report high levels of success
• Named a 2019 Top Performer on Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report
• Named a 2019 Best Northern University by U.S. News & World Report
• Named a 2019 Best Master’s in Education Online by Intelligent.com
• Named a 2019-20 Career Development College of Distinction
• Ranked in the top 10 percent of Best Colleges for the Money in the nation by College Factual
• Ranked in the top 5 percent for value across schools in the Mid-Atlantic and Pennsylvania by College Factual
• Named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll
• Recognized as a Top Grad School in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, as well, and for our programs in Business; Education; Public Affairs; and Science 
• Named Money Magazine Best Colleges for 2017-2018
• Named a 2017 Best Value School in PayScale’s College ROI Report
• Named the National Hispanic Institute 2016 College of the Year in the Philadelphia region
• Named the 2016 Motivos College of the Year for Cabrini’s commitment to Motivos and the youth of Philadelphia

CABRINI IS WINNING ON THE ATHLETIC FIELD:

• 2019 NCAA DIII Men’s Lacrosse National Champion
• 6 inaugural titles in the newly formed Atlantic East Conference (AEC)
• 2019 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women’s Lacrosse Champion
• 13 President’s Cups (Men’s, Women’s, and Overall CSAC & AEC leagues)
• 33 Conference Championships
• 29 NCAA Tournament Appearances
• 13 ECAC Appearances
• 27 Conference Coach of the Year Awards
• 9 National Player of the Year Awards
• 81 DIII All-Americans
• 37 Conference Player of the Year Awards
• 138 National Academic Awards
• 688 Conference Academic Awards

CABRINI IS WINNING BY LIVING WITH PURPOSE:

• Campus Ministry expanded programmatic activities, which produced a marked increase in immersion trips, liturgical celebrations, and spiritual retreats, to the benefit of our students.
• The Inclusivity Council adopted a new strategic plan and implemented action items to continue to strengthen campus diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• The Wolfington Center cultivated local, regional, national, and international partnerships with more than 100 pioneering institutions in service and education [60 regional and 40 national/international partners]. These partnerships have resulted in students providing more than 250,000 hours of community service, peer-to-peer training at national faith and justice conferences, and seven President’s Gold Medal Volunteer and over 50 Federal AmeriCorps Educational Awards.
• The Nerney Leadership Institute has emphasized self-awareness, empathy, accountability, ownership, and teamwork, which fit the University’s Core Values and distinguish our leadership development. As one of the three pillars of our mission statement, leadership at Cabrini will be expanded and Cabrini will become the forerunner for developing an effective focus on leadership—throughout all disciplines. Led by the vision and support of the Nerney Leadership Institute (NLI), every undergraduate student who attends Cabrini for four years will receive leadership training prior to graduation, which will be known as the Nerney Leadership Promise.
• The Barbara and John Jordan Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education will have trained—by the end of September—more than 2,500 educators, social workers, coaches, teacher leaders, and other advocates regarding best practices in trauma and informed care for children and adolescents affected by domestic violence. Cabrini was honored in 2019 at the annual Laurel House Gala for its commitment to end domestic violence.
• The Center on Immigration has developed robust programs and initiatives to advance its mission of justice for immigrant communities. With additional support and resources, the Center has advanced education and dialogue, advocacy and activism, and research and scholarship. Among many social justice initiatives, the Center also has led annual legislative advocacy efforts among colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area by providing training and a Day of Advocacy in Washington, DC. In spring 2019, for instance, students from seven universities met with 13 members of U.S. Congress, calling for policies that are more just for people in migration.
• The Center for Urban Education, Equity, and Improvement (CUEEI) continues to make an impact across school boundaries. Specifically, over the last two years, CUEEI has facilitated professional development sessions to more than 2,000 schools and school district teachers and educational leaders focusing on issues of equity and, in particular, how to construct an equitable environment through the framework of culturally responsive leadership development and authentic notions of social justice.
• The Center for Global Learning, with funding from the Fulbright-Hays Grant, provided Cabrini faculty and 12 students the opportunity to travel to Zambia, and build partnerships between Cabrini and Project Zambia in Belfast, Northern Ireland; St. Lawrence School, Lusaka, Zambia; and Vision of Hope, Zambia (a rescue center for girls that have been trafficked, abused, and/or exploited).
• The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) partnership continues to grow with our CRS Global Ambassadors program and legislative advocacy.
• Global learning and immersion trips to Argentina, China, Ecuador, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Swaziland, and Zambia have promoted intercultural education for faculty, staff, and students.
• The Purple Feet Foundation (PFF), a nonprofit organization that serves urban middle and high school students, and Cabrini have expanded their partnership to include PFF staying on our campus for a summer enrichment program and returning to campus in the fall. Through English and Engagements with the Common Good (ECG) courses, Cabrini students work on literacy, leadership, and empowerment with the children. In 2019, the first PFF graduate enrolled at Cabrini University as a first-year student.
• Faculty members have helped Cabrini secure nearly 2.5 million dollars in academic grants since fall 2014.
• Faculty and staff have made significant contributions in their fields of study with more than 55 publications and over 100 external presentations.
• A revised Catholic Identity Statement has been approved by the Board of Trustees (2019) and is currently being implemented.
• The Pierce Fellows program has supported undergraduate students in developing research projects on hunger and food insecurity.
• The Cabrini Cav-a-Thon, a student-organized dance marathon that raises awareness and funds for children with pediatric cancer, has continued to surpass fundraising goals.
• The Cabrini Chapter of the Food Recovery Network has saved thousands of pounds of food from dining services and donated them to local community partners.
• Cabrini’s efforts and participation in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Advocacy has provided additional community outreach opportunities for our students.
• AmeriCorps federal funding has provided support for students to volunteer thousands of hours of mentoring and community service.
• The Common Grounds, an interfaith learning community, was established.
• The University’s partnership with the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia and the Mexican Government has helped increase scholarship opportunities for our students.
• Alumni institutional support is at the highest levels of participation.

CABRINI IS WINNING WITH OUR CAMPUS MASTER PLAN:

• Migrated campus information technology (IT) to Collegis and installed new campus Wi-Fi with 500 access points
• Opened our South Residence Hall, which houses 180 students and includes common lounge spaces for studying, collaborative spaces, a laundry room, and large kitchen area
• Partnered with Sodexo to bring CRU5H, a new dining facility, to the Widener Center
• Started the renovation of the first floor of Iadarola Center to support the launch of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, now accepting applications for a fall 2020 start
• Created a more pedestrian-friendly campus with completion of the Loop Road with turnarounds and additional surface parking spaces
• Enhanced the Bruckmann Memorial Chapel of Saint Joseph, which was made possible by major support from the Eustace Foundation, the Connelly Foundation, and the Hamilton Family Charitable Trusts. The stained glass windows of the Chapel were renovated, new doors were installed, and the chapel is now air-conditioned, allowing weddings and other frequent use in warm weather.
• Completed construction on our new 130-car parking garage
• Opened our Nerney Athletic Pavilion and Fitness Center, which provides state of the art facilities for our 19 NCAA DIII athletic teams
• Partnered with Archbishop Carroll High School (ACHS) to provide a state-of-the-art baseball field (at ACHS)
• Renovated the Dixon House (House 2) and Woodcrest residence halls
• Renovated and relocated Public Safety to Residential Drive and Academic Support/Tutoring Center to Rooymans Hall
• Relocated our Facilities Department back to campus with the sale of our Willow Avenue property