Marian Catholic High School Announces Partnership with16 Colleges and Universities Across Four States

A recent college fair held in the John P. “Jack” Malarkey Gymnasium of Marian Catholic High School, Hometown, attracted representatives of 46 colleges, universities, the U.S. service academies and healthcare networks, and, most importantly, coincided with the school’s announcement it has entered into partnerships with 15 colleges and universities across three states and the District of Columbia through formal Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).

The agreements recognize the academic rigor, faith-based foundation, and quality of a Marian Catholic education, while providing meaningful opportunities for Marian seniors as they transition to higher education, officials said, saying the MOUs offer Marian graduates tangible benefits, including guaranteed or streamlined admissions, significant scholarship opportunities, coordinated campus visits, and direct engagement with college admissions representatives.

Saying the agreements reflect the confidence the college partners place in Marian students and the school’s strong academic preparation, the Rev. Robert Finlan, principal, said, “These partnerships affirm the value of a Marian Catholic education. They open doors for our students while reinforcing our mission to prepare graduates who are academically strong, faith-centered, and ready to succeed.”

According to Nicole Dunn Updegrave ’08, Marian’s director of Student Support Services and guidance counselor, the benefit for Marian students who graduate while meeting the criteria of the collegiate partners, “is fantastic.” She said they include guaranteed admissions based on GPA and Standardized Test Score (if applicable) criteria designated by each college/university; admissions application fee waivers; scholarship opportunities; instant decision days; specially designed campus visit opportunities; virtual and in-person workshops on academic areas of interest and the admissions process.

“Every partnership is carefully crafted by the institution and Marian with intentionality and is student-centered. Through these invaluable collaborations, we open doors to new scholarship opportunities, streamline students’ transitions to post-secondary institutions, and help alleviate the stress that can accompany the application process."

One example of these partnerships is with St. Bonaventure University, which guarantees admission and a four-year renewable scholarship to eligible graduates of Marian Catholic High School. Marian students who meet minimum admissibility standards - such as a 3.2 GPA (85 average) and counselor recommendation - may receive a minimum scholarship of $25,000 per year, totaling $100,000 over four years. In addition, any Marian student meeting admissibility standards at St. Bonaventure will qualify for the University’s Catholic High School Partnership Award, worth $1,000 per year ($4,000 over four years).  Further benefits include hosted campus visits with tours, admissions presentations, meals, and tickets to a men’s home basketball game, as well as regular on-campus visits from admissions representatives.

“Our College and Career Counseling Office is committed to advocating for Marian students and expanding opportunities that make higher education more accessible,” she added. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity and collaboration of our college and university partners.”

In addition to St. Bonaventure University, other colleges participating are Alvernia University, Assumption University, DeSales University, Holy Family University, Immaculata University, King’s College, La Salle University, Lebanon Valley College, Marywood University, Misericordia University, Mount St. Mary’s University, Neumann University, Saint Francis University, Saint Vincent College, and Ursinus University.

Meanwhile, in collaboration with Nativity B.V.M. High School, Pottsville, Marian held a college fair aimed at helping to provide its students with as much information as possible regarding college preparedness.

“A huge part of what we do here is distinguish Marian as a regional leader in college and career readiness,” Father Finlan said. “So, to bring college and university personnel to the proverbial doorstep of our students, is of great advantage to them in career decision-making, in addition to giving admissions counselors and directors the opportunity to spend time with our students.”

Updegrave said by hosting Fall and Spring fairs, it brings on average 45-65 colleges and universities directly into Marian. “Students have the opportunity to connect with representatives through meaningful conversations around topics such as academic areas of study, career services and campus life,” she said.

She said many of the colleges/universities in attendance will come to Marian multiple times a year for small group visits with the students.

The initiative, she said, pays huge dividends, pointing out over 75 percent of the Class of 2026 are already committed to their future plans.

Past records, she noted, point to Marian’s support of its students’ academic, personal and professional futures. “Collectively, graduates of the Class of 2025 were offered an impressive sum of $13,838,936 in scholarships/grants,” she said, indicating the total does not reflect amounts unreported to the Student Support Services Department and does not consist of additional types of aid such as PHEAA, Pell Grants, SEOG, Work Study or loans.

Meanwhile, at the fair, school representatives stressed the value of interacting with the Marian students. “It was an opportunity to spark their interests,” said Brett Herman, assistant director of admissions at Lycoming College, Williamsport, who said he was impressed in the students’ inquiries “about what we had to offer.”

“He commented, “Some specifically about athletics and the Williamsport community, others wanted to know about majors and curriculums. We try to provide them with as much information as possible, and then as the school year winds down, they have time to sit down and digest the information.”

He said 85 percent of students accepted at Lycoming get financial aid, most of which is merit based. The financial packages awarded to an incoming student, he said, range from $34,000 to $42,000, but, he was quick to add, “It’s not a money issue; we try to make it work for anyone who wants to attend our school.” On average, he said, the cost to attend Lycoming after financial awards is about $18,000.

Colby Davis of Mt. St. Mary’s College, Emmitsburg, Maryland, said her school is proud to be a “partnership school” with Marian, noting a student who graduates from Marian and attends “the Mount” gets an automatic $5,000 award. On top of that, she said, “Our scholarship packages average between $38,000 and $40,000.”

About the fair she said, “It was really cool, and it was nice that Marian offered it to sophomores as well as juniors and seniors. It allows them to get their foot in the door.”

She said the Marian students were interested in issues such as majors offered there, the size of the school, and the community. “An event like this enables the students to advocate for themselves, and from what I witnessed, the students were very mature and interested in learning about post high school. They were very hands-on and personal.”

And Mackenzie Hadfield, an admissions counselor at Moravian University, noted, “It was really awesome to see kids wanting to go to college. And you could tell, the boys and girls who visited us were interested in learning as much as they could.”

She said while some students asked about curriculums and athletics, others wanted to now about life in our community, outside the classroom and off the fields and courts.

At Moravian, she said the staff works to make attendance there affordable, saying, “There are ways to work it out (affordability), and that’s our job, to fill in the blanks. We’re not blind to the fact that college is expensive, so we want them to know we’re here to help them navigate through the system.”

She said the college affair was “very valuable” to the students, noting, “Kids get a lot out of it, in addition to interacting with adults.”

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About Marian Catholic High School

Marian Catholic High School provides a faith-based, college preparatory education rooted in the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. Guided by the values of faith, service, and academic excellence, Marian prepares students to lead lives of purpose and integrity in a rapidly changing world.