Emory & Henry Moves to University Status
The calendar month has flipped and so has the name of Emory & Henry College to Emory & Henry University. Celebrations and excitement will ensue once students and faculty get to campus with new University merchandise, giveaways, updated signage, and more.
“This is a pivotal moment in the 188-year history of Emory & Henry,” said Dr. Lou Fincher, Interim President and former Senior Vice President and Dean for the School of Health Sciences. “The transition to university status reflects the institution’s evolution and increased complexity. Over the last decade, Emory & Henry has expanded its footprint to include four campus locations from Marion to Bristol. In addition to the high quality bachelor’s degree programs Emory & Henry has always been known for, we have expanded our academic offerings to include masters and doctorate degrees, as well as new online, adult degree completion, and certificate programs. Our transition to NCAA DII athletics is yet another example of our evolution as an institution.”
Members of the Board of Trustees at Emory & Henry reviewed and approved the new 2023-2026 strategic plan “Elevate in Excellence,” at its March 25, 2023, meeting that included a status change to move from a college to a private regional comprehensive university to be fully implemented as Emory & Henry University by Fall 2024.
Since then, administrators have been busy planning for the changeover. The Class of 2024 was the final class to graduate with Emory & Henry College on their diplomas on May 6, 2024. E&H graduates from any class year are encouraged to visit www.emoryhenry.edu/about/college-to-university to learn more about the status change and see a list of questions and answers they might have.
E&H has also changed its web URL to www.emoryhenry.edu over the summer and current emails will flow to the address from “ehc” to “emoryhenry”.
Signage along I-81 will soon change and updated E&H license plates will be available at the DMV in future months. In addition, Wasps sports fans will be a new and improved Wasps icon that is more fierce and ready to take on the competition in the DII arena of the NCAA South Atlantic Conference.
Over the past decade, Emory & Henry (E&H) has added new master’s and doctoral programs in health sciences, education and now business, to its liberal arts bachelor’s degree offerings. Comprehensive universities are defined by Carnegie Classification, for those offering degrees at the master’s level and a few at the doctoral level. Two years ago E&H was categorized in the U.S. News & World Report rankings in Best Regional Universities (South) and ranked #20 with peers like Rollins, The Citadel, Berry, Stetson, Christopher Newport, Appalachian State, Tuskegee, Florida Southern, Charleston, Queens, Savannah College of Art & Design and Milligan.
The new strategic plan ‘Elevate in Excellence’, takes E&H to a new level of delivering on the historic mission of the institution and recognizes the evolution of E&H to its current role as a university, reflected by its multiple campuses that deliver a variety of in demand academic majors, minors and tracks, nine master’s and two doctoral degrees, across diverse academic offerings. The new school structure remains rooted in the liberal arts while broadening its appeal to wider student audiences, and its expanding role as an economic driver in the region. New online programs for adult degree completion are planned to roll out Fall 2025 as well as certificates for adults to upskill or finish their degree and be successful in the workplace.
“Most importantly alongside our new programs and restructuring is our commitment to our students and their success,” said Dr. Michael Puglisi, Provost and Executive Vice President. “Our emphasis on the new student success center and advising, service learning, a focus on career development, hands-on experiences and professional outcomes, is what makes Emory & Henry stand out. We will continue to have that small and nurturing atmosphere on campus and the ability to form relationships with peers and faculty.”
Throughout its history as Southwest Virginia’s first institution of higher education, Emory & Henry has been an education leader impacting the economic and social fabric of the region. During that time, E&H has continued to evolve to meet the changing needs of students and the region. From the 2022 economic impact study, operations and impact from E&H in the region has grown to $96 million. According to the van Vlissingen Career and Professional Development Center at E&H, 95% of students in the Class of 2023 were placed in jobs or graduate schools within six months of graduation. Many in the Southwest Virginia region, immediately impacting healthcare, business, teaching, non profit organizations and other industries.
Classes start at Emory & Henry University on Wednesday, August 14, 2024 on its Emory campus and Monday, August 19, on its Marion campus.
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“This is a pivotal moment in the 188-year history of Emory & Henry. The transition to university status reflects the institution’s evolution and increased complexity.”
—Dr. Lou Fincher, Interim President and former Senior Vice President and Dean for the School of Health Sciences
