General Information - St. Ambrose History
General Description
St. Ambrose is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. The University is a community focused on educating the mind, cultivating the spirit, and developing the potential of everyone we serve.
Historical Milestones
Founded in 1882 by the Rev. John McMullen, the first bishop of the Diocese of Davenport, to serve young men as a seminary and a school of commerce. Locust Street campus established July 5, 1885, with the dedication of Ambrose Hall. In 1927, St. Ambrose was admitted to the North Central Association of Colleges and fully accredited. In 1968, St. Ambrose became fully coeducational. In 1969, the board of trustees was expanded into a board of directors that included lay people. The master of business administration program, inaugurated in 1977, was Ambrose’s first into graduate program. Twenty years later, St.Ambrose established its first doctoral program, the Doctor of Business Administration. Over the past 15 years, St. Ambrose has enjoyed continued advancement in enrollment, academic offerings, and in creating programs responsive to community needs. The result has been an unparalleled period of growth, especially in the university’s reputation as a quality educational institution and community resource.
Student Profile (as of Fall 2007)
All students
Enrollment: 3870
Female: 2428 (63%) Male: 1442 (37%)
Full-time: 2611 (67%) Part-time: 1259 (33%)
Undergraduate students
Enrollment: 2893
Female: 1810 (63%) Male: 1083 (37%)
Full-time: 2335 (81%) Part-time: 558 (19%)
On-campus residents: 1419
Most popular majors: Business & Accounting, Education, Nursing, Psychology and Exercise Science
Minority students: 8.71 percent of students identify themselves as belonging to a minority group
More than 40.9 percent of freshmen students were in the top 25 percent of their high school class
Graduate students
Enrollment: 977
Female: 618 (63%) Male: 359 (37%)
Full-time: 276 (28%) Part-time: 701 (72%)
Most popular programs: MBA, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Organizational Leadership, Social Work, Transition (master’s to doctorate) DPT, and Occupational Therapy
Faculty and Staff
Student–faculty ratio is approximately 12 to 1
Faculty: 337; Staff: 299
Alumni
Total alumni: approximately 20,600; alumni living in Iowa: approximately 8,700; alumni living in Illinois: approximately 5,700
Senior Administration
President: Joan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD, at St. Ambrose since 2007
Vice President for Academic Affairs: Lorraine Rodrigues-Fisher EdD, at St. Ambrose since 2002
Vice President for Advancement: Ed Littig PhD, at St. Ambrose since 2000
Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services: James Loftus PhD, at St. Ambrose since 1990
Vice President for Finance: Michael Poster, at St. Ambrose since 2008
Degrees Awarded
Bachelor of Applied Management Technology, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor in Special Studies, Bachelor of Elected Studies, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Master of Accounting, Master of Business Administration, Master of Criminal Justice, Master of Education in Educational Administration, Master of Education in Special Education, Master of Education in Teaching, Master of Occupational Therapy, Master of Organizational Leadership, Master of Pastoral Theology, Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Social Work, Master of Science in Information Technology Management
Doctor of Business Administration
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Accreditation
St. Ambrose University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools: 30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, Ill., 60602-2540 (800/621-7440).
Athletics
St. Ambrose University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and offers 18 varsity intercollegiate sports: men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, track and volleyball; men’s baseball and football; women’s dance and softball.
Significant Campus Construction
1885, Ambrose Hall / Administrative and faculty offices, classrooms
1992, Davis Hall / Faculty offices, student residence
1930, Lewis Memorial Science Hall / Faculty offices, classrooms (complete renovation, 1991)
1941, McMullen Hall / Faculty offices, classrooms (complete renovation, 1997)
1952, Christ the King Chapel / Campus chapel (complete renovation, 2006)
1961, Rohlman (formerly East) Hall / Student residence (complete renovation, 2001)
1967, Hayes Hall / Faculty offices, classrooms, computer lab
1969, Cosgrove (formerly South) Hall / Student residence, administrative offices, computer lab, dining rooms
1971, Galvin Fine Arts Center / Auditorium, galleries, faculty offices, classrooms, television and radio studios
1983, Physical Education Center / Athletic facilities, faculty offices, classrooms
1990, Townhouses / Apartment-style student residence
1996, St. Ambrose University Library / Library, computer facilities
1996, Tiedemann Hall / Suite-style student residence
1997, Bookstore and Coffee House
1999, Conference and Continuing Studies Center / ACCEL, Professional and Educational Development offices
2000, Hagen Hall / Suite-style student residence
2004, Rogalski Center / Student services and activities offices, food court, ballroom
2004, Bechtel Hall / Suite-style student residence
2005, Franklin Hall / Suite-style student residence
Economic Significance to the Quad Cities
Annual operating budget: approximately $74,000,000