Marygrove College Strategic Plan

As we move into 2019, Marygrove College continues to evaluate and strengthen its program offerings with the help of student focus groups as well as program and course evaluations. We are student-centered and as such, we continue to train faculty and staff into ensure that they are approachable, knowledgeable, and facilitating discussions, projects, and assignments that are relevant and engaging.

In tandem with these efforts, Marygrove College continues to work towards expanding its program offerings. Our Master in the Art of Teaching program recently expanded its areas of focus to include a concentration in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (3-5). Awaiting Department of Education approval are two new Education certificate programs – Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (3-5) and Reading Leading to The Michigan Reading Specialist Endorsement – along with five new academic program, or “micro-credentials,” in Educational Technology, Social Justice, and Education.

The micro-credential is a certification indicating demonstrated competency in a specific skill. These certificates are on-demand, shareable, and personalized, meaning that learners choose which credentials they want to pursue. It is worth noting that the Marygrove micro-credential is “stackable,” making it possible for students to apply micro-credentials toward the appropriate master’s degree program, should they choose to continue their studies. Marygrove’s micro-credentials are at the leading edge in graduate education and professional development, so we are pleased to offer them to our students.

Marygrove underwent a significant restructure and refocus of its business, creating a never-before-attempted conversion from an undergraduate/graduate to graduate-only college. This called for a fiscal restructuring as well. Marygrove has committed to lean and efficient operations that significantly reduces spending and emphasizes strong fiscal oversight. A new model for higher education requires a renewed commitment to tight fiscal controls and innovative spending used to increase enrollment.

Marygrove recognizes that strong partnerships are instrumental to the college’s success. To that end, we continued to bolster relationships with corporate donors, foundations, friends, alumni, and the local community while also forging new relationships like those that have come as a result of the historic P-20 Partnership.

On September 13, 2018, seven organizations – including the Kresge Foundation, Marygrove College, The Marygrove Conservancy, University of Michigan School of Education, Detroit Public Schools Community District, Starfish Family Services, and IFF – gathered on the campus of Marygrove College to announce a new cradle-to-career educational partnership including a state-of-the-art early childhood education center, a new K-12 school, and the introduction of an innovative teacher education training program modeled after hospital residency programs.

The P-20 Partnership – one of the first in the nation – is backed with a $50 million commitment from The Kresge Foundation, marking the largest philanthropic investment in history into a Detroit neighborhood. The investment places education at the center of community revitalization efforts in the Livernois-McNichols district in northwest Detroit.

The future depends upon creative, empathetic thinkers – men and women who not only have a wide range of skills, experiences, and passions, but also a firm grounding in a timeless set of values. Marygrove graduates know this, which is in part why they chose to pursue their studies at our institution.

The College’s values: Human Dignity, Community, Social Justice, Ecological Justice, Excellence, Innovation and Diversity, are mission-inspired from our founders, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Their values are the cornerstone of this institution, but they are also transcendental values in that they live on through our graduates. The world continues to change, but one thing remains constant in the lives of our graduates: They are unswervingly true to the IHM mission, to social justice, to community, and to the Gospel values that have always guided us. We expect our students to be Citizen Leaders when they complete our programs and are dedicated to giving them the education they need to achieve this. Marygrove College graduates are equipped to advance their careers and their lives…and the lives of their families. There’s a new day dawning at Marygrove College and we invite the community to explore our curriculum and the opportunities we offer.