Model of Accomplishment

College’s model of accomplishment and access gains across the nation

TEN YEARS AFTER LOYOLA OPENED ARRUPE COLLEGE, a two-year college that continues the Jesuit tradition of offering a rigorous liberal arts education to an underserved population, its success is expanding across the country.

Using an innovative model that ensures affordability while providing care for the whole person — intellectually, morally, and spiritually — Arrupe prepares its graduates to continue on to a bachelor’s program or move into meaningful employment.

Susan Burns, president of the College of Mount Saint Vincent, said that as a first-generation college graduate, she’s excited about possibilities for first-generation students.

Helping to promote this model is the Come to Believe (CTB) Foundation, which was started by Arrupe’s first and Founding Dean, Father Steve Katsouros.

Last year, CTB began working with four more schools to develop the two-year program: Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, Hollins University in Virginia, Saint Mary’s College in Indiana, and the University of Detroit Mercy in Michigan.

Nationally, 14 percent of community college students graduate in two years; at Arrupe that figure is 33.5 percent.