At least 560 admitted students attended St. Joe’s Admitted Students Day on March 27. About 1,700 parents and students were able to attend information sessions, visit any of the more than 50 St. Joe’s student organizations in Hagan Arena, and go on tours of campus. 

This was the first Admitted Students Day since April 2019 after covid-19 restrictions prevented the event from being held in 2020 and 2021.

Maureen Mathis, director of undergraduate admissions, said Admitted Students Day allows the university to showcase the campus and the St. Joe’s community to potential students and their parents. 

“The students visiting will either be doing their final visit to campus before making a final decision or they are confirming the fact that they have made their decision and they just want to see other students and make sure this is the right thing,” Mathis said.

At the University of the Sciences in West Philadelphia, 80% of accepted students attended Accepted Students Day, according to Elise Todderud, associate director of Admissions and Communications at USciences, who responded to written questions from The Hawk. St. Joe’s and USciences will merge to become Saint Joseph’s University on June 1, 2022.

“Currently, we are two separate institutions,” Mathis said. “We’ve planned Admitted Students Days on St. Joseph’s campus, and on what is currently USciences, they are having Admitted Students Days on [the] USciences campus.”

Both universities have separate application processes for the fall 2022 semester, and had representatives at their respective Admitted Students Days to discuss the merger with prospective students and families. 

Gus DiStefano, executive director of Admissions, Enrollment Operations and Analytics at USciences, attended St. Joe’s Admitted Students Day and said families and prospective students see value in the merger. 

“They see the possibilities,” DiStefano said. “Not only from a business perspective, but from an opportunity perspective.” 

DiStefano said USciences has been open in its communication with students who expressed interest in USciences programs and had questions about the merger.

“Those students are still looking to make sure that the programs can deliver on what they currently have, as far as outcomes and preparation and curriculums,” DiStefano said. “We’ve been able to manage that very well.” 

Tony O’Shea ’22, a Hawk Host, said Hawk Hosts are open when answering questions about the merger. 

“The big thing we are on is honesty and clarity about what’s happening,” O’Shea said. “It’s always ‘I know as much as you know.’ We have a website posted where we usually direct families. As announcements go live, they’re all posted there. So parents, families, staff and students can all keep track of what’s being processed, and everybody can stay up to date on the merger.”

Hawk Host Nino Aquino ’23, said the St. Joe’s Office of Undergraduate Admission prepared Hawk Hosts to answer questions they might receive about the merger.

“[As] Hawk Hosts we can help those that are from USciences if they reach that bridge of coming to St. Joe’s to take classes,” Aquino said. “June 1, 2022 is going to be the official start of the two campuses combined together. We are all going to be one St. Joe’s.”

Although the two universities are hosting their own separate events this year, future Admitted Students Days will reflect the changes within the merged university, Mathis said. 

“Once we truly are a new Saint Joseph’s University with the USciences campus all merged, I think that Admitted Students Days down the road have an opportunity to change and grow and become better as we incorporate two campuses and more programs,” Mathis said.

USciences will have a second Accepted Students Day on April 9, and St. Joe’s will have a Second Admitted Students Day on April 10.