President's Welcome Message

Dear friends,

For more than 60 years, Sacred Heart University has been earning the respect and loyalty of tens of thousands of students, parents and alumni. From an initial enrollment of fewer than 200 students in 1963, we have grown to a student body of over 11,000, with dozens of challenging academic programs across a wide variety of disciplines. Welcome to our University. Welcome to our family.

Like our nickname, Sacred Heart is a pioneering institution that continues to charge forward with continued growth in student population, new state-of-the-art facilities and expansion of academic programs that meet the interests and needs of both our students and their future employers.

Academic Excellence

Our academic programs are taught by world-class faculty who were educated at the best universities, who are leaders in their fields and who have numerous international and national honors and teaching awards. In their classrooms, you will discover what it is like to be driven by excellence and innovation.

Among our top priorities are innovative programs, expanded global learning opportunities and focus on high-impact practices. Some examples of the innovative and transformative programs available to students include the First-Year seminar that stresses mastery of the writing and communication skills needed for academic and career success; the  Freshman Fall in Rome program that enables students to spend their first semester at our partner school—John Cabot University in Rome; and our problem-based learning lab program that allows students to work with outside companies to come up with solutions to real-world problems. There are also opportunities for all students to study abroad, not only at our international campus in Dingle, Ireland, but at locations all around the world.

Sacred Heart has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. We have also been accredited by the highest authorities in each of our academic disciplines.

Spirit of SHU

When I think of a word to describe SHU, it is spirit. Sacred Heart is rich in spirit, with a deep sense of community. Our students, who annually contribute more than 118,000 hours to community service, embody our spirit. Every member of our faculty and staff is here for our students. It is our mission to do more than prepare our students academically; we want them to work hard and live a life that contributes to the human community.

I invite you to explore these pages carefully and discover for yourselves the great riches to be found here. Then I hope you will visit our campus and talk to the students. Ask them your questions and listen to their experiences. Talk to our faculty and staff. You will discover their dedication to helping students flourish and grow in body, mind, heart and spirit. If you are ready for a transformation, our vibrant, supportive community is here to help you realize your full potential and propel you into a rich, successful life.

Sincerely,

John J. Petillo, Ph.D.
President