Cedar Rapids, IA — St. Ambrose University has officially become the corporate owner of Mount Mercy University, bringing the colleges one step closer to fully combining in almost every way except name.
This was the first of two major steps in completing the strategic combination of the two Catholic colleges, the next being approval by the U.S. Department of Education. Presidents of both universities came together with university staff and alumni on the Mount Mercy campus in Cedar Rapids Friday to announce the news and sign a pledge of shared commitment to their missions.
St. Ambrose President Amy Novak said approval is set to come through next summer, which is when the schools will fully combine.
“With the conclusion of this first step, St. Ambrose University now serves as the corporate owner of Mount Mercy University,” Novak said. “This action, however, is not a diminishment of one university or another, but rather a bold affirmation that together, we are all stronger.”
After about 18 months of work, Novak and Mount Mercy University President Todd Olson made the agreement in August 2024 for St. Ambrose in Davenport to eventually own Mount Mercy while maintaining its campus, branding and programming.
Twenty “integration teams” made up of staff, faculty, students, alumni and community members at both campuses have been working together on areas from information technology and back-end business to graduate programs, academic affairs, alumni and more — essentially helping the combination process cross the finish line, Novak said.
The groups vote every two weeks on decisions for the combination, like approving curriculum and the academic calendar. Novak said all the efforts being made are with the commitment to “carry forward the legacy and the charisms of both institutions with reverence” and find a place where everyone belongs.
“This is not simply one plus one equaling two,” Novak said. “This is one plus one equaling four or 10 or something even greater, as new synergies emerge and our shared mission and vision deepens.”
Along with celebration came concerns about how the combination could impact student finances or enrollment, to which Novak responded that tuition will remain the same at Mount Mercy and no scholarship awards will be changed “at this juncture.” Enrollment looks strong at both institutions, she added, though final numbers are not yet available.
Olson said he’s heard from students and families that the combination has inspired “renewed confidence” in the university’s future, which is helping to drive enrollment alongside the addition of a college football team.
Responding to a question about actions in Washington, D.C., impacting the combination process, Olson said current practices and future aspirations of the institutions appeal to “a variety of political perspectives,” as both universities operate based on their values and best practices to help students become professionals prepared for the workplace.
“We believe we are already providing a set of outcomes and services and people that are well-regarded across the political spectrum, and it’s certainly our intention to continue doing that,” Olson said.
The combination has drawn support from business and city leaders as well, Novak said, as it will bring new resources and more opportunities for partnership to the table for community development.
While it will bring benefits across the board to both university communities, Olson said the enduring goal behind Mount Mercy and St. Ambrose coming together is to provide the best possible education for their students and to ensure Catholic higher education’s future in eastern Iowa.
“This day represents a bright path forward for Mount Mercy and for St. Ambrose, and as we march down that path from here, we keep our mission at the center, and we keep our students at the center of our mission,” Olson said.
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