Clarion University was founded Sept. 10, 1867, as the Carrier Seminary of Western Pennsylvania. Carrier Seminary began operation and offered a normal program in 1871. Clarion State Normal School, the successor to Carrier Seminary, opened its doors on the old Seminary grounds April 12, 1887. The commonwealth's purchase of Clarion was official in December 1915 with the state assuming full control the following year. Clarion became a college-level institution in 1920. The school became a university in the 1980s. By Legislative Act 188 of 1982, all 14 state colleges were taken from the control of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and placed under the jurisdiction of the newly created Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, Ph.D., became the 17th president of the university July 1, 2018.
Student body
In fall 2016, Clarion University's student body totaled 5,225 students, of which 4,330 were undergraduates and 895 of those were graduate students. Of these students, 35 percent live in university housing. The university's students are mostly female, another 830 are minorities and 27 are international. Of the total number of students 4,624, or 88.5 percent, come from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Students come from 44 states, the District of Columbia and 11 countries around the world.
Faculty and staff
Clarion University has 294 faculty members and 451 administration and staff members.
Other locations
The university maintains a regional campus, Clarion University - Venango in Oil City, and a site in Pittsburgh at West Penn School of Nursing. Clarion also offers an extended studies program featuring online courses, remote sites, and various hybrid learning situations.
Academics
Accreditations
Clarion University's programs are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. In addition, through other accrediting agencies, it offers 39 nationally accredited programs, which is the most in the state system. The College of Business Administration and Information Sciences has internationally recognized AACSB accredited programs.
The College of Arts and Sciences features more than forty undergraduate and graduate degree programs across numerous departments, centers, and programs. Departments within the College of Arts and Sciences include:
The College of Business Administration offers 15 different undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Departments within the College of Business Administration and Information Sciences include:
Clarion University - Venango is composed of the School of Health Sciences, and the Department of Justice, Law, Technology and Liberal Arts. Schools within the School of Health Sciences include: The School of Education Clarion University's School of Education includes the following departments:
Clarion University offers more than 130 student organizations including academic, athletic, Greek, political, multicultural, service, and other special interest groups.
Athletics
The Clarion University Department of Athletics currently sponsors men's intercollegiate baseball, basketball, golf, football, swimming and diving, and wrestling along with women's intercollegiate basketball, softball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, track and field, volleyball and tennis. All sports compete in the NCAA Division II, except for Wrestling which participates in NCAADivision I. The athletic director is Dr. Wendy Snodgrass. Notable former Golden Eagles include Kurt Angle National Wrestling Champion and Olympic Wrestler; former UFC Champion Frankie Edgar who was a four-time NCAA Division I tournament qualifier; World Long Driver Justin Moose ranked # 6 in the world; Reggie Wells, NFL offensive lineman; Cy Young winner Pete Vukovich; and Men's NCAA Division I Basketball Champion Coach at Kentucky John Calipari, a point guard for Clarion University from 1980–1982.
John Calipari, NBA and college basketball coach, at University of Kentucky beginning in 2009
Frank Edgar, 4-time D-1 NCAA Wrestling qualifier and Collegiate Freestyle All-American in 2004; professional mixed martial artist/UFC fighter and former UFC Lightweight Champion.
Evan John Jones, U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania
