Saint Joseph's College Fast Facts
Saint Joseph's College
Private, co-educational, four-year, liberal arts Catholic college welcoming students of all faiths.
Founded in 1889
Sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood (C.PP.S.)
Campus
180-acre park-like campus conveniently located in Rensselaer, the county seat of Jasper County in Northwest Indiana
Location
Rensselaer, Indiana (population 6,400)
90 minutes from Chicago and Indianapolis
45 minutes from Lafayette and Merrillville
Safe, family-oriented community with easy access to major retail centers
Mailing Address
Saint Joseph's College
PO Box 870
Rensselaer, IN 47978
Physical Address/Shipping Address ONLY
USPS does not recognize 1498 S. College as a street address.
This address is recognized by commercial carriers only (Fed Ex, UPS, freight truck deliveries, etc.).
Saint Joseph's College
Attn: [Recipient's Name and/or Department]
1498 S College Ave
Rensselaer, IN 47978
Recognition
Top Ten "Best Value" College in the Midwest-US News & World Report
"Best Regional College" 8th straight year-The Princeton Review
"Character-building college"-The Templeton Foundation
"One of the three bright spots in the country for humanities education"-The National Endowment for the Humanities
Academic Programs
Our nationally acclaimed Core Program spans all four years and replaces general education distribution requirements like English composition and history with courses such as Humanity in the Universe and The Modern World.
The Princeton Review says Saint Joseph's College graduates rave about our Core Program.
27 majors, 34 minors, 4 group majors, and 9 pre-professional programs
Three master's programs
Students start their major freshman year
New MS in Forensic Science, MS in Forensic Entomology (with Thesis), and non-degree Series in Forensic Science Professional Development Program
New term, "Winterim," offering study abroad opportunities, online courses, and discounted tuition
New Sustainability minor
New Educational Studies major
Personalized Education
Strong faculty mentoring-you become successful with a more personalized education than at a larger school.
You get the thinking and communication skills employers crave because the liberal arts are woven into your major with hands-on learning.
Education majors get into the classroom in their first semester.
Our Forensic Entomology professor, Dr. Neal Haskell, is one of the creators of this area of criminal investigation. Haskell testified as an expert in the high profile Casey Anthony trial. He coauthored the first textbook on forensic entomology for law enforcement, and has been featured on A&E, The Learning Channel, the Discovery Channel, and National Geographic.
Placement
98% of Saint Joseph's College's Class of 2011 was employed or in graduate or professional school within 12 months of graduation (based on survey respondents).
23% of the Class of 2011 pursued graduate or professional studies after graduation.
Top Ten Enrolled Majors (2012-2013)
- Nursing
- Biology / Biology-Chemistry / Medical Laboratory Sciences
- Business Administration
- Criminal Justice
- Physical Education / Physical Education Teaching / Sports Management
- Psychology
- Elementary Education
- Accounting
- English / English-Creative Writing / English Education
- Music
Affordability
In fall 2012, 100% of incoming SJC freshmen received financial aid.
The average SJC financial aid package for all full-time undergraduates was
$27,528.
The average out-of-pocket expense for SJC families in 2011-12 was $9,102 for all undergraduates.*
SJC provided more than $12 million in scholarship and grant assistance to
students in 2011-12.
Saint Joseph's College awards 3 full-tuition scholarships annually.
* Figure includes self-help (parent loans); figure represents the amounts disbursed.
Notable Alumni
J. Patrick Lewis '64, U.S. Children's Poet Laureate
Kevin White '72, Athletic Director, Duke University, Durham, NC
Fr. Larry Hemmelgarn, C.PP.S. '79, Provincial Director of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, Cincinnati Province
Mark Doss '80, International opera star and Grammy Award winner
Pete Bensen '84, Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer, McDonald's Corporation
John Morikis '85, President and Chief Operating Officer, Sherwin-Williams Company
Loretto Szucs '90, Vice President of Community Relations, Ancestry.com
Jeannette Yeoman Mosher '90, Head Women's Basketball Coach, State University of New York at Cortland, Cortland's career wins leader with a record of 314-81 (.795)
Virginia Johnson '93, TV Reporter, Bay News 9, Tampa Bay, FL
Julie Obermeyer Shewmaker '93, Chief Operating Officer at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN
Matt Davy '96, Chief Network Architect, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Peg McLeish '98, Director of Communications, Marion County Prosecutor's Office
Elizabeth Decker Martin '99, General Manager of the Bakersfield Blaze, Class A Advanced Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds
Graduate/Professional Schools Attended
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University
Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Duke University
Harvard University
Indiana University
National University of Health Sciences
New York University
Northwestern University
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
School of Law, Loyola University
St. John's University
St. Louis University
University of Chicago
University of Kentucky
University of Notre Dame
William and Mary
Washington University
Clerkships
These highly prized opportunities after law school have been won by SJC students:
US Court of Appeals (4th and 7th Circuit) – Baltimore, MD/Chicago, IL
US Supreme Court – Washington, DC
Indiana Supreme Court – Indianapolis, IN
Iowa Supreme Court – Des Moines, IA
Internships
Agreements with other institutions make possible internships that relate to student interest, offering opportunities in Latin America, Europe and European Parliaments, Asia, and Africa.
SJC students have obtained the following internships:
The Library of Congress (through The Washington Center)
Public Defender's Office in Maryland (through The Washington Center)
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute – Washington, DC
Jasper County Community Services
Showcase U Sports, Inc.
Jasper County Public Library
Lambert, Lanoue & Smoker, LLC
Rensselaer Republican (newspaper)
Saint Anthony Medical Center
Newton Circuit Court
Falls of the Ohio State Park
Jasper County Youth Center/St. Augustine
Jasper County Historical Society
Rensselaer Police Dept.
USDA - NCRS
State Farm Insurance
Columbian Park Zoo
Actor's Theater of Indiana
Avon Veterinary Clinic
Hillcrest Family Dental Center
Jasper County Hospital
1st Source Asset Advisors
Gary RailCats
Irvington Prep School
Jasper County Prosecutor's Office
Prairie Arts Council
Ardent Papers Photography
Enrollment
Number of students: Approximately 1,100
Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
Legal residence: 96% Midwest
Students from 23 states
67% of students live on campus.
Faculty
Number of faculty: 113
(full- and part-time)
72% of full-time faculty have their Ph.D. or terminal degree.
Athletics
NCAA Division II, Great Lakes Valley Conference
18 varsity sports (9 men's/9 women's)
School Colors
Purple and Cardinal
Mascot
Pumas
Accreditations
Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC)
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
State of Indiana Professional Standards Board for the Training of Elementary and Secondary Teachers
International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)
National League for Nursing (NLN)
