Where We Create Pathways
1/29/2026
Opening Doors to Opportunity
This story originally appeared in the 2025 Annual Report.
For more than 175 years, the University of Mount Saint Vincent has been defined by a simple, yet progressive idea: that education is not a privilege for the few, but a pathway for all. That commitment continues to guide us today as we seek out new ways to extend our mission far beyond the gates of our Riverdale campus, believing that education has never been confined to one place.
In our response to the signs of the times, the Mount must continue to find new, creative partnerships to strengthen our role as a leading institution of higher education in the region and expand our program and course offerings to learners from every background. Our growing network of strategic partnerships creates access for students and communities who have been historically excluded from the benefits of earning a degree or certificate. From the launch of Seton College to our collaborations with community-based organizations, every initiative is rooted in the belief that a Mount education must meet learners where they are.
One of the most remarkable examples is our partnership with the Sara Schenirer Institute, which has opened doors for thousands of Orthodox Jewish women—and men—to pursue their degrees in an environment that supports both their faith and their academic goals.
“Our partnership with the University of Mount Saint Vincent reflects the very heart of our mission at Sara Schenirer—to open doors of higher education for our students,” shared Rabbi Elazar Meisels, Dean of Sara Schenirer. “Together, we have created pathways that allow learners to pursue academic and professional success while remaining firmly grounded in their values. Collaborations like we have with the Mount ensure that opportunities for growth and achievement reach every dedicated student who is ready to embrace them.”
Over 1,000 Sara Schenirer students are enrolled in the Mount’s degree-granting programs on both the undergraduate and graduate level. Students study in the places and spaces in their communities with the guidance of qualified teachers, but earn University of Mount Saint Vincent degrees.
Particularly groundbreaking—and introduced just last semester—is the UMSV Shomer Shabbat Accelerated Nursing Program, the first culturally sensitive nursing pathway for Jewish women. Working in close collaboration with the Mount’s Saint Joseph’s School of Nursing, students enrolled in the Shomer Shabbat Accelerated Nursing Program will follow a special academic calendar aligned with the Jewish holidays, be taught by culturally respectful professors, and practice at clinical settings well-versed in Jewish medical procedures. Cohorts will be separated by men and women. The first cohort of women began their studies this past August, with an additional cohort of women and the first cohort of men slated to begin in the Spring semester.
Partnerships like this are made possible because of the Mount’s unwavering commitment to meeting learners where they need us. The same is true of Seton College, where students who once doubted whether higher education was even possible are now thriving in an associate degree program—and will graduate debt-free.
Developed in partnership with the Come To Believe Network, a nonprofit that assists higher education institutions in developing and launching two-year programs that offer underserved students an opportunity to earn an associate degree, and if they wish, continue on to earn four-year degrees, Seton College is the first of its kind not just in New York, but on the entire east coast.
“Seton College is more than just a program—it’s a promise,” said Dr. Lynne Bongiovanni, Provost and Dean of Faculty. “It reflects the very heart of our mission. It ensures that students who might have once believed higher education was out of reach can find a pathway here—one that is accessible, supportive, and deeply connected to the values of the Mount. We are not just granting degrees; we are opening doors to futures that would otherwise remain closed. Watching our first cohort thrive has been one of the most inspiring experiences of my career, and it’s only the beginning.”
In addition to earning an associate degree, through our partnership with online provider Coursera, Seton College students will earn an entry level professional certificate in one of a variety of topic areas to prepare them for the workforce or further education, including: cyber-security, digital marketing, software engineering, project management, data science, social media marketing, and more.
Seton College students accumulate two years’ worth of fully transferable credits, with dedicated full-time staff guiding them seamlessly through the transfer process into the University or another accredited institution of higher learning, ensuring a smooth transition to their next academic endeavor or preparation to enter the workforce. The first cohort of Seton College students will graduate in just a few short months.
And our partnership with the Sara Schenirer Institute and our launch of Seton College are not the only examples of how the University of Mount Saint Vincent meets our students where they need us most. We’re creating pathways for transfer students, where learners from local community colleges can find a welcoming and inclusive place to complete their four-year degrees. We’re enabling adult learners to earn a bachelor’s degree on their time or enhance their resumes with a master’s degree in an entirely online format. And we’re proud of the partnerships we’re making throughout the Bronx—including with neighboring RiverSpring Living, where senior residents collaborate with undergraduate students in integrated classrooms.
“Every time we create a new pathway or launch a partnership with a new program, we live out the vision of the Sisters of Charity, who never hesitated to step into the places where they were most needed,” shared President Burns. “We, too, go where the need is greatest—and we bring the Mount with us. We live by the words of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton: hazard, yet forward.”
Your generosity enables us to take bold steps, to invest in new models of education, and to say yes to opportunities that expand the reach of our mission. With your support, the Mount is able to keep saying yes: yes to new partnerships, yes to bold ideas, and yes to the communities that need us most.
As our world changes, so, too, must the ways we extend access. At the University of Mount Saint Vincent, where we show up is not just a matter of geography—it’s a matter of mission. Whether in the Bronx, Brooklyn, or beyond, the Mount will continue to carry its Vincentian values into the world, creating pathways of opportunity for all learners that change lives.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers a nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the University equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment, and leadership in the 21st century.