Colleges of Distinction 2010 - 2011 Guide. Tyson Schritter

       Niagara strives to educate and enrich students through programs in the liberal arts and through career preparation with special attention to the Catholic and Vincentian traditions. NU students develop a passion for learning through classroom interaction teaching, research, and service. The University’s commitment to the Catholic faith allows students to experience the vision and reality of a service-oriented, value-centered education. St. Vincent de Paul’s tradition of serving the poor is continued at NU, where all undergraduates participate in service learning. In addition, more than half of NU’s undergraduate students participate in research and many take advantage of NU’s study abroad, cooperative education, and internship programs. A Niagara education is designed to make a difference in the lives of students, leading them to make a difference in the community and the world.

       Niagara offers more than 50 undergraduate programs and majors along with 18 graduate programs. The most popular are: business/commerce; criminal justice; hotel & restaurant management; psychology; communication studies; biology and teacher education. Internships and co-operative education programs are available to provide hands-on learning experience best fitted for the individual.

       Learn and Serve Niagara is a program designed to promote the knowledge, values, and skills necessary for the lifelong engagement in the pursuit of social justice among all members of the university community. All major programs require completion of Learn and Serve components for graduation. Courses with service-learning components are offered in every college and in almost every academic department. Students are involved in projects ranging from working with the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office in the domestic-violence program to doing historical research for nonprofit agencies to providing tax-preparation assistance to elderly community members. Education majors serve as teachers’ aides and provide tutoring for local children. Other NU students participates in Habitat for Humanity projects, just to name a few.

       NU has four academic divisions: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The latter is no surprise, given Niagara’s proximity to the famous falls of the same name, a must-visit destination for generations of travelers.

       Niagara’s low student to faculty ratio of fourteen to one means that classes are small, with an average class size of approximately 25 students. and fewer than twenty students for labs and subsections. Faculty members serve as advisors to students, either in their major field of study or under the Academic Exploration Program for students who have not yet decided on a major.

       Professors not only get involved in student clubs and organizations but in conjunction with the co-op office faculty assist students find internship placements.. To enhance education outside the classroom, almost every major has an academic club. Faculty offer special programs designed to stimulate and challenge the accomplished students who qualify for the honors program. Students contribute to research in a variety of fields, and their work is often presented at national conferences.

       Addressing a student’s whole life, NU offers continuing orientation throughout the college experience, including classes and seminars on drugs and alcohol, study habits, and other topics that count as credit for elective courses.

       In addition to the internships and service-learning programs, students can earn credits for research projects, independent study, and cooperative-education programs. They may also participate in Army ROTC.