Strategic Plan

Mercy College of Health Sciences will provide high-quality educational experiences to a diverse community of students, faculty, administration, and staff, offering opportunities to achieve learning and employment outcomes.

Goal A: Engage all students’ capacity to succeed.

• Strategy 1: Prioritize student retention.
• Strategy 2: Facilitate student success.

Goal B: Catalyze a vibrant 21st-century learning experience for all students.

• Strategy 1: Deploy innovative approaches to design new curricula and advance top-quality academic programs.
• Strategy 2: Champion and enable high-quality teaching.
• Strategy 3: Acknowledge and redress potential barriers to success across the Mercy College student experience. 

Goal C: Recruit and retain high-quality faculty and staff who are deeply invested in student development
and success.

• Strategy 1: Employ a sufficient number of faculty and staff with the expertise to continue to support the ongoing success of the College.
• Strategy 2: Attract and retain faculty, administrators, and staff from diverse cultures and groups.
• Strategy 3: Increase our support for internal and external professional development to foster a continuous improvement culture.

Mercy College will instill a sense of connectedness with the College and others in each college community member, reflecting the College values of compassion and reverence.

Goal A: Inspire Mercy College students, faculty, and staff to manifest the College’s heritage and values in their personal and professional lives.

• Strategy 1: Inspire faculty, staff, and student understanding of College heritage and values.
• Strategy 2: Affirm that all members of the College community are seen and treated with dignity.

Goal B: Foster a culture of human flourishing that integrates wellness, balance, and development in the lives of our students, faculty, and staff, in accordance with the College’s mission and Catholic heritage. 

• Strategy 1: Promote student and employee wellness.
• Strategy 2: Increase faculty and staff satisfaction and promote work/life balance.

Mercy College will increase its internal, local, regional, and national connections to empower and promote the healthcare workforce in Iowa and the United States.

Goal A: Further the College’s reach and increase its impact with Mercy College healthcare affiliates.

• Strategy 1: Advance relationships with affiliate organizations that result in program growth and increased opportunities for clinical partnerships.
• Strategy 2: Coordinate with affiliates to create pathways to employment for Mercy College alumni.

Goal B: Bolster internal and external relationships.

• Strategy 1: Create an environment that encourages and empowers communication and collaboration among all College administrators, faculty, and staff to achieve the College’s strategic goals.
• Strategy 2: Increase the College’s reach and impact locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Strategy 3: Promote student success by encouraging student, employee, and alumni engagement with the College and deepening their relationships with each other.

Mercy College will engage stakeholders in building capacity and scale of College operations, increasing College visibility and promoting growth and expansion.

Goal A: Develop and scale all campus operations to prepare for future needs and opportunities.

• Strategy 1: Address the College’s infrastructure needs.
• Strategy 2: Strive for a safe and healthy campus environment.

Goal B: Strengthen the College’s presence, visibility, and reputation.

• Strategy 1: Strengthen outreach and external engagement with Mercy College.
• Strategy 2: Broaden the College’s networks of alumni and supporters.

Goal C: Maximize enrollment and revenue through ambitious, entrepreneurial initiatives.

• Strategy 1: Strategically increase enrollment.
• Strategy 2: Improve and enhance admission standards and practices.
• Strategy 3: Sustain current revenue generating initiatives and develop new revenue sources.