While I have visited the campus of Endicott College before, my first comprehensive tour of this Beverly, Massachusetts institution was hosted by President Steven DiSalvo on the kind of glorious mid-September day that makes you believe that summer will never end. There’s plenty I can (and will) say about this strong and thriving college, but it’s impossible not to begin with Endicott’s enviable location on the North Shore of Boston.
When I say “on the North Shore,” I mean Endicott is literally overlooking the majestic Atlantic Ocean, offering breathtaking views from many of its more than fifty buildings, including several residence halls that boast their own beaches. The setting is so extraordinary that Endicott is also known as a premiere wedding venue, hosting 137 nuptials this past summer, with two wedding venues plus a conference center and a 91-room hotel that contribute significantly to the institution’s bottom line.
But the college is distinguished by far more than its spectacular setting. Traditional undergraduate offerings span seven academic schools in Business; Education; Science & Technology; Nursing & Health Science; Visual & Performing Arts; Social Sciences, Communication & Humanities; and Sports Science –plus the Institute of Applied Behavioral Science — with master’s and doctoral programs available in online, hybrid, or fully seated options.
President DiSalvo is particularly proud of the new, state-of-the-art Nursing and Health Sciences Center, built in the heart of the campus to train a select group of 135 nursing students enrolled each year (chosen from more than 1,000 applicants). During our tour of the Cummings Center we encountered an enthusiastic class of nursing students who were encouraged by their teacher to “restrain” the President, and all eagerly leaned into the task…to DiSalvo’s laughing delight.
One impressive feature of an Endicott education is the deliberate integration of classroom learning with real-world experiences. Students are required to complete a series of three internships before graduation, fulfilling the promise that Endicott grads will leave college with both a degree and a resume. Internships are required in both the freshman/sophomore years and a full semester in the junior/senior years — that frequently occur in three global locations of Ireland, Italy, and Spain.
In fact, Endicott is so committed to encouraging students to spend a semester abroad, it provides round-trip airfare to the student and a parent. I absolutely love that idea! President DiSalvo shared that this fall’s study-abroad program has grown from 72 to 168 students– a critically important increase because 95% of Endicott undergrads live on campus (with their own beaches!), so off-loading some student housing to its global locations allows the college to continue increasing admissions beyond the 4,500 total currently enrolled. Now that’s the kind of problem most institutions would love to have!
Another positive indicator of its entrepreneurial success? Ten years after entering college, Endicott graduates who received federal aid earn a median salary of $58,336.
In my meanderings among the schools NECHE accredits, I’m always intrigued by the different paths taken by each institution from its founding. (That was the subject of my doctoral dissertation many years ago.) The Endicott story is particularly fascinating. The college was founded in 1939 by Eleanor Tupper and her husband George Bierkoe as a finishing school for women, offering a two-year associate’s degree and integrating internships from the beginning. Bierkoe served as President for 32 years, until 1971, when Eleanor took over for the following nine years. In the 1980’s, Endicott expanded to offer a 4-year baccalaureate degree, but it was not until 1994 that men were admitted.
The college was on the brink of closure when a young, entrepreneurial president, Dick Wylie, was selected to lead (and save) the college. President Wylie served for more than 31 years; in fact, he passed away while still in office. Earning the nickname of “hard hat president,” Wylie presided over the design, financing, and construction of 26 buildings on campus including academic facilities, residence halls, sports complexes, and an arts center. He also acquired an additional 100 acres alongside Beverly’s scenic shore, many containing historic oceanfront properties that were converted for student housing. Under Wylie, the endowment bloomed from three million dollars to more than $80 million and under the current leadership of President DiSalvo, it now exceeds $150 million. (Steven came to Endicott five years ago, having previously served as president of another NECHE institution, St. Anselm.)
All to say that through challenging times and the headwinds of change, one thing remains certain. Leadership matters.