GMCEC: a unique partnership
For over two hundred years, Catholic elementary and secondary education in the United States has played an essential role in the life of the Church and our nation. In today’s times, Catholic schools face many challenges including the maintenance of academic excellence, the perpetuation of the faith, and the capacity to operate effectively in an environment where multiple factors threaten not only quality, but their very existence. School demographics are changing significantly, overall enrollment is decling, tutition costs are rising, and schools and parishes are both merging and closing. Clearly, Catholic Schools need assistance with the professional development of teachers, administrators, board members and other school leaders, an infrastructure for promoting Catholic identity and faith formation, and strategies to support entrepreneurship and sustainability. This burgeoning collaboration among GMCEC members, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Office for Schools, Catholic schools and the Church community will facilitate changes needed to not only sustain but grow Catholic education into the future.
To help address these notable challenges, five regional Catholic colleges and universities are collaborting formally to affect positive change.
Alverno College, Cardinal Stritch University, Marian University, Marquette University and Mount Mary College have developed the Greater Milwaukee Catholic Education Consortium (GMCEC). This partnership of five Catholic institutions of higher education will endeavor to leverage our individual and collective strengths to serve as catalysts for Catholic educational change.
Alverno College
www.alverno.eduAn educational leader in the liberal arts tradition, internationally recognized for the faculty's work with ability-based education and performance-based assessment. It focuses on integrative, experiential and reflective approaches to learning.
Cardinal Stritch University
www.stritch.eduCardinal Stritch University is a comprehensive, Franciscan Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts with a focus on value-centered education. With its knowledgeable faculty and staff, Stritch is a leading supplier of teachers and school administrators in the region.
Marian University
www.marianuniversity.eduA Catholic liberal arts institution of higher learning that welcomes diverse spiritual traditions and is committed to the transformation of the individual and the world through lifelong learning.
Marquette University
www.marquette.eduA premiere Catholic Jesuit Institution focused on the tenets of leadership, faith, service and excellence. The School of Education (soon to be a College of Education) is populated with talented teacher education and school leadership faculty who are dedicated to social justice and the education and welfare of all children.