Around the country, the state, and the city of Philadelphia, the new year brings with it incredible milestones as the United States of America prepares to celebrate her 250th birthday. But America is not alone in ushering in a new era as 2026 continues a period of growth and significant advancements at Chestnut Hill College, which now enters its second century of educating students in an inclusive, welcoming, and whole-person-focused environment.

The year 2025 began a new chapter for Chestnut Hill College as interim president Brian McCloskey, D.M., MBA, was appointed to the role, bringing with him a vision for the future, expressing, “I am deeply committed to advancing our mission, which is grounded in the values of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Our focus on serving all people, without distinction, inclusivity, and providing transformative educational opportunities aligns perfectly with my own beliefs about the power of higher education. I look forward to continuing to strengthen our liberal arts foundation while launching innovative programs, all of which respond to the pressing needs of our community.”

Enrollment increases

The fall of 2025 saw marked growth in enrollment numbers across the board at Chestnut Hill, with the College seeing its largest class of students in over five years, bringing new enthusiasm and energy, the return of several clubs, and a robust assortment of programs, including new majors in business analytics, data science, and social work. The MBA, which has been thriving since its launch in 2024 and graduated its first cohort of students in the spring of 2025, now offers three additional concentrations in accountancy, healthcare, and ministry leadership, providing even more exciting opportunities for students.

A year after breaking ground on the foundations of its nursing program, 2025 saw Chestnut Hill College open the Nursing Clinical Arts Center, housed at the College’s SugarLoaf Campus. Over 50 students across the ABSN and BSN programs have already benefited from this new building, which includes state-of-the-market technology to help students simulate real-world medical scenarios. Through community partnerships, including Chestnut Hill Hospital, CHC nursing students have already begun clinical work in medical settings, helping prepare them for fulfilling and life-giving careers in the field.

Life skills program launches

As the College embarks on its second century, it does so with a new program that aligns with its mission and further demonstrates its commitment to serve all without distinction. Last year saw the launch of the Life Skills through Career Program, within the College’s Neurodiversity Initiatives umbrella. The life skills program is designed to offer support to individuals with developmental disabilities and co-occurring autism spectrum disorder through providing vocational training, life skills development, family systems therapy, and support on a college campus. According to the Office of Development Programs, CHC’s program is the first of its kind in the state of Pennsylvania. The program’s primary mission is to provide support to a community of individuals who are often underserved, aging out of many resources by the time they reach adulthood. By doing so on a college campus, students have the opportunity to feel part of a community, all while learning skills in order to live and work independently.

“I think it’s very important to be a leader in this initiative and this industry, and to our knowledge, there is no other program like this on a college campus in PA, so to be able to combine this program helping those in the neurodiverse community with our primary mission of serving the underserved and providing education, it aligns perfectly,” notes McCloskey.

The first cohort of Life Skills through Career participants starts on campus in January.

As they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The College’s new programs and initiatives always come back to the heart of who we are, as the hallmark of a Chestnut Hill College education remains the same: dedication to mission and commitment to help all students see through their educational journeys at the undergraduate, graduate, and adult learner levels.