Mater Ecclesiae College in Greenville, RI.

March 28, 2011, Greenville, Rhode Island – Five years of hard work has paid off for Mater Ecclesiae College, according to college president Dr. Luly Fernandez.  The college has received its initial accreditation. 

The accreditation is the final step in a five-year accreditation process through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).  NEASC is one of six regional accreditation bodies in the United States.

Mater Ecclesiae is the center of formation for the Regnum Christi consecrated women in the United States. Students obtain a 4-year Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious and Pastoral Studies with a minor in philosophy and a specialization in communication.  In addition, students complete required fieldwork each semester, to put theory into practice. 

“In keeping with the institution’s mission statement, Mater Ecclesiae’s goal is ‘to prepare consecrated women for leadership positions in educational, pastoral, religious and social services,’” said Dr. Fernandez.  “We are very proud of our accomplishment, and our students are already enthusiastically helping to plan the college’s first graduation ceremony.”

Since attaining candidacy status in 2005, Mater Ecclesiae has been working steadily to achieve official recognition as an accredited college.  The work involved 3 year-long institutional self-study processes conducted between 2005 and

	MEC students at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

2010.  Each process culminated in a 100-page report submitted to NEASC’s Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE), with a follow-up site visit from NEASC representatives. 

As a follow-up to the third and final site visit held November 7 – 10, 2010, Mater Ecclesiae College President Dr. Luly Fernández, Vice President Daire Ryan, Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Patricia Camarero, and Secretary and Treasurer of the Board of Directors Fr. José Félix Ortega LC, appeared before the commission on March 3, 2011 to answer questions about the self-study and visiting team reports.  At the CIHE’s recommendation, the NEASC Board of Trustees officially granted initial accreditation to Mater Ecclesiae, retroactive to the last day of the final site visit last November.