Name Transition FAQ
This FAQ provides answers to common questions about the transition from Mercy College of Health Sciences to Mercy Health Sciences University, including what the change means for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community partners. For marketing materials, brand guidelines, logos, and communication resources related to the transition, visit our marketing webpage.
General
The new name reflects the scope of who we are today and where we are headed. Since our founding in 1899, our institution has continuously grown and evolved. We were founded as Mercy Des Moines School of Nursing, and in 1995, we joined together with allied health programs from Mercy School of Health Sciences to become Mercy College of Health Sciences. This next evolution is a natural extension of our longstanding mission to serve as a regional leader in healthcare education. Over the past several years, Mercy College of Health Sciences has grown beyond a single-program college into an institution offering a broader range of undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, expanded clinical partnerships, and a growing base of students preparing for careers across the healthcare field. The transition to Mercy Health Sciences University is a central commitment of our strategic plan, Building Our Future 2026–2030, and positions us to meet Iowa’s healthcare workforce needs while continuing the mission and legacy on which we were founded.
Mercy College of Health Sciences met the criteria required to be recognized as a university, reflecting our expanded academic offerings, degree levels, and institutional scope. Mercy Health Sciences University becomes the College’s official name effective August 26, 2026.
Yes. Our new web address will be MercyHealthU.edu. MCHS.edu and associated links will operate in parallel for a period following the September 15, 2026, public launch to ensure a smooth transition for prospective students, current students, and partners.
Yes. Mercy Health Sciences University will launch a new visual identity alongside the public name launch on September 15, 2026, including an updated logo, brand colors, and typography. The Guardian will remain our mascot, and as Guardians, we will proudly carry our mission forward under the new name.
Yes. Updated signage reflecting the Mercy Health Sciences University name and brand will be installed on campus as part of the transition.
Yes. Mercy Health Sciences University will continue to operate from our Des Moines campus. Our location, clinical partnerships, and community presence are not changing — only our name and the scope it reflects.
Yes. Social media accounts will transition to reflect the Mercy Health Sciences University name and new branding around the September 15, 2026, public launch.
Following the public launch on September 15, 2026, MCHS.edu will redirect to MercyHealthU.edu. Both domains are expected to run in parallel for a period after launch to support a smooth transition.
Students
Your enrollment status is not affected. You remain enrolled in the same program, with the same faculty and staff supporting you. Mercy College of Health Sciences is now Mercy Health Sciences University; while the name has changed, we remain the same institution and maintain the same commitment to your educational success.
No. Degree and program requirements are not affected by the name change.
No. Accredited programs have notified their respective accrediting bodies of the institutional name change, and accreditation status will carry forward under the new name.
No. Mercy Health Sciences University’s institutional accreditation carries forward under the new name. Our accrediting body has been formally notified of the change as part of the transition.
No. Tuition and financial aid packages are not affected by the name change.
No. The institutional name change will be updated at the federal and state levels, and your financial aid records will be updated automatically.
Current students should list “Mercy Health Sciences University” on their resume, reflecting the institution from which they will earn their degree.
Email addresses will be updated to First.Last@MercyHealthU.edu. However, students will have access to both email accounts through the transition. Any updates related to our Microsoft email platform migration will be communicated directly, with instructions, well in advance.
Current student IDs will remain valid and do not need to be replaced.
Any Mercy College of Health Sciences-branded apparel will be accepted for the foreseeable future. Students do not need to purchase new items. Valley West Uniforms does have the new Mercy Health Sciences University logo and has been placing it on all items purchased after July 1, 2026.
Current parking passes will remain valid and do not need to be replaced.
Beginning August 26, 2026, checks should be made out to Mercy Health Sciences University.
No. Checks made out to Mercy College of Health Sciences will still be accepted for a transitional period after August 26, 2026. Going forward, please use Mercy Health Sciences University.
Updated merchandise reflecting the new name and brand will be available beginning with the September 15, 2026, public launch. Please visit the M-Shop at https://www.MercyHealthU.edu/Shop.
Existing printed materials may be used until current supplies are exhausted, but should not be reordered. New requests for printed materials should use the Mercy Health Sciences University name and branding beginning August 26, 2026. Individuals should plan for all items to be replaced by June 30, 2027.
Staff & Faculty
Our learning management system, Canvas, will be updated centrally with the new name and branding. Faculty should update other teaching materials they maintain independently, such as syllabi, handouts, videos, PowerPoints, etc., that reference the Mercy College of Health Sciences name or logo. You can find the necessary resources to complete these actions at www.MercyHealthU.edu/Marketing.
Yes, for any publication with a release date of August 26, 2026 or later.
Yes. Please notify any societies or membership organizations so they can update their records to reflect Mercy Health Sciences University.
Yes, for any conference or forum taking place on or after August 26, 2026, please list your affiliation as Mercy Health Sciences University.
Current IDs will remain valid for a transitional period. Information about new Mercy Health Sciences University IDs will be shared in a separate communication.
Current parking passes will remain valid for a transitional period. Details on new passes and registration will be shared in a separate communication.
Business cards, envelopes, letterhead, and other materials reflecting the new name and logo can be ordered beginning August 26, 2026. We encourage all employees to use out their existing items until June 30, 2027. The ordering process will remain the same as it is today.
Yes. Email signatures should be updated to reflect the new name and logo beginning September 15, 2026. You can find details here: www.MercyHealthU.edu/Marketing.
Yes. Voicemail greetings should reference Mercy Health Sciences University beginning September 15, 2026. Instructions will be provided ahead of that date.
Phone numbers will not change. Any changes to email address domains related to the Microsoft email platform migration will be communicated directly, with advance notice and instructions. Email addresses will be updated to First.Last@MercyHealthU.edu. However, employees will have access to both email accounts through the transition. Any updates related to our Microsoft email platform migration will be communicated directly, with instructions, well in advance.
No, no changes will be made to how you receive your direct deposit.
When speaking or corresponding with outside parties on or after August 26, 2026, please make them aware of the name change. Our legal name will not be changing, so it is unlikely they will need to make any changes on their end.
Alumni
No. The institutional name change will be made at the federal and state levels, and financial aid records will be updated automatically.
Alumni whose degrees were conferred before August 26, 2026, do not need to replace their diplomas. Alumni who would like a diploma reflecting the Mercy Health Sciences University name will be able to request a replacement once the new diploma template is available.
Your diploma will reflect Mercy College of Health Sciences, since that was the institution’s official name on your degree conferral date.
Alumni who graduated before the name change may list either “Mercy College of Health Sciences” or “Mercy Health Sciences University (formerly Mercy College of Health Sciences).” For employment applications requiring official documentation, such as a transcript, please use “Mercy Health Sciences University,” so it matches the name on those documents.
Vendors & Community Partners
No. Mercy Health Sciences University’s EIN will remain the same. Payments and invoices should be made out to Mercy Health Sciences University beginning August 26, 2026; checks made out to Mercy College of Health Sciences will still be accepted for a transitional period.
Agreements already in place remain valid. Mercy College of Health Sciences is Doing Business As (d/b/a) Mercy Health Sciences University. Therefore, where formal documents reference “Mercy College of Health Sciences,” they are still valid and do not require immediate attention.
Who should I contact with questions not answered here?
Questions about the name transition can be directed to the Office of Marketing and Communications at Marketing@MercyHealthU.edu.
