Name change reflects institutional growth and reinforces a century-long commitment to preparing compassionate, highly skilled healthcare professionals
DES MOINES, Iowa — Mercy College of Health Sciences today announced that it has officially become Mercy Health Sciences University. The new name reflects the institution’s continued growth into a university designed to meet the expanding healthcare workforce needs of Iowa. The institution’s mission, rooted in its Catholic heritage and the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy, remains unchanged.
The new name marks the latest chapter in a history of evolution spanning 127 years. Founded in 1899 as the Mercy Des Moines School of Nursing, the institution joined with allied health programs from the Mercy School of Health Sciences in 1995 to form Mercy College of Health Sciences. Since then, the College has grown into an institution offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates across a range of healthcare fields. The transition to Mercy Health Sciences University is a central commitment of the institution’s strategic plan, Building Our Future 2026–2030, positioning the University to help meet Iowa’s healthcare workforce needs while carrying forward the mission on which it was founded.
“This is a significant milestone in our incredible legacy,” said Dr. Adreain Henry, OD, EdD, MBA, President of Mercy Health Sciences University. “For more than a century, we have prepared compassionate, highly skilled healthcare professionals for service and leadership in our community and across our state. Becoming a university reflects who we have grown to be and allows us to build on our legacy with even greater capacity to serve our students and the patients they will one day care for.”
Mercy Health Sciences University will continue to offer rigorous healthcare-focused academic programs that have defined the institution, now presented under an identity that better reflects its scope and future. The community can expect to see the new name and visual identity introduced across campus, digital platforms, and printed materials in the coming months.
For more information, visit MercyHealthU.edu/FAQ.
About Mercy Health Sciences University
Mercy Health Sciences University, formerly Mercy College of Health Sciences, is a health sciences specialty university rooted in the Catholic heritage of the Sisters of Mercy. Located in the heart of downtown Des Moines, Iowa, Mercy Health Sciences University offers master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees, certificates, and continuing education courses. Through our unique hands-on learning, unparalleled clinical rotations, and accelerated education offerings, our students are prepared to enter the workforce quickly with the critical skills necessary to make an immediate impact in their chosen healthcare careers. Guided by our Core Values of Knowledge, Reverence, Integrity, Compassion, and Excellence, Mercy Health Sciences University has been transforming students into successful healthcare professionals for 127 years.
