FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River is pleased to announce it has entered into a unique partnership with Villanova University’s Center for Church Management to offer an innovative two-year, online Master of Science in Church Management (MSCM) degree designed to provide students with a high-level skill set in effective church management.

In addition, a 50 percent scholarship is available to any new students from the Diocese of Fall River.

“In our diocese, the number one priority is ‘Rebuilding in Faith and Hope’ and one of the ways we can do that is by giving our laypeople and clergy access to quality Church management and educational programs,” said Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. “I am excited about this opportunity with Villanova and the fruits it will bring. Partnering with Villanova University to provide an affordable Masters in Church Management degree will help us provide even better support to parishes, schools and ministries and hopefully attract additional new talent to work in our diocese.”

Kevin Kiley, Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer for the Diocese of Fall River will graduate from Villanova’s MSCM in May 2019.

“The program exceeded my expectations,” Kiley recently shared. “I was impressed by the thoughtful and engaging professors, practical yet rigorous content for church leaders, and the convenient on-line format.  It was also great to learn with a cross-section of students from across the globe.”

According to Matthew F. Manion, ’11 MSCM and faculty director for the Center for Church Management, Villanova is “committed to providing education and scholarship in the Augustinian Catholic tradition on strategic, management and temporal matters in service to leaders of Churches and other Christian ministries. It is an honor to partner with Bishop da Cunha, Kevin Kiley, and the Diocese of Fall River to strengthen the pool of leaders who can combine the mission of Jesus with sound management of the Church.”

Recently ranked the #2 online graduate business degree program in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the MSCM program at VSB is designed to meet the needs of an international student body of church leaders and managers—including diocesan and parish finance roles, clergy and lay people serving in pastoral ministry roles who would like to provide greater value and support to their parish or diocese, and individuals who have worked in business professionally and want to transition to church work.

It is ideal for professionals who cannot take leave of their positions to relocate and pursue full-time study. The MSCM can be completed online in only two years of part-time study.

Villanova School of Business currently has similar partnership arrangements with the New York and Philadelphia Archdioceses and the Trenton, Paterson, and Camden Dioceses in New Jersey.

The first of its kind in the nation, VSB’s Center for Church Management is dedicated to serving the church through education and research. The Center offers a Master of Science in Church Management as well as several certificate programs and resources for Church management.

For more information, visit www.business.villanova.edu.

Diocese of Fall River
Diocese of Fall River
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