Gwynedd-Mercy College is an independent, co-educational institution located in Gwynedd Valley of Lower Gwynedd Township, PA, 25 miles (40 km) northwest of downtown Philadelphia. Founded in 1948 by the Sisters of Mercy as a junior college, Gwynedd-Mercy College was rechartered in 1963 as baccalaureate institution. As of 2009 there is a student enrollment of 2700. Gwynedd-Mercy is a member of SEPCHE, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium of Higher Education, an association of eight higher-level educational institutions that "work together to promote quality and efficiency of academic programming, student access, faculty development, institutional operations and community outreach, through sharing a range of activities, services, technology and information."1 Other affiliated institutions include Arcadia University, Cabrini College, Chestnut Hill College, Holy Family University, Immaculata University, Neumann College and Rosemont College. In the 2008 issue of U.S. News & World Report's "America’s Best Colleges" publication, Gwynedd-Mercy ranked 75 among the top master’s-level colleges and universities in the north region, with a 76% graduation rate.