University Archives
Welcome to the Mercyhurst University Archives!
The University Collections contain a wealth of primary source material pertaining to important documents, institutional records, ephemera and realia about the university. The Ridge Collection contains material pertaining to important public policy matters covering Governor Ridge's time in office, along with extensive resources pertaining to First Lady Michele Ridge's commitment to and involvement with a number of important issues affecting the lives of Pennsylvanians.
Donating Materials
The Mercyhurst University Archives is the official repository for the intellectual, cultural, and administrative history of the university. The archives are dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Mercyhurst University by collecting, preserving, and providing access to university materials that have lasting historical value.
If you are interested in donating material to the Mercyhurst University Archives or Thomas J. & Michele Ridge Collection, please contact Bryan Colvin, university archivist, at scolvin@mercyhurst.edu or 814-824-2295.
Learn more about our university's history by reading about Mercyhurst University, its archives, Sister Mary Lawrence Franklin, and its Thomas J. and Michele Ridge Collection. Preview a timeline of our university's history, from when our founder, Catherine Elizabeth McAuley, was born in 1778 to 2023. Read more about the history of our university's advertisements, athletics, AIM program, gates, Grotto, Hammermill Library, O'Neil Tower, signature programs, and the Sisters of Mercy.
The Thomas J. and Michele Ridge Collection at Mercyhurst University covers the timeline of their years in public service. Consisting primarily of documents, audiovisual material, photographs, and artifacts, the Ridge Collection includes Thomas Ridge’s services as the U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania’s 21st district (1983-1995), and, more extensively, his two terms as the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania (1995-2001). The Collection also includes Michele Ridge’s papers from her time as First Lady of Pennsylvania (1995-2001).
Bryan Colvin
University Archivist
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.