D’Youville, a private university in western New York, focuses on health sciences and business. Its health care programs, in particular, are a main attraction, with the bachelor’s degree in nursing drawing the most students.
Almost all students take a mix of online and in-person classes, and some degrees are offered on an accelerated timeline to get students into the workforce faster. The university has gotten recognized in recent years for promoting social mobility. Indeed, it scores well in Money’s analysis in part because it places in the top tier on an economic mobility index that looks at how quickly a college provides a return on investment for lower-income students.
In 2020 the university unveiled a new logo and mascot. They’re now the Saints, represented by a Saint Bernard — yes, a real, live dog. (Technically, there are two pups: The official mascot, Saint, whom students can catch on his walks around campus, and his sister Maggie, who helps share the burden of keeping morale up by cheering on the athletes in 21 NCAA Division II sports.)
In a less popular move, D’Youville made waves (and headlines) in 2024 when it selected an AI robot to deliver its commencement speech, a move that angered some students and alumni.
