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College · Catholic life on campus

Saginaw Valley State University

  • LocationUniversity Center, MI
  • Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 6,889 students
Official website

Saginaw Valley State University is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

The St. John Paul II Ministry, run through the Diocese of Saginaw, serves Catholic students at Saginaw Valley State University. A Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall is published, along with a weekly Wednesday Bible study and a named campus minister.

Mass, confession, and adoration

Confirm with the parish

Mass 1

  • Sunday5:00 PMFounders Hall, Saginaw Valley State University · Rosary and reconciliation are listed beforehand.

Times come only from official parish, chaplaincy, or school pages, and can change with the season. Last verified Oct. 12, 2026.

Sources for these times (1)
  1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
    The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

DCatholic life on campus: Limited (grade D): 40 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.

Catholic life on campus

54 of 100 points on what we could document.

  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Yes (Listed by the Diocese of Saginaw's Bay Catholic site as the campus ministry for Saginaw Valley State University.)
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.
      “Come join our community of college students at Saginaw Valley State University!”
      The diocese's ministry states that it serves college students at Saginaw Valley State University.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryPart-time or shared priest (A Sunday Mass is published; the named contact is a campus minister.)
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Weekday Mass at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelOne weekend Mass (One weekend Mass is listed (Sunday at 5 PM).)
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Scheduled confession at the campus ministryLess than weekly, or by appointment (Reconciliation is listed before Sunday Mass.)
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)One (One group is listed: a weekly Wednesday Bible study.)
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Wednesday (weekly): Bible Study at 7pm in the Cardinal Cafe”
      The ministry lists a weekly Wednesday evening Bible study at 7 PM.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)One kind (One kind of formation offering is listed: a weekly Bible study.)
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Wednesday (weekly): Bible Study at 7pm in the Cardinal Cafe”
      The ministry lists a weekly Wednesday evening Bible study at 7 PM.
  • No: the school does not offer this, so it earns no points.
    Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)None mapped within 3 milesComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adoration1 to 5 times a week (1 weekly times documented: 1 Mass, 0 confession, 0 adoration.)Computed from the verified Mass, confession, and adoration times listed on this page (each day a time is offered counts once).

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • A named campus minister and a published Sunday Mass are available to students.
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.
      “Please contact our Campus Minister, Angela McHugh.”
      The ministry names Angela McHugh as its Campus Minister.
  • A weekly Bible study is listed for students on the ministry's page.
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Wednesday (weekly): Bible Study at 7pm in the Cardinal Cafe”
      The ministry lists a weekly Wednesday evening Bible study at 7 PM.

Concerns

  • The published page lists one weekend Mass and no weekday Mass.
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.
  • Reconciliation is mentioned only before Sunday Mass.
    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

The Catholic center

St. John Paul II Ministry at SVSU

    Source: baycatholic.org, verified Oct. 12, 2026, baycatholic.org, verified Oct. 12, 2026

    Catholic clubs and student life

    2 groups and regular activities · 1 on campus, 0 off campus, 1 location not published

    Liturgy and prayer 1

    • Sunday Mass with Rosary and ReconciliationOn campus
      Sundays 5 PM
      Sunday Mass in Founders Hall, preceded by the Rosary and Reconciliation.
      baycatholic.org, svsu.edu

    Clubs and groups 1

    • St. John Paul II Ministry Bible Study
      Wednesdays 7 PM
      Weekly Bible study in the Cardinal Cafe.
      baycatholic.org

    Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

    Catholic campus ministry

    Sources (1)
    1. SVSU St. John Paul II Ministry | Bay Catholicbaycatholic.org/svsu-st-john-paul-ii-ministry · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.
      “Come join our community of college students at Saginaw Valley State University!”
      The diocese's ministry states that it serves college students at Saginaw Valley State University.
      “Sunday Mass: 5pm at Founders Hall (Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand)”
      The Diocese of Saginaw's campus ministry page lists a Sunday Mass at 5 PM in Founders Hall, with Rosary and Reconciliation beforehand.
      “Come join our community of college students at Saginaw Valley State University!”
      The diocese's ministry states that it serves college students at Saginaw Valley State University.

    Reach out

    Contact details for Angela McHugh (Campus Minister, St. John Paul II Ministry at SVSU) and 1 official social and news channels are available to signed-in users.

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    Academic Excellence

    CAcademic Excellence: Mixed (grade C): 55 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
    56 of 100
    From federal data, on fixed published scales.

    Each measure counts for the share shown.

    • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.48%
    • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.78%
    • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,052 · ACT 22
    • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
    • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,060

    Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

    Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

    Cost and value

    Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

    Undergraduate students
    Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
    		6,184
    Total students6,889
    Average net price (per year)
    After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
    		$10,775
    Cost of attendance (per year)$24,936
    Median federal debt at graduation$25,000
    Graduation rate
    First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
    		48%
    First-year retention78%
    Median earnings 10 years after entry$51,955
    Admission rate72%
    Students receiving Pell grants35%
    Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
    Average SAT1052
    SAT reading & writing480–600
    SAT math440–570
    ACT composite18–26
    Test policyConsidered but not required

    Value index: 55 / 100 (how it’s computed)

    Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
    College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

    Local Church

    Diocese of Saginaw

    The Most Reverend Robert D. Gruss, Bishop of Saginaw

    Formal address: “Your Excellency”

    Source: saginaw.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

    Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

    About this school’s data

    Questions families ask

    Is Saginaw Valley State University a Catholic college?
    No. Saginaw Valley State University is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by St. John Paul II Ministry at SVSU.
    What is Saginaw Valley State University’s Catholic Life Score?
    54 out of 100 (grade D). It measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes, together with academics.
    Where is Mass celebrated at Saginaw Valley State University?
    Mass is listed at Founders Hall and Saginaw Valley State University. Days and times are on this page; please confirm with the parish or campus ministry before you go.

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