Point Park offers automatic acceptance to University of Arts students affected by school’s closure

PITTSBURGH — Point Park may see more students walking through their doors after another university unexpectedly shut down.

“We have probably had 175 or more students or families reach out,” said Marlin Collingwood, the vice president of Enrollment & Management.

For days, Point Park University says their phones have been ringing off the hook following the abrupt and immediate announcement that the University of Arts in Philadelphia would shut down, leaving their students scrambling.

“They had already paid their tuition bill and they had paid it early in the week last week, which is great because that’s what parents do and then four days later, they read that the campus was closing,” he explained.

Like Point Park University, the University of Arts offers specialty classes that traditional campuses don’t, which often require auditions.

So, after continuous phone calls over the weekend, Point Park leaders stepped up, offering automatic acceptance for these students.

“Admissions had been closed for that. They were full as of a week ago when our deadline of June 1 rolled around,” explained Collingwood.

Point Park’s automatic acceptance offer is available for fall 2024. It includes direct artistic admission into the following nationally recognized Conservatory of Performing Arts programs: animation, cinema production, screenwriting, theatre arts and theatre production (technical design/management, stage management, design). University leaders stated that they will also accept students from traditional programs who attended the University of Arts.

“I know a lot of the dance and acting students have a very difficult time with the auditions they must do… It’s very late to be told that you can now be here. I would stress personally but yeah, it’s a great opportunity for them to come here,” said current business student Ashley Kijowski.

University leaders also worked to provide the students with housing for the first semester free of charge.

“We are going to set aside 75 rooms for 75 university art students and will not charge them anything for that,” Collingwood, said.

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