By: Institutional Communications
Sagrado announced its participation in a historic alliance that will transform the landscape of Catholic higher education in the United States and Puerto Rico. The initiative, known as CHARISM: Catholic Higher Education Alliance of Rising Institutions in Service and Mission, brings together four Catholic universities with a strong vocation for service and a demonstrated commitment to Hispanic and minority populations. In total, the alliance will serve approximately 25,000 students.
Along with Sagrado, the alliance includes the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio, Texas, lead institution of the initiative, Dominican University in Chicago, Illinois, and the University of Mount Saint Vincent in New York City. Founded by visionary congregations of women religious, the four universities share educational missions rooted in social justice, academic excellence, and service to their communities. Sagrado’s inclusion in this effort reflects its recognized leadership in delivering innovative, bilingual education and fostering students with global vision and experience.
For Sagrado’s president, Gilberto J. Marxuach Torrós, the alliance represents a significant expansion of opportunities for students, who will benefit from new programs, shared resources, and academic experiences available both in person and online, in English or Spanish.
“CHARISM emerges as a strategic response to the challenges of accessibility, sustainability, and academic evolution facing universities today. Its mission is to strengthen each institution’s capabilities while respecting their autonomy and collectively expanding academic offerings. The vision of this collaborative model is to revolutionize Catholic higher education through integrated bilingual learning, shared academic programs, and pathways that facilitate study in other regions of the United States or international destinations,” noted Marxuach Torrós, adding that UIW also operates campuses in Mexico and France.
Gilberto J. Marxuach Torrós, president of Sagrado, highlights the importance of the CHARISM alliance in expanding academic opportunities for the university community.
Academic mobility and shared curricula
The initial phase of collaboration within CHARISM will focus on mobility programs that allow students to study for a semester or an academic year at one of the partner institutions. According to Dr. Anuchka Ramos Ruiz, provost and executive vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, the goal is to “foster academic and cultural exchange, broadening opportunities for learning and collaboration among students and faculty. This first phase will begin in the 2026–2027 academic year.”
She added that a second phase will introduce jointly developed shared curricula across the alliance. “We are designing a coordinated program that allows students to take courses at more than one institution starting in the 2027–2028 academic year. One example is the Community Health course, which includes an online theoretical component and an in-person practicum offered at any of the four participating universities. Similar courses are being developed in the areas of health and sciences, business, arts, and communication”.
President Marxuach Torrós signs the agreement that establishes the CHARISM alliance.
Faculty development and additional initiatives
The alliance will also create opportunities for faculty development through exchanges, collaborative research projects, and innovation groups that support the academic and student communities. Additional areas of collaboration include external funding initiatives and pastoral projects that strengthen the spiritual dimension of university life.
Sagrado currently maintains a collaboration agreement with the University of the Incarnate Word that guarantees students of the School of Health and Sciences admission to six graduate programs—provided they meet established requirements—including doctoral programs in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, and the Master of Science in Athletic Training. Students may also apply to UIW’s Schools of Pharmacy, Osteopathic Medicine, and Optometry. Similar agreements will be developed with Dominican University and the University of Mount Saint Vincent.
The official signing of the CHARISM alliance took place at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. The recording of the event is available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlL67ljgtco
As part of ongoing planning, university leaders will visit the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in 2026.