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SWAIN CAMPUS PS-Grade 8 / HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CAMPUS PS-Grade 8 / MERLE-SMITH CAMPUS Grades 9-12
The distinctive college-like atmosphere of our Merle-Smith Campus provides a setting in which students pursue their own interests, talents, ambitions, and leadership capacities. Guided and inspired by expert faculty members, you engage in complex cooperative projects and advanced independent research. You celebrate beloved traditions and further develop personal passions and curiosities, stretching beyond your comfort zone to explore academics, the arts, athletics, affinity groups— or all of them at once. As you increasingly take charge of your education, you graduate ready to excel in the college and future of your choice.

Immersive and empowering

The Merle-Smith Campus offers challenging, exciting academics in an atmosphere where students work together to explore and address complex issues—and step forth fully prepared for the ever-changing world of the future.

SIGNATURE PROGRAMS AND EXPERIENCES

Independent research projects, such as the Freshman Interdisciplinary Research Project (FIRE) and the Comenius Project, empower you to conduct, analyze, and present research on a topic of your choice, alongside faculty mentors who are experts in their fields. These one-of-a-kind programs give you the advanced research, writing, and presentation skills that others learn later in life.
A flexible schedule allows you to delve deeply into personal interests and passions while ensuring you master essential college-preparatory subjects. Across all disciplines, we learn together from both success and failure, so you graduate with the well-earned knowledge and confidence to take charge of your own future.
Expert college counselors work with you throughout your Upper School journey to help you consider, select, and apply to the best-fit schools for you. Our students consistently enroll in top institutions, both national and international, and arrive thoroughly prepared for every challenge they encounter.

LIFE-CHANGING LEARNING, IN AND BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

The college-preparatory program at Merle-Smith includes profoundly meaningful extracurricular, social, and cultural exploration. You can choose from a rich variety of athletics offerings and a robust slate of visual and performing arts. You can travel, study, and engage in service learning both locally and internationally. You can join almost any kind of club—from Model United Nations or Scholastic Scrimmage to an affinity group and our literary magazine—or start a new one. Whoever you are—and plan to become—we’ll help you find the community and experiences you’re looking for.
The Merle-Smith Campus comes alive with impressive achievements, from performance to prototyping. Our students are active in theater, successful in sports, and immersed in scientific exploration and robotic innovation.

Happenings at Merle-Smith Campus

Click here to read more news from the Merle-Smith Campus.

List of 20 news stories.

Archive
“What’s so special about Moravian is it’s focused on the whole person and meeting people where they are. The smallness of the community makes students feel important, and that leads to confidence later in life, no matter what size community they go into.”
– MERLE-SMITH PARENT
 

Merle-Smith Campus FAQs

List of 9 frequently asked questions.

  • Q Where is Moravian Academy's Merle-Smith Campus located?

    Moravian Academy's Merle-Smith Campus is located at 4313 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem, PA 18020. The campus is home to the Upper School, serving students in Grades 9–12, and can be reached at 610-691-1600.

  • Q How big is the Merle-Smith Campus?

    The Merle-Smith Campus serves 252 Upper School students in Grades 9–12 on 120 acres of green space that resembles an arboretum, with both modern and historic buildings. The campus also includes a 40,000-square-foot Athletic and Wellness Center and fields for soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, baseball, softball, and tennis.

  • Q What makes the Merle-Smith Campus unique?

    The Merle-Smith Campus offers a distinctly college-like environment where students work closely with expert faculty and take ownership of their learning. Signature programs include the Freshman Interdisciplinary Research Experience (FIRE), the Comenius Project for independent research, 16 AP courses, global travel experiences, and the Villars Institute Fellowship.

  • Q What is FIRE at Moravian Academy?

    The Freshman Interdisciplinary Research Experience (FIRE) is a yearlong program for ninth graders on the Merle-Smith Campus. Students build advanced research skills and collaborative problem-solving through interdisciplinary projects, laying the groundwork for success in high school, college, and beyond.

  • Q Do Merle-Smith Campus students travel abroad?

    Yes. The Merle-Smith Campus Global Education Program offers immersive travel experiences. This past summer, eighteen students explored the marine ecosystem and volcanic landscape of São Miguel Island in the Azores. Through the Villars Institute partnership, selected students in Grades 9–11 also attend the Villars Fellowship Program in Switzerland.

  • Q What is the Comenius Project?

    The Comenius Project is an independent research program for Merle-Smith Campus students in Grades 10–12. Students investigate a topic of personal interest under the mentorship of a faculty expert, conduct original research, and present their findings to the school community.

  • Q Does the Merle-Smith Campus offer transportation?

    Yes. Upper School students can ride buses provided by 12 area school districts, including Bethlehem Area, Easton, Nazareth, Bangor, Pen Argyl, Wilson, and Northampton. Private routes from the Poconos and New Jersey are available for an annual fee, and a free InterCampus Shuttle connects the Merle-Smith Campus with the Swain and Historic Downtown Campuses.

  • Q What athletics are offered on the Merle-Smith Campus?

    Moravian Academy offers a wide range of interscholastic sports, including soccer, tennis, golf, lacrosse, basketball, field hockey, cross country, and swimming and diving, and competes in the Colonial League, District XI, and the PIAA. Student-athletes build teamwork, resilience, and leadership on the field and court. Recent highlights include the Boys' Lacrosse team's first-ever District XI Championship and Coach Andrew Stitt '08 being named USA Lacrosse Coach of the Year.

  • Q How do I schedule a visit to the Merle-Smith Campus?

    Contact Ingrid Gerber, Director of Admissions for the Merle-Smith Campus, at igerber@mamail.net, or call the Admissions Office at 610-332-5200. Prospective students can also spend a Student Shadow Day on campus. Join us and discover more to explore.
MORE TO EXPLORE Preschool-12 in the Lehigh Valley
SWAIN CAMPUS PS-Grade 8
610.433.4542 • 1100 South 24th Street • Allentown
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CAMPUS PS-Grade 8
610.868.4744 • 7 East Market Street • Bethlehem
MERLE-SMITH CAMPUS Grades 9-12
610.691.1600 • 4313 Green Pond Road • Bethlehem