Keystone College Merges With Think Tank

Keystone College has completed a merger with ​​the Washington Institute for Education and Research, a fledgling think tank, after nearly three years of work, officials announced Monday.

Last week, Keystone’s accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, announced that it had reviewed and signed off on the ownership change, making it official at the end of May.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Department of Education already approved the merger.

Keystone president John F. Pullo Sr. noted the merger effort was both lengthy and challenging.

“I am pleased to report that the merger transaction between Keystone and WIER was concluded on Friday, May 30, finally joining the College with its strategic partner after nearly a three-year journey that at times threatened the future of the College,” Pullo said in a news release.

Pullo’s remarks are a likely nod to Keystone’s precarious position in recent years. Last spring, MSCHE warned that the private college was “in danger of immediate closure.” However, Pullo noted at the time that officials were in talks with “an investment partner” to help stabilize the college. (Keystone’s accreditation was also at risk last year, but it remains accredited.)

Keystone’s new owner is a largely unknown think tank based in Washington, D.C. 

WIER, founded in 2023, describes its purpose on its website as “The establishment and operation of post-secondary degree-granting institutions for the instruction of students” and “Funding and supporting other post-secondary 501(c)(3) degree-granting institutions.” WIER does not list any staff members on its website except for founder and president Ahmed Alwani. 

Alwani was previously president of Fairfax University of America in Northern Virginia, which quietly closed in December due to its inability to find a new accreditor after the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools lost federal recognition, according to the FXUA website. The private, nonprofit institution, formerly known as Virginia International University, was almost shut down by state regulators in 2019 due to various issues highlighted by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, including a lack of academic rigor and other concerns.