The College of Saint Scholastica

The College of St. Scholastica owes its existence to the combining of two forces: Benedictine missionaries and the settlement of Duluth. In 1892, [ 5 ] Mother Scholastica Kerst and 28 sisters arrived from St. Joseph, Minnesota , to spearhead the establishment of a Benedictine motherhouse and an academy, known as the Sacred Heart Institute , in Duluth. The school and convent were located at Munger Terrace before growth required a move to a new facility at Third Avenue East and Third Street. Named Sacred Heart Institute, the high school continued to grow rapidly. Duluth's rapid expansion led to another move in 1909 to its present location. Mother Scholastica's vision for the college can be summed up in this quote attributed to her: "My dream is that someday there will rise upon these grounds fine buildings like the great Benedictine abbeys. They will be built of stone: within their walls higher education will flourish." [ 6 ] The school expanded its course offerings in 1912 to include a junior college and changed its name to its current moniker, the College of St. Scholastica . The college started with only six students and 52 courses offered in eight departments in its first year. [ 7 ] Academic leadership and research were stressed early as an integral part of the college's commitment to Benedictine values. In 1924, the college became a four-year liberal arts institute with an enrollment of 68. The school's first baccalaureate degrees were granted in 1926. In 1969, it became a fully coeducational institution. As a Benedictine institution, the college is affiliated with the Order of Saint Benedict . Its endowment stands at more than $89.9 million. Presidents Agnes Somers, 1924–1942 Athanasius Braegeleman, 1942–1954 Martina Hughes, 1954–1958 Joselyn Baldeschweiler, 1958–1960 Ann Edward Scanlon, 1960–1967 Mary Richard Boo, 1967–1971 F. X.

Shea, 1971–1974 Joan Braun, 1974–1975 Bruce Stender, 1975–1981 Daniel Pilon, 1981–1998 Larry Goodwin, 1998–2016 Colette McCarrick Geary, 2016–2019 Barbara McDonald, 2019–present

The shield of the college shows a lily, blooming with three flowers symbolizing the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity . [ 8 ] The base of the lily is enclosed by a crescent, the heraldic symbol of the Virgin Mary, and the purity of Christian teaching. [ 8 ] Symbolizing the college, a book occupies the center of the field, bearing the motto of St. Scholastica. It is adapted from the second part of the Book of Proverbs line "Her ways are ways of beauty, and all her paths are peace," and reads in Latin, " Omnes semitae eius pacificae ." [ 8 ]

St. Scholastica Monastery In addition to the main campus in Duluth, St. Scholastica has sites in St. Cloud , St. Paul and embedded sites in Brainerd , Austin , Cloquet , Inver Grove Heights , Rochester and a virtual campus. The Duluth campus is home to most undergraduate students. The 186-acre campus is set on a hill overlooking Lake Superior . Campus buildings include: Tower Hall, the Science Center, Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel, Burns Wellness Commons, the 500-seat Mitchell Auditorium, the College Library, the St. Scholastica Theatre, Somers Residence Hall, and nine apartment complexes. A new Health Science Center housing graduate health science programs opened for classes in 2016. The building is at 940 Woodland Ave. in the BlueStone development, about a mile from the main campus. Library The college library provides over 350,000 print and electronic books, full-text journal databases, interlibrary loan services, laptops, wireless Internet access, group study rooms, and quiet study space. It is located on the upper floors of the Romanesque-styled Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel building. Along with the library, the college archives preserves the written and visual history of the college, as well as housing special collections such as the papers of James Franklin Lewis. [ 9 ]