Faithful parents wanted to know if there were any colleges left that they could trust.
That was the challenge the Register took on when it compiled its first guide to authentic Catholic colleges and universities in 2004. Sixteen schools made the list that year.
This year, the Register’s “Catholic Identity College Guide” marks its 20th anniversary. Sadly, over the past two decades, many of the country’s best-known Catholic schools have all but lost their Catholic identities. Yet we’re happy to report that we have identified 53 faithfully Catholic schools for our 2024 guide — the largest number to date.
These schools, primarily but not exclusively in the United States, are committed to academic excellence while boldly proclaiming their fidelity to the Catholic faith, in accordance with norms established by Pope St. John Paul II and adapted by the U.S. Catholic bishops. In 2000, the Vatican asked the U.S. bishops to produce an application of Ex Corde Ecclesiae, including legally binding norms; and the next year, the USCCB published its “Application to the United States” for Ex Corde It recognized a student’s right to receive instruction in authentic Catholic doctrine, especially from theologians, and affirmed the requirement of the mandatum , which is an acknowledgement by a Church authority (usually the local bishop) that a Catholic professor of a theological discipline is teaching within the full communion of the Catholic Church.
Among the elements of Catholic identity were:
n having an administration, trustees and faculty who believe what the Church teaches and promote it on campus;
n having a majority of faculty that is Catholic;
n offering daily Mass and confession on campus;
n excluding advocates of abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, cloning, or the redefinition of marriage as commencement speakers and/or recipients of honorary degrees; and
n having student health services prohibit referrals to abortion businesses.
Some of the names you see in 2024 were with us 20 years ago, while a few are making their debuts in this special issue. It’s our plea sure to introduce them to you. We are grateful for the fidelity of the schools in this guide — and for the impact they can have on our col lege students and our society. We look forward to the continued growth of this important list!
Oath and Theologian’s Oath: While no formal oath is taken, based on our conviction that theology is an ongoing conversation among believers that attends to the sacred doctrine of the Church, the Avila Institute in its instruction and content will always seek full accountability and submission to the magisterium of the Catholic Church. The Avila Institute is completely and energetically committed to the guidelines, directives and wisdom set forth in Ex Corde Ecclesiae.
BELMONT ABBEY COLLEGE
�� 100 Belmont-Mount Holly Road, Belmont, NC 28012 �� (704) 461-6700 �� BelmontAbbeyCollege.edu
CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE
merly Catholic Distance University) immerses students in a rich global learning community that fosters professional excellence, fellowship and engagement. As a learner-centered institution, Catholic International takes a personal approach to online education, enabling students worldwide to earn academically rigorous degrees and certificates in theology, liberal arts, education, and ecclesial administration and management.
: Yes n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Rome, the Holy Land n Annual Cost of Tuition: undergraduate, $8,688 ($362/ credit); graduate, $6,240 ($520/ credit) n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 67% of students n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 6:1
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: 62%
n On-campus-living requirement: N/A
n % of students who live on campus: N/A
Why CIU Catholic International University (for-
CATHOLIC POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
�� Rosemead, CA 91770 ✉ info@catholicpolytechnic.org �� catholicpolytechnic.org
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
n No. of Students: N/A
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 3: Computer Science and Engineering, Business, Humanities
n Mandatum: Yes
n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $5,000
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: N/A
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: N/A
n No. of Students: <50 (inaugural)
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 7
n Mandatum: Yes
n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $46,775
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 100%
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 1:1
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: 13%
n On-campus-living requirement: Yes
n % of students who live on campus: 100%
Why CatholicTech Catholic Institute of Technology offers bold and faithful students the opportunity to study science in the heart of the Catholic Church. Combining innovative research experiences with studies in theology and philosophy, our rigorous STEM education equips students to serve the Church and society through work that is informed by faith, reason and virtue.
Where Students Can Study Abroad: Students can spend a semester of their junior year studying in Rome, and they can also spend three weeks in the summer studying in Ireland as part of the St. Columcille Institute.
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $29,400
n Typical % of students who
COLLEGE OF ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER
�� 424 Washington Street Steubenville, OH43952
�� (740) 280-2028
�� CollegeofStJoseph.com
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
n No. of Students: 31 (inaugural)
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: N/A
n On-campus-living requirement: N/A
n % of students who live on campus: N/A
Why Catholic Poly
Catholic Polytechnic is a nonprofit Catholic institution of higher education whose mission is to promote the intersection of faith and science as seen through the lens of faithful Catholic teachings. Catholic Polytechnic is the fulcrum at the intersection of faith and science, seeking to promote and combine a deep quest for scientific, tech, engineering and business expertise with the enduring truths of the Catholic faith.
CATHOLICTECH
�� Main Campus: Via Santa Caterina 4, 00073 Castel Gandolfo, Rome, Italy Administrative Offices: 1 Broadway 14th Floor
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
��620 Michigan Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20064 �� (202) 319-5000 �� Catholic.edu
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
n No. of Students: 5,366
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: More than 100
n Mandatum: Yes
n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic
Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Greece, Egypt, Argentina, Costa Rica, Australia, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, U.K., Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Italy, Taiwan, France, South Africa, Ireland, Chile, Japan, Austria, Poland, South Korea, Czech Republic, New Zealand
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $56,930/ on average
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 91%
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 11:1
n Athletics Division: NCAA Division III
n Acceptance Rate: 84%
n On-campus-living requirement: Yes, for all freshmen, sophomores and juniors
n % of students who live on campus: 62%
Why CUA The national university of the Catholic Church in the United States, founded and sponsored by the bishops of the country with the approval of the Holy See, is committed to being a comprehensive Catholic and American institution of higher learning.
All undergraduate students reside in single-sex residence halls.
CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE
��134 Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630 �� (800) 877-5456 �� Christendom.edu
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
n No. of Students:
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: One degree program (B.A. in Catholic studies); four trade concentrations (carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, electrical)
n Mandatum: Yes
n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes; 24/7 adoration chapel
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $15,000/ year for first three years; $5,000/ year for remainder
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: Our first class arrived in September so we have nothing typical yet!
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 6:1
n Athletics Division: CSJW has no athletics division, although we encourage our students to participate in existing city leagues and pick-up sports.
n Acceptance rate: 24%
n On-campus-living requirement: Yes
n % of students who live on campus: 100%
Why St. Joseph the Worker Based in Steubenville, Ohio, our college pairs a Bachelor of Arts in Catholic Studies with training in a skilled trade (carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, electrical). The college’s unique curriculum delves deeply into the Catholic intellectual tradition.
THE COLLEGIUM
��36 S. Potomac St., Suite 203, Hagerstown, MD 21740 �� (240) 591-0013 �� The-Collegium.org
n
THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE
THOMAS
Career Guidance 101: Colleges Curate Résumés and Connections
BY SOPHIA FEINGOLD
Rachel Piazza discussed job options, résumé, desired salary and long-term goals with her college’s career services office and lined up a job months before graduation. Then the job fell through.
Fortunately, Piazza, a 2024 Christendom College graduate, was connected with Christendom career adviser Kristin Stephens, who helped Piazza maximize applications during her final semester and ultimately connected her to the culture and politics
website The Federalist
Now, Piazza is executive assistant there, learning the industry and anticipating becoming a reporter. Piazza says career advising can “direct students toward the jobs they would succeed in [and also] help students achieve those jobs and prepare them for their post-graduation careers.”
Piazza’s story of having, losing and ultimately finding a job is not atypical. Employers are hiring, but graduates struggle to find jobs. Meanwhile, the mean college loan for the past decade is $40,570 with inflation, according to EducationData.org.
Today’s Catholic colleges recognize that students (and their parents) are looking for degrees that lead to jobs. That’s why many of the colleges in the Register’s annual college guide are doing more to steer students into the workforce. The results are encouraging regarding placement: Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Florida, places about 80% of its graduates immediately, and Christendom places 97% or more; at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, 92% are employed two years after graduation.
At Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia, all students take a four-year career-prep course, “Education for a Lifetime.” It covers everything from career direction to interviewing, with required advisement meetings and assignments like résumé and cover-letter writing, equipping students with everything needed for a job, according to Stephens, the director of career and professional development. Stephens, who helped Piazza, acknowledges the jokes that depict liberal arts students
asking, “Do you want fries with that?”
But Christendom grads enter varied professions: sales, customer service, advanced degrees, marketing, communications, journalism, project and business management, to name a few.
Being proactive about seeking a job can pay off. When David Ivory, Class of 2024, entered Thomas Aquinas College (TAC), which has campuses in Santa Paula, California, and Northfield, Massachusetts, he joined the student-led business club, becoming its president as a sophomore. The college simultaneously hired career services adviser Dan Selmeczy and a synergy developed between club and advising office, leading to career days and visits from CEOs.
“The students did an awesome job of cultivating a club that encouraged fellow students to put in the work every week,” Ivory told the Register, “but it was a perfect storm, honestly. The college just had a fantastic career adviser that was able to connect and build this relationship with the students and get them jobs.”
Today, Ivory is working in a job he had lined up by January of senior year — with Star Insurance, a company that visited the college.
Jack Gardner, another TAC business club member and Class of 2024 graduate, also benefited from Selmeczy’s mentorship. After applying for
“dozens of jobs,” he met with Selmeczy, who “coached [him] through some mindset and résumé adjustments,” enabling Gardner to land a job at McMaster Carr, a hardware and industrial supplier.
Christopher Weinkopf, TAC’s executive director of college relations, recommends that incoming students participate in its career days and cover-letter, résumé and interview-prep workshops and plumb the college’s alumni networks for unofficial advising and job opportunities.
Weinkopf said that “an increasing number of TAC grads are going into tech … confirm[ing] the college’s long-standing conviction that this [Great Books] program prepares its graduates for any professional endeavor.”
While liberal arts students benefit from an aggressive job search, students at Divine Mercy University in Sterling, Virginia, anticipate entering the burgeoning field of psychology and counseling.
“We have some employers coming to us asking for our graduating class,” said Tom Brooks, DMU’s VP of enrollment and marketing, an increased demand that has been developing for some time.
During her graduate studies, Ferrella March (DMU, ’21) gained practical work experience at Catholic Char-
ities and at a certified community behavioral health clinic. It was a difficult job serving a vulnerable population and she feels DMU prepared her for it and for subsequently striking out on her own.
“There were a lot of people who I could talk to and receive mentorship from [at DMU],” March said, “people I could trust and get a better understanding of what it was like to go into private practice.”
Alexandra Fuller, another DMU grad, found the university helpful for determining interesting, wellrounded and evidence-based training sites and internships. She also used DMU’s alumni directory to reach other graduates, including her eventual employer, Sacred Space Psychotherapy.
The College of St. Joseph the Worker in Steubenville, Ohio, has DMU’s pragmatic advantage with a twist: It lets students simultaneously pursue a trade and a Catholic studies
B.A. Michael Gugala, vice president of enrollment, observes that skilled trade workers are increasingly needed as older workers retire. He hopes the college will produce graduates “passionate to build, not just houses, but God’s kingdom within their families, workplaces and communities.” Students take on apprenticeships and begin earning money toward tuition in order to graduate with a job and without debt. While time will tell whether the model works — St. Joseph’s opened this September — its program sounds like an enticing arrangement for Catholics wanting to
pursue a trade while growing their faith.
Jennifer Dittemore, Benedictine’s director of career services, says her office’s student success plan includes getting to know the adviser, presenting a more professional persona on social media and pursuing internships and summer work. Her office coaches students in résumé and cover-letter writing, offers mock interviews and facilitates studentalumni connections.
Benedictine graduate Brennan Sweeney, Class of 2024, majored in marketing and music.
Associate professor of business
Keevan Statz gave him the most interesting advice: “They obviously have a marketing department; so think outside the box.”
Sweeney took the advice to heart, landing a full-time position in August, at Serc Physical Therapy.
Sweeney recommends that new college students get “as much exposure as [they] can get to internships, taking advantage of career services or just asking questions. … You’re not going to know if you don’t ask.”
At Ave Maria University, John Paul Klucik, Class of 2021, also found himself facing an uncertain path.
A math and physics major planning to pursue a Ph.D., Klucik had recently worked a summer in Alaska on a commercial fishing boat.
The skipper, a high-school graduate who had read deeply in philosophy, expressed skepticism about Klucik’s plans. Nearing graduation, Klucik was
skeptical, too, and so changed plans in the spring of his senior year, switching his career goal to working in finance. He met with his professors and dean and began making connections. Six months after graduation, he started with JPMorgan Chase. (He now works at another New York City finance company.)
Klucik’s networking paid off, but he might have it easier today.
The Institute for Innovation and Industry at AMU teaches 80 firstyear students (the number will grow each year) everything from decorum to artificial intelligence use and offers mentorship from professionals.
Daniel Schreck, the institute’s director, says its mission was “in the [university’s] DNA” from the time when businessman and Legatus founder Tom Monahan was inspired by John Paul II’s apostolic constitution on higher education, Ex Corde Ecclesiae
“We need accountants and scientists, to be sure,” Schreck said, “but we especially need exceptional mothers, fathers, priests and religious who pursue total excellence in their vocational and professional crafts.” As for Klucik, now settled into finance, he doesn’t regret his degree choice. “I use that math background every
POST-GRADUATION PLANNING. Cultivating job skills is important to colleges, including Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia, where career adviser Kristin Stephens (l) regularly meets with students to discuss the career search. Above, from left: graduates Jack Gardner, David Ivory and John Paul Klucik. Courtesy of Christendom College
Just outside of Charloe, NC...
You’ll find a welcoming Benedictine community that seeks the best for you. With #1 ranked faculty to championship-winning coaches, and a monastic community that prays for you daily, you’ll find a cohort inspired by truth, and nurtured by love. With support like that, you will realize your passions, forge a future, andfulfill the promise that God has for you.
SCAN
Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study
Abroad: Portugal
n Annual Cost of Tuition: Average $24,000
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 21%
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 30:1
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: 85%
n On-campus-living requirement: N/A
n % of students who live on campus: Not provided
Why FranU Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is a Catholic, not-for-profit institution with a health care emphasis. The university offers degrees in nursing, health sciences, humanities, behavioral sciences and natural sciences. It is a student-centered academic community committed to the pursuit of the common good and devoted to excellence in teaching and learning. Board and faculty members are Catholic and non-Catholic. FranU does not offer confession.
FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY OF STEUBENVILLE
n No. of Students: 3,750
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: associate-degree majors: 7; bachelor’s degree majors: 40; master’s degree majors: 10; Ph.D. programs: 1
n Mandatum: Yes
n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes, daily
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Gaming,
HARMEL ACADEMY OF THE TRADES ��3333 East Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 �� (616) 485-2345 �� HarmelAcademy.org
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
n No.
Catholic leaders for evangelization since the 1950s on our quiet and beautiful campus located in Cromwell, Connecticut.
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE
��54515 State Road 933 N., P.O. Box 308, Notre Dame, IN 46556-308 �� (574) 239-8377
�� HCC-ND.edu
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
n No. of Students: 576
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 12 majors and 21 minors
n Mandatum: Yes
n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes; once a week with confession and every First Friday of the month; confession offered twice a week.
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: St. Mary’s University Twickenham, London, John Cabot University (Rome) and the JP2 Project in Kraków, Poland
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $35,500
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 85% received some form of financial aid; $31,238/year is average financial-aid package.
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 14:1
n Athletics Division: NAIA
n Acceptance Rate: 77%
n On-campus-living requirement: full-time, first-year and sophomore students live on campus, unless exempted from this requirement.
n % of students who live on campus: 86%
Why Holy Cross Holy Cross College is faithful to Christ and the Church and seeks to offer a liberal arts education that is rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition, the Church’s authentic social doctrine, and the charism of the Congregation of Holy Cross. In its efforts to form scholars, citizens, leaders and disciples, Holy Cross College recognizes that
n
1
and diocesan priests. It is national, forming seminarians from religious orders and dioceses across the country, and is the only pontifical seminary in the United States.
PONTIFICAL JOHN PAUL II INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES ON MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
campus life, a close-knit community and affordable tuition.
PONTIFEX UNIVERSITY
��4465 Northside Drive, NW (official office; no physical campus), Atlanta, GA 30327 �� (302) 572-9044 �� Pontifex.University 1 2 3 4 5
BY ADRIANA AZARIAN
Did you know St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier were college roommates? No doubt their holy friendship helped lead them to sainthood.
Whether there’s already a Catholic community in your dorm or if you feel called to evangelize others, the dorm is a great place to share God’s love. Seize the opportunities, and you, too, can grow in holiness in your dorm.
Here are tips on how you can do this, based on recent college students’ experiences.
¹ Join or Start a Small Group
Sts. Francis and Ignatius shared their faith in community by praying the Spiritual Exercises together. If your dorm doesn’t have any existing small groups, prayer groups or Bible studies, consider starting one.
It can be as formal or informal as you’d like. Pick a spiritual reading or a book of the Bible and invite people to discuss it. Or spend 15-20 minutes praying the Rosary or lectio divina , a form of meditation on Scripture, together at night. Bring snacks or tea and use this time to unwind and offer your busy life to the Lord.
Jude Healey is a senior at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Last year, he led a Marian consecration small group with other men in his dorm every Sunday.
Together, they discussed the readings, and they attended Mass and received blessings on the day of their consecration.
“It was an amazing experience growing in community with some of the guys in the dorm,” he said.
“That was honestly one of my favorite parts, just being able to sit down with those guys and talk about those readings and hang out.”
Sloan Jacobs, a sophomore at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, said her women’s small group was “one of the highlights” of her freshman year.
“I definitely found camaraderie there and people who would help
me remember my triumphs and the good things the Lord has done in my life, but also people who would call me out if I started getting spiritually lazy, which we all did for each other,” Jacobs said. “I really did feel like I found sisters I could talk to about literally anything and everything in these women.”
Decorate With Sacred Art
2
Not only will sacred art remind you of the Lord’s presence throughout the day, it will also be a conversation piece for people who might not know about the faith. If people ask questions, don’t be afraid to tell them about it.
Sidney Borland, a junior at New York University, said she kept an image of Mary and the Child Jesus in her room. “It’s a welcoming and beautiful image of a mother looking at her son, and that shows people the love of the Church, whether they know it or not,” she said.
3
Have a Priest Blessing
A priestly blessing is also important.
“With dorm rooms, you’re living in a building and there’s a lot of entry points and a lot of hurting people, and the devil loves to use that and feed off of that,” Borland
said. “Having that blessing of protection and inviting Christ into that space is very important.”
It’s also a good practice to keep holy water in your room to bless yourself in your comings and goings and receive extra graces throughout the day.
Talk to People About Jesus
4
Let conversation about Christ come up naturally.
As St. Francis of Assisi is often attributed as saying, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.” If people can see your witness as a Christian and are open to it, they will ask you questions.
“Many only talk about their faith during a Bible study or a church group. While these groups are good, small talk in the lobby or other communal areas can be just as beneficial in growing the faith as the larger groups,” said Nathan Fish, a sophomore at Hillsdale College.
5
Bring People to Church
If your school’s chapel, Catholic center or local parish has Mass, adoration or other events, simply ask people, Catholic or otherwise, to come along. You never know what seeds it might plant.
Healey said he recommends going to Catholic events with people to strengthen friendships and grow in faith.
“Once you start going to Mass, join FOCUS or St. Paul’s Outreach with some of those friends, that’s when those friendships can become more intentional,” he said.
“I know of friend groups that go to Mass every day or start their own personal apostolate, and those are really fruitful ways to get to know people.”
Adriana Azarian served as a 2024 summer intern with the Register. She is studying politics and journalism at Hillsdale College.
n Annual Cost of Tuition: Inaugural: $3,750 (30 credits); Standard: $13,500 (30 credits); high-school, senior-citizen and sibling discounts available
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: None at this time
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 5:1
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: 100%
n On-campus-living requirement: No
n % of students who live on campus: N/A
Why Rosary College Rosary College offers a rigorous, affordable and authentically Catholic liberal arts education. Our distinguished Catholic scholars, such as Joseph Pearce and R. Jared Staudt, guide students through the integrated humanities. With transfer agreements to Newman Guide-recognized institutions, students are well-prepared to continue their education at other faithful Catholic programs.
SACRED HEART MAJOR SEMINARY ��2701 West Chicago Blvd., Detroit, MI 48206
�� 313-883-8500 (General); (313) 8838696 (Admissions) �� shms.edu
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
n No. of Students: 422 n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 2, Philosophy and Theology
n Mandatum: Yes n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes, for resident seminarians
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $36,770 annual for undergraduate seminarians, $595 per credit hour for undergraduate lay/diaconate students. See SHMS.edu/tuitionand-fees.
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 75% of enrolled student typically apply for aid, and 99% of those who apply are awarded some amount.
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 7:1
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: 98%
Courtesy of Hillsdale College alumna Rosemary Surdyke
BY KATHY SCHIFFER REGISTER CORRESPONDENT
While many older institu-
tions of higher learning across the United States
reexamine their curricula and their mission to stay true to their founding, a new classical Catholic college launched in Greenville, South Carolina, with a focus on renewing the traditional Christian values of truth, goodness and beauty, along with Marian devotion.
Rosary College, a two-year liberal arts college with an emphasis on traditional values and faith, has just begun its inaugural semester with an enrollment of 20 students.
The idea for a new college originated with Father Dwight Longenecker, the pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary parish in Greenville. A convert from Anglicanism and a speaker and author, Father Longenecker brought his wife and four children with him into the Catholic Church. His teenage son Elias participated in a dual-enrollment program at a secular university, earning several college credits while still in high school.
“Wouldn’t it be great,” Father Longenecker recalled, asking himself, “if students in our Catholic high school could follow that path, earning college credits even before their high-school graduation?”
Father Longenecker took his idea to his good friend, prominent Catholic theologian and author Joseph Pearce.
Together they reach out to other friends: R. Jared Staudt, instructor at St. John Vianney Seminary, and Michael Shick. Shick, who has assumed leadership as Rosary College’s president and chairman of the board, brings a wealth of experience in the military, academia and project management. He served as associate professor of project management at Western Carolina University and founder of Rosemet LLC, a company that helps individuals and organizations to achieve project excellence.
In the college’s first semester, Pearce is teaching “Humanities 101, Classical Epic and Tragedy.”
“This is a course I’ve taught many times before to first-semester freshmen at Ave Maria University,” Pearce told the Register. “I’ll be teaching about Homer; and Homer sets up the Iliad and the Odyssey the two pillars upon which classical literature rests. Without it, you don’t have Dante’s Divine Comedy.” Charley Bondurant, a prominent attorney in Greenville who is both a founding member and a member of the board of trustees, will be providing legal services to the college.
“I hope, as a convert to the faith, to bring my Catholicism to my work on behalf of the college,” he told the Register. “What makes me different from most of the board members is that I grew up in the South, very Protestant in faith, and I didn’t know any Catholics when I was growing up.”
Bondurant is excited to see Rosary College adding to the strong Catholic presence in the Greenville area, with vibrant parishes such as St. Mary’s, Our Lady of the Rosary, and Prince of Peace; and with Christ on Main, the new stop-in
Enriching Souls
Father Longenecker spoke with the Register about the new school’s plan for imparting a classical worldview. “A classical Catholic education,” he explained, “is important for spiritual growth because it roots the student’s worldview and personal life in the treasures of the past. Without deep roots, the tree cannot flourish; but with a profound understanding of the wisdom of the past, the developing soul has the resources to make connections, understand the present and grow positively into the future.”
This wholesome and holistic approach, Father Longenecker believes, provides the context and content for a dynamic and creative spiritual life.
As Rosary College’s president, Shick believes that classical Catholic education is important for college-bound students.
Rosary College, he explained, strives to incorporate three primary values: It is an authentically Catholic school with a strong Catholic identity, offering a rigorous education, at an affordable price.
free-standing, fully accredited College Seminary, a two-year Pre-Theology Program, and a Theological Seminary, as well as a School of Theological Studies for Religious and Lay students. Academically, it has a long-standing reputation for its excellence and orthodoxy. What is less known is the strength of its human formation. St. Charles offers a well-integrated approach to the human and spiritual flourishing of the person. It is also praised for its pastoral formation program, which has the seminarians spending one full day a week in a wide variety of pastoral settings ... from parishes to schools, to hospitals, prisons, and outreach to the poor.
SAINT JOSEPH’S SEMINARY & COLLEGE
��201 Seminary Ave., Yonkers, NY 10704
�� (914) 968-6200
�� Dunwoodie.edu 1
n No. of Students: 175
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: Theology
n Mandatum: Yes
n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: No
n Annual Cost of Tuition: Visit Dunwoodie.edu for more information.
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: Visit Dunwoodie.edu for more information.
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 1:9
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: N/A
n On-campus-living requirement: N/A
n % of students who live on campus: N/A
Huntington and Douglaston; classes in person and fully online. SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE
information center on Main Street.
PRAYERFUL START. L-R: Elizabeth L’Arrive, faculty; Michael Shick, president; Emma Adams, student; and Matt Story, advisory board, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors, South Carolina. Courtesy of Rosary College
When
At both campuses, students study the same rigorous, integrated Great Books curriculum, ordered to the knowledge of God and taught under the light of the Catholic faith.
If you are looking for a college to send your children, somewhere that will enrich their minds while forming their characters, you can do no be er. And if you are seeking a worthy place in which to invest your philanthropic support — an institution that will do maximum good for the Church and the world — then look no further.
thomasaquinas.edu
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: N/A
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 9:1
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: N/A
n On-campus-living requirement: Yes
n % of students who live on campus: 100% will live on campus
Why San Damiano
The God-man preferred to learn by doing. San Damiano College is for serious men who want to work with their hands and live in a community of intensely Catholic spiritual and intellectual formation. Get your hands dirty, keep your soul clean, graduate debt-free.
SANTIAGO TRADE SCHOOL �� 27912 Baker Canyon Road Silverado, CA 92676 �� (714) 649-9218 �� santiagotradeschool.com
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n No. of Students: 16; 15 new students may join the ranks of the two-year program each semester.
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 3
n Mandatum: Yes
n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $28,000 (it takes two years of study to graduate) includes room, board, tuition
THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE
��10,000 Ojai Road, Santa Paula, CA 93060
�� (805) 525-4417
��231 Main Street, Northfield, MA 01360
�� (413) 846-1200
�� ThomasAquinas.edu
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n No. of Students: 367 in California; 172 in New England n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: Single integrated classical curriculum that spans all the major disciplines
n Mandatum: Yes n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes, daily
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A, though extracurricular summer programs sometimes offered outside the college n Annual Cost of Tuition: $30,200 n Typical % of
n Acceptance Rate: California, 76.9%;
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 100%, includes work study
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 5:1
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: 50%
n On-campus-living requirement: Yes
n % of students who live on campus: 100%
Why Santiago Santiago Trade School is a Catholic residential vocational institution focused on providing hands-on education in General Construction, Mechanical Trades and Agricultural Management. Through project-based learning and human formation, students gain practical experience while being immersed in a faith-centered environment.
SCHOOL OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES
��100 East Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096
�� (610) 785-6287
�� SCS.edu/school-of-theologicalstudies/
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a fully integrated Great Books curriculum that spans all the major disciplines and is taught entirely via classroom discussion. Our two campuses — California and New England — both foster intellectual, religious and moral formation, as well as lifelong friendships.
THOMAS MORE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS ��6 Manchester St., Merrimack, NH 03257 �� (603) 880-8308 �� ThomasMoreCollege.edu
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n No. of Students: 100
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: Liberal Arts
n Mandatum: Yes n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Yes
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $30,000
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: More than 95%
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 7:1
n Athletics Division: N/A
n Acceptance Rate: 70%
n On-campus-living requirement: Yes
site, $2,200 per course, plus $105 student fee per semester; online graduate course: $1,500
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: various n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: N/A
n Athletics Division: N/A
n
n % of students who live on campus: 100%
Why Thomas More Thomas More College of Liberal Arts is unique in the purity of its vision: education of the mind
Theological Studies provides a summer program for many religious sisters seeking a Master of Arts in Theology.
CALIFORNIA CAMPUS
NEW ENGLAND CAMPUS
The Register’s 10 Things to Ask on a College Tour
BY CATALINA SCHEIDER GALIÑANES
For high-school seniors, their first steps on a col-
lege campus offer them a chance to look into their potential futures. Between course offerings, athletic history, personal anecdotes from the tour guide and Mass times, Catholic high-school students have a lot to take into consideration. Instead of memorizing every detail, asking questions that matter to Catholic families and incoming students can help focus on-campus time.
Here are the Register’s “10 Things to Ask on a College Tour”:
1
What are the best school traditions?
School history colors student life at any college or university. Maybe it is a particular song or catchphrase or deep-seated athletic rivalry. Ultimately, school customs and legends help new students feel like they belong. Faith-based traditions are particularly beautiful at Catholic colleges — from the annual May crowning of a statue of Our Lady and special Lenten Holy Week liturgies to Eucharistic processions. Finding meaningful traditions is important.
2 What is liturgical life like on campus?
Attending a Catholic college or university allows students to explore their faith through the sacraments. From the University of Notre Dame’s celebration of more than 40 Sunday Masses and 160 daily Masses every week, to the perpetual adoration offered at Ave Maria University, Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist can form the “source and summit” of Christian life, as well as college life. Colleen Walker, a senior at Ave Maria University, in Ave Maria, Florida, said that her college’s rich faith life has allowed her to be “led ever deeper into conformity to the Truth himself, Jesus Christ.” Catholic universities also benefit from impressive
places of worship, like The Catholic University of America’s connection to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and Christendom College’s Christ the King Chapel. Catholic students who are serious about their faith should be knowledgeable about liturgies on their future campuses and where to find faithful fellowship, too
3 What is the career center like?
Students should inquire about their potential school’s career center and take note of its location on campus. Excellent higher education institutes will be eager to provide their students with the tools to become successful graduates. Deeply committed Catholic colleges may also include discern-
ing vocations to the priesthood and religious life in the guidance. “The faith is obviously the most important thing. We’re an academic institution, but we’re built and founded with the intention of providing a truly Catholic liberal education, and the sacramental life goes hand-in-hand with that,”
Jon Daley, director of admissions at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, told the Register. Post-graduate networking opportunities, like Benedictine College’s The Raven Walk, a new networking platform connecting alumni and current students through mentorship programs and groups, or Belmont Abbey’s focus on internship assistance, can help support your student’s eventual transition into “real life.”
4
How are the dining halls?
Hungry students want to know: “What’s good to eat on campus?” Be sure to investigate dining hall meal plans and campus restaurant options (at the University of Mary, the university’s campus restaurant is open 24/7 to students and guests during the school year). And what about the best coffee shop or ice cream machine?
What is residential life like?
5
Student residences are the backdrop to formative collegiate experiences. In dorms, students take on new experiences, like getting along with a new roommate, attending a party or gathering down the hall, or going to a resident adviser for guidance. Single-sex dorms are a part of the Register’s criteria for the annual college guide,
and new this year is indicating how many years students are required to live on campus. Families who prioritize their child’s faith life can also inquire if dorms offer priests-in-residence (or women religious), or if some rectors are members of religious communities.
6
Are athletic events and clubs important to social life?
Between football, baseball, hockey, lacrosse or ultimate Frisbee, college athletics can be a great way to cheer on your classmates or be a part of the team.
New to the college guide this year, the Register is highlighting which athletic conference these colleges or universities belong to. Campuses are a great place to play sports casually and form friendships on the field, too.
7
What are the academic requirements for students across all majors?
College is primarily an academic journey, where students connect with professors and classmates in pursuit of the truth.
Authentically Catholic colleges and universities often promote a strong core curriculum, which can provide the opportunity to develop interdisciplinary skills.
Some unique programs include Thomas Aquinas College’s single degree based on the Great Books and the University of St. Thomas in Houston’s robust core curriculum, which integrates theology and philosophy, regardless of the major students pursue.
On the graduate level, St. Thomas also offers the only Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, which is based on the Catholic literary tradition.
And at the University of Dallas, students read the entire Divine Comedy as well as the totality of Paradise Lost
8 Are there opportunities to study abroad?
Many students are interested in experiencing another culture
during their time in college, and study-abroad programs help to provide this exciting opportunity. European study-abroad experiencesalsoofferuniqueaccessibilitytopilgrimagesitesandhistoric churches, whether it is through a semester-longprogram,likeFranciscan University of Steubenville’s Austria program, or a summer trip.
“Franciscan’s Austria program is rooted in faith and traditions of a Catholic education,” said Jordan Dillon, a senior at Steubenville studying marketing, adding that abroad she was “able to grow deeper in my relationship with Christ.”
What is the library like?
9
If students are going to be engaging in rigorous curriculums and discern their futures, they need a beautiful place to study. A centrally located, well-stocked library on campus can be a convenient and inspiring study spot. Tour guides can provide an outline of resources available at the library and the sort of research and study spots available.
10
What opportunities will I find to grow in my Catholic faith during my college career?
As Catholics, choosing a college requires more than just a checklist of academic, athletic and social offerings.
It is an important next step in discerning the life plan that God holds for each student.
Admissions events at Catholic colleges should be able to highlight the importance of faith. Making faith a central part of the college search can help to clarify the exciting uncertainty that accompanies this impactful decision. Happy decision-making! Catalina Scheider Galiñanes served as a summer 2024 intern with the Register. She is a senior at the University of Notre Dame majoring in economics and political science.
VISITING CAMPUS. Tours give insights into campus life, from Mass times to sports opportunities. University of Dallas
Each year, thousands of Catholic Charities staff and volunteers all around the country bring comfort, relief and hope to more than 15 million vulnerable people, regardless of their faith. Veterans trying to readjust to civilian life. Families struggling to afford groceries and a decent place to live. Entire communities reeling in the wake of a natural disaster. We are there for our neighbors. We are there for you
FIND AND SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CATHOLIC CHARITIES AGENCY.
There is a tendency in education today, Shick told the Register, to emphasize subjectivity over objectivity. While subjectivity is not always wrong, he explained, “it’s one thing if we’re talking about our favorite color; it’s something else when it comes to objective truth. Someone can truly believe that gravity doesn’t exist; but if they take a step off the wrong spot, they learn very quickly that it’s a real thing,” he said.
An Affordable Education
Rosary College’s approved tuition rate is $450 per credit hour, but in the inaugural year, there is a reduced rate of only $125 per credit hour ($375 per course) for collegeage students. Dual-enrolled highschool juniors and seniors can take advantage of an even lower rate of only $75 per credit hour ($225 per course). Senior citizens receive the same discounted rate, as do individuals who audit courses but do not receive full credit. And the college, recognizing the challenge of meeting college expenses for multiple children, offers a discount of 5% for a sibling who registers, with the discount increasing by 5% for each child in a family up to a maximum of 20%.
Next Steps
Shick reported that the college has reached agreements with Ave Maria University in Florida and Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in New Hampshire, permitting Rosary College students to transfer credits to their four-year institutions. He expects to finalize agreements with other Catholic colleges soon.
Students Weigh In Rosary College has enrolled 20 students for its first semester, ranging from local home-schooled students to adult learners to students from other parts of the country.
Emily Davis, a freshman, is the seventh of 10 children from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and was home-schooled her entire life. Three of her older siblings graduated from Thomas More College and a fourth is a senior at the same college. Davis is enjoying Rosary’s classes and the discussions that she and her classmates are having about the texts. Her favorite class so far, she reported, is “Humanities 101” with Pearce. “Of all the texts I am reading for the classes right now,” Emily reported, “The Iliad is the one I am enjoying the most.”
Also a home-school student, David Myers from Northeast Texas said that he, too, has enjoyed the classes and has found the coursework to be engaging and interesting. “I’ve really been enjoying all the classes so far,” he told the Register. “All of my professors have been great and can teach well.” Myers is currently in his junior year of high school, and he plans to graduate from Rosary College with an associate’s degree in humanities in 2026.
“A philosophy or liberal arts degree would be my primary pick now,” he said, “depending on which college I end up attending. I’m interested in becoming a farrier [a blacksmith who specializes in shoeing horses] or a priest right now, but I’m very open to God having a different plan.” Patrick Bailey and his wife Sara, based in Greenville, are adult learners who are auditing “Humanities 101.” The Baileys are both engineers who studied at Georgia Tech. And Patrick explained that they’d not had the opportunity to study classical literature.
“Whenever you can get a worldrenowned speaker,” Patrick said, “it’s worth going out of your way. We’re happy to be pioneers for what should be a very special program in the Upstate [region].” Sara Bailey, who gave birth to their first child three months ago, added, “From my standpoint, another benefit is to be able to teach our children in the future the importance of these works — and hopefully, to inspire them to be curious enough to take on the literature for themselves.” Pearce, who has lived in the scenic Upstate region since 2006, looks forward to the future. “This is a first!” he said, “because this is the first Catholic college in the history of South Carolina.”
Kathy Schiffer writes from Greenville, South Carolina.
perspective of “leadership in the service of truth.”
n Annual Cost of Tuition: $19,940
n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 99%
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 10:1
n Athletics Division: 18 NCAA Division II Athletic Teams, ACHA Division I Men’s Hockey, USA College Clay Target League
n Acceptance Rate: 76%
n On-campus-living requirement: Undergraduate students under 21 live on campus for at least five semesters to experience the rich communal life on campus.
n % of students who live on campus: 70.9%
Why UMary At the University of Mary, our topranked programs integrate world-class career preparation with solid Catholic teaching, equipping future servant leaders to meet our day’s challenges with steadfast courage and invincible joy. With our vibrant campus culture and rich liturgical life, you’ll discover countless opportunities for authentic fellowship and spiritual growth.
UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS ��2701 Spring St. Fort Wayne, IN 46808 �� (260) 399-7700 �� SF.edu 1 2 3 4 5
n No. of Students: 1,900
n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 76 n Mandatum: Yes n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes
n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A n Annual Cost of Tuition: $34,190 n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 100%; average financial aid package: $29,988
n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 12:1
n Athletics Division: NAIA
n Acceptance Rate: 99% n On-campus-living requirement: Yes
n % of students who live
