URSULINE ACADEMY
Growth. Values. For Life.
Educating Trailblazers, Changemakers, & Global Leaders since 1893
UPPER SCHOOL
OUR MISSION:
Ursuline Academy is an independent, Catholic school community that empowers students for leadership and service in our global society.
I love the academics and the individualized attention from my teachers and counselors. Most importantly, I love the sisterhood. I always feel very connected, and my sisters are always the rst people I turn to. They have never let me down and always have my back. The sisterhood at Ursuline is very special.
– Logann Roberts ’27
Welcome to Ursuline Academy!
I am delighted to introduce you to Ursuline Academy, a distinguished all-girls school rooted in the spirit of St. Angela Merici and guided by our motto, "Serviam" - I will serve. For generations, we have been dedicated to nurturing confident young women who are prepared to become the leaders of tomorrow. Our commitment to excellence in education is matched only by our passion for empowering students to make a positive impact on the world.
At Ursuline Academy, we believe in providing a comprehensive and forward-thinking educational experience. Our innovative curriculum is designed to challenge and inspire, offering a perfect blend of rigorous academics and personal growth opportunities. We take pride in our cutting-edge programs in global education, entrepreneurship, STEM, and arts, which equip our students with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in an ever-evolving world. These programs, coupled with our strong athletics department, ensure that our young women develop not just intellectually, but physically and emotionally as well.
What truly sets Ursuline apart is our personalized approach to education. We recognize that each student is unique, with her own strengths, passions, and aspirations. Our dedicated faculty and staff work tirelessly to create an environment where every girl feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach her full potential. This individualized attention, combined with our facilities and resources, provides an unparalleled educational experience that prepares our students for success in college and beyond.
It is my privilege to welcome you and your family to Ursuline Academy! Founded in 1893, we are in a faith-based community. technology companies into global prominence. special. supported by their sisters.
I invite you to explore all that Ursuline Academy has to offer. Come visit our campus, meet our exceptional faculty, and see firsthand how we are shaping the next generation of female leaders. Join us in our mission to cultivate young women who are intellectually curious, socially conscious, and ready to make their mark on the world. At Ursuline, we're not just educating students; we're inspiring a lifetime of learning, leadership, and service.
I invite you to join us at UA!
Upper School Principal
Dr. Jennifer Anthony Upper School Principal
The Value of an Ursuline Education
The Class of 2024’s 60 graduates were awarded $11,745,672 in academic scholarships and grants.
88% of graduates are state colleges and 14 DIAA Sports offered at Varsity and JV Levels
24 AP Courses
Ursuline is part of a global education network with over 100 Ursuline schools worldwide.
Serviam or “I will serve” is at the core of Ursuline’s culture with students averaging 165 service hours, far exceeding the required 80 hours. Through their experience at Ursuline, Serviam becomes a part of our graduates lives with 56% of graduates
Ursuline was the first Delaware school to create a dedicated Innovation Program and join the University of Delaware's ExtreX, which allows students to earn college credits. 40% of Ursuline graduates enter college 95% participating students earned AP Capstone Diploma or AP Seminar & Research Certificate $2M 63% Tuition Assistance & Scholarship Awarded Annually Over of Families Receive Tuition Assistance
group giving at least 10 hours a month.
Academics
and lessons to reach their highest goals.
At Ursuline we are committed to providing students with engaging and dynamic learning opportunities that stretch comfort zones, broaden perspectives, deepen leadership roles, and create connections to their future selves.
Freshmen Transition Series
We understand that the transition to high school is a process rather than just a day of activities, therefore we created a unique program to support freshmen as they seek to become their best selves. Leadership of this series is a collaboration between the Counseling Department and Dean of Academics throughout the first semester of freshman year. The students are guided through elements of social emotional development, relationship building, and cultivation of academic skills that strengthen success in all areas of study.
Serviam
Serviam – meaning “I will serve” – is the core of Ursuline Academy’s mission and inspired by the spirit of St. Angela Merici. Students develop and sustain a natural relationship with service as they work towards 80 hours of non-profit work by the completion of their sophomore year. Integrated within Ursuline’s religious experience and social ministry curriculum, service projects teach students to recognize needs and ultimately become changemakers in the world. Each year, they support more than 50 nonprofit organizations, such as the Ronald McDonald House Charities and Special Olympics, through fundraising and charitable efforts.
Global Scholars Program
Essential to being a leader is understanding and respecting other cultures. Through a network of over 100 Ursuline schools worldwide, students have the unique opportunity to meet and learn from a network of sister schools and global partnerships. Our rich international exchange program invites students to connect on virtual projects, communicate in various formats with Ursuline students from across the world, serve as a host family for visiting students, and represent Ursuline as a delegate on domestic or international trips.
Center for Success
The Center offers an academic student support program focused on providing personalized and enhanced learning experiences to ensure academic success for every student. This initiative supports students who benefit from assistance with executive functioning, study, and test-taking skills. Our Center for Success coordinator collaborates with families, students, and teachers to provide strategies and individually tailored accommodations with formal evaluations.
AP Capstone consists of two mandatory courses, AP Seminar and AP Research. Students learn to think critically and creatively to construct meaning and gain understanding, design and conduct a study or investigation, propose solutions to real-world problems, plan and produce communication in various forms, collaborate to solve a problem, and make cross-curricular connections.
AP Capstone Engineering
Whether it be in the design, creation, or implementation phase of the Engineering process, Ursuline seeks to cultivate career-ready skills in students seeking STEM related fields. Course offerings begin with Design Thinking which challenges students to investigate problems, strategize solutions, and build prototypes. Students can further their knowledge and project-based work with a study of CAD & 3D Printing that can incorporate reverse engineering, toy design, and architecture. Access to technology and power tools authenticate the student experience so as to replicate career practices.
Leadership
All sophomores are immersed in the importance of soft skills through our robust Leadership curriculum. Students are challenged to develop their own personal brand that syncs with their unique talents and values, as well as pursue and present their own leadership initiative. This program has produced many new ventures that the students continue to foster throughout their high school career. Additionally, students now have the opportunity to earn college credits in Leadership via the University of Delaware, under LeadX.
Grade 9
Theology I Freshmen Retreat
English I: Global Literacy
Honors English I: Global Literacy
2024-25 Course O erings
Grade 10
Theology II Sophomore Retreat
Honors English II: Global Literacy II
Algebra 1
Intermediate Algebra
Honors Integrated Geometry
Honors Algebra II
Biology
Honors Biology
Integrated Geometry
Algebra II
Honors Trigonometry & PreCalculus
Honors Algebra II
AP Statistics
Chemistry
Honors Chemistry
Engineering I - Design Thinking (½ credit)
Grade 11
Theology III
Junior Retreat
Honors English III: American Literature
AP English Language & Composition
AP Capstone I - AP Seminar
Algebra II
Trigonometry & PreCalculus
Honors Trigonometry & PreCalculus
AP Statistics
AP Calculus AB
Physics
Honors Physics
AP Chemistry/AP Physics I (will alternate years)
Advanced Topics in Chemistry
Environmental Science
AP Biology
AP Environmental Science
AP Computer Science Principles
Engineering I - Design Thinking (½ credit)
Engineering II - CAD & 3D Printing (½ credit)
Grade 12
Theology IV KAIROS (3-day retreat)
Honors English IV:
Women in Literature & Humanities (Honors)
AP English Language & Composition
AP English Literature & Composition
AP Capstone II - AP Research
Functions & Trigonometry
Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus
Honors Calculus & Statistics Foundations
AP Statistics
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
Honors Physics
Environmental Science
Human Anatomy & Physiology
Advanced Topics in Chemistry
AP Environmental Science
AP Biology
AP Chemistry*
AP Physics 1*
AP Computer Science Principles
Engineering I - Design Thinking (½ credit)
Engineering II - CAD & 3D Printing (½ credit)
AP US History
Global Literacy: Honors
World Regional History I
AP Human Geography
Honors World Regional History II
AP European History
AP Art History
Honors US History
AP US History
AP Art History
Economics
American Court System
AP European History
AP US Government
AP Art History
Honors Intro to Psychology
AP Psychology
Economics
Women in Literature & Humanities (Honors)
American Court System
Spanish I
Spanish II
Honors Spanish II
French I
(Consecutive years
French II
Honors French II
Mandarin Chinese I
Mandarin Chinese II
Honors Mandarin Chinese II
Leadership
Health & Wellness
2D Design
3D Design
Explorations in Theater Concert Choir* Wind Ensemble*
Spanish II
Honors Spanish II
Spanish III
Honors Spanish III
French II
Honors French II
French III
Honors French III
Mandarin Chinese II
Honors Mandarin Chinese II
Mandarin Chinese III
Honors Mandarin Chinese III
Entrepreneurship
Spanish III
Honors Spanish III
Spanish IV
Honors Spanish IV
French III
Honors French III
French IV
Honors French IV
Mandarin Chinese III
Honors Mandarin Chinese III
Mandarin Chinese IV
Honors Mandarin Chinese IV
Entrepreneurship
Financial Literacy
Spanish IV
Honors Spanish IV
Honors Spanish V: Revolutionary Women
AP Spanish Language & Culture
Honors French IV
AP French Language
Honors Mandarin Chinese IV
AP Mandarin Chinese
Global Perspectives
Entrepreneurship
Financial Literacy
3D Design
Explorations in Theater
Intro to Painting
Studio Art I
Pottery Throwing
Graphic Design
Digital Photography I
Digital Photography II
Concert Choir*
Wind Ensemble*
AP Art History
3D Design
Explorations in Theater
Intro to Painting
Studio Art I
Pottery Throwing
Graphic Design
Digital Photography I
Digital Photography II
Concert Choir*
Wind Ensemble*
AP Art History
Pre-AP Studio Art
AP Studio Art: 2-D Design
AP Studio Art: Drawing
AP Art History
3D Design
Explorations in Theater
Intro to Painting
Studio Art I
Pottery Throwing
Digital Photography I
Digital Photography II
Concert Choir*
Wind Ensemble*
Our Serviam Program requires 80 Hours of service to be completed by the end of Sophomore Year.
Arts
Ursuline Academy's Visual & Performing Arts Program o ers an exceptional art curriculum that focuses on developing essential skills-building, designing, and learning through a process-based approach that utilizes technology, the study of visual and performing arts history, aesthetics, and the development of critical thinking.
Visual Arts
In the Upper School, young adults consider what they can offer the world through their voices. Students are challenged to deliver a message to the world through their artwork. Taking risks and being deliberate and reflective are rewarded when the student departs the class with greater self-awareness and an appreciation for the artistic journey—mistakes and all. Class offerings include Drawing, Painting, Studio Art, Photography, Clay & Sculpture, Pottery, and Art History - with AP course offerings.
Performing Arts
Our Performing Arts Program allows our students to explore their acting and singing abilities while seeing the wide variety of components involved in generating a full-scale theatrical production, including set design, lighting, sound, and costume design. Students may perform in the Fall Musical, the Winter Musical at our neighboring “brother” academy-Salesianum School, or drama/Spring Musical.
Music Band
The Upper School Band program offers two outstanding ensembles for students to explore.
725 Chamber Group
Before the first period, this morning class provides a time for our students, the instrumentalists, to work on skills while having fun performing at school prayer services and masses.
Wind Ensemble
Designed for select musicians at Salesianum, Padua, and Ursuline. This provides a performance group with many concert opportunities. Salesianum offers various instrumental possibilities, including Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, and Pit Orchestra.
Choir
The Choir performs for school and community performances, including local concerts. Professional orchestras often accompany performances and have included performances of large choral works, including cantatas and masses.
Concert Choir
In partnership with Salesianum School, this vocal performance class is devoted to singing traditional women’s (SSA) and occasional mixed (SATB) choral literature.
Leadership, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Our new 1893 IDEA Studio is home to collaborative ventures and includes a Fab Lab, Tech Hub, Financial Center and Angela’s Cafe. In partnership with Linda and Paul McConnell, Ursuline Academy is home to “The 1313 Innovation Center powered by Ursuline.” This initiative is focused on promoting innovation and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit for students of all ages.
Making Hospital Stays More Bearable
Three enterprising students (Kaya Blair ‘24) (Emily Copeland ‘23) and Bella Caraballo ‘24) have created a program called Patch-It that helps both young patients and their healthcare team accomplish key procedural milestones such as an IV, stitches, X-ray and shots. The team has just finished a trial at Christiana Care Urgent Care unit and has plans to expand to other medical units like Cardiac and Cancer. The bears offer a comforting encouragement to the child who will earn patches that show their progress and bravery through their treatment.
On a Roll with NASA
Students participated in two NASA Design Sprints and placed first for their SMART applications for NASA Technology. Tooth Booth was presented as a portable X-ray for teeth serving underdeveloped countries, modeled after an old-school viewfinder. H2O Happy was created to target a new use in college dorms: purifying water for safer drinking and bathing—both present key opportunities for NASA Technology.
Launching Ideas that Improve, Disrupt and Transform our World
As one of the first to adopt the University of Delaware's EntreX program, UA has consistently delivered results, including finalists at the Diamond Challenge Global Summit a design patent, and an award for Equity in Design. Additionally, UA has inspired numerous students to pursue this course of study in college. EntreX, earns students 3 college credits as well as AP quality points as a rigorous college-level course of study.
"Matcha" to Learn! Lessons from Angela's Student-Led Coffee Shop
Our coffee shop teaches real-time small business operations. Student engagement in running the coffee shop teaches business and life skills while they have fun and learn the ropes. On the menu (besides fresh-brewed coffee) are lessons in leadership, financial literacy, planning and logistics, customer care, and community outreach.
History:
Global Education
Ursuline educates global leaders through curricular and co-curricular programs locally, domestically, and internationally by engaging in active service and building partnerships with our worldwide network of over 100 Ursuline sister schools and beyond.
women as powerful
service inspired the share her mission and teachings today
“Ursuline’s Global Scholars Program has helped me learn about new cultures, provided an opportunity to see the world from a whole new forever impacted my life.”
For students with an affinity for global studies, Ursuline offers the Global Scholars Distinction through the Ursuline Education Network. Graduating students may earn the distinction by going above and beyond to demonstrate an interest in and dedication to global citizenship throughout their time at Ursuline. They must seek out and engage in activities and experiences, both in and beyond the classroom, that foster the development of global competency. The requirements for nomination in the program are significant: specific and intentional coursework, co-curricular activities, cultural literacy, globally-focused service, and a capstone project with written and oral components.
also have the opportunity to travel, host, and serve
Most recently
students visited New Orleans, Ecuador, France, and South Africa. Upcoming trips include Dallas,
Student Grant for Global Citizenship
Ursuline Academy was a trailblazer establishing one of the rst athletic programs for young women in the early 1900s. Our athletic history is over 100 years in the making and is deeply rooted in tradition, with a passion for the Red and White!
Our nationally recognized Athletics Program centers on developing well-balanced student-athletes. By instilling teamwork, dedication, and enthusiasm in your daughter, we develop student leaders who excel academically and athletically, support their team and coaches, and serve as role models of sportsmanship among teammates and competitors. With Ursuline’s record of excellence, we have created the ideal environment for student-athletes to thrive in the classroom and competition.
As a Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) member, we o er 14 sports at the varsity and junior varsity levels, competing against private and public schools throughout Delaware. Our teams and individual athletes also participate in Northeast regional and national level competitions.
Many of our graduates go on to compete at the collegiate level, and our coaches and sta are experienced and knowledgeable in assisting them throughout navigating the recruiting process. Notably, a few of our UA Raider alums have competed professionally, both nationally and internationally, during their careers, including Val Whiting ’89 and Elena Delle Donne ’08.
Serviam Field
Lead Create Play
Expect More Serve Explore
College and Beyond
100%
Acceptance Rate to a 4-year college
1 to 25
With a college counselor ratio of students are provided individualized attention and unlimited support during every phase of the college selection, application, admission, and financial aid process.
Career Discovery
Raider Block Internships
The Raider Block Internship Program offers the opportunity for students to participate in various internships on campus during the school day. The students earn service hours for their work while gaining hands-on skills that relate to a potential future career. Interns partner with departments including Advancement, Marketing, Admissions, Athletics, Campus Safety, and Technology in addition to positions such as Science Lab Technicians and Classroom Aides across all divisions.
Medical Shadowing Program
College Acceptances
