What Mount St. Mary's University is like

What it's like

Mount St. Mary's is a private Catholic university in rural Maryland with deep historical roots and a distinctive Catholic identity. Founded in 1805, the institution blends its seminary heritage—it houses the largest Catholic seminary in the United States—with a full undergraduate and graduate academic program. The 1,400-acre campus in a mountain setting provides a contemplative environment centered around spiritual life and liberal arts education. The university is home to the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, a pilgrimage site that draws thousands of visitors annually and underscores the institution's Catholic character.

Academic feel

The Mount offers over 40 undergraduate majors, minors, concentrations, and special programs across three divisions: the College of Liberal Arts, the Richard J. Bolte School of Business, and the School of Natural Science and Mathematics. The university also provides 8 master's programs and 6 postgraduate certificate programs, along with bachelor's/master's combinations in partnership with other universities. Research activity spans philosophy (304 works), theology (109 works), chemistry (107 works), mathematics (111 works), and economics (94 works), reflecting a curriculum grounded in both classical liberal education and applied disciplines.

Strengths

• Houses the largest Catholic seminary in the United States, making it a significant institution for priestly formation and theological education.[1]

Weaknesses

• In 2016, the university faced a major institutional crisis when President Simon P. Newman attempted to dismiss 20-25 freshmen based on a questionnaire targeting students with mental health issues, disabilities, and financial concerns. Two faculty members who objected were fired without severance, prompting protests from over 8,000 scholars and condemnation from the American Association of University Professors and other national organizations. Newman resigned after the controversy.[2]

Traditions

• The National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on campus has been a Catholic pilgrimage site since 1805, drawing thousands of visitors annually to its 60 acres of gardens, rosary paths, Stations of the Cross, and devotional areas.[2]
• Mount St. Mary's merged with Saint Joseph College for Women in 1973 after nearly two centuries of parallel institutional development, with the all-female and all-male campuses historically depending on each other for social life.[2]