About the University of Saint Mary
Rooted in the Catholic traditions of St. Vincent de Paul, the University of Saint Mary honors our core university values of community, justice, respect, and excellence and encourages curiosity and conversation, servant-leadership and exploration, while a spirit of gratitude lives in everything we do.
Welcome to Saint Mary - A top Catholic college in Kansas
Founded in 1923 by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, the University of Saint Mary today is an esteemed applied liberal arts Catholic university with more than 30 undergraduate programs, masters programs, and three doctoral programs
While we have an ever-growing specialization in health care education, USM has a wide variety of excellent programs leading to success in countless career fields. Classes are held in Leavenworth, Overland Park, and online and in several formats: traditional and evening-accelerated.
Students benefit from small classes and one-on-one attention from expert instructors—taught by professors, not teaching assistants. The Princeton Review has named USM a Best Midwestern College* every year since 2005.
Though Saint Mary is all about academic excellence and success, we also cherish fun and community! Athletic events to community service, etiquette dinners to late-night pancake feeds, we create some of best memories and best friends here at USM!
Discover USM
Saint Mary: 100 Years
The USM Centennial Celebration
Since 1923, Saint Mary has embodied the pioneering and ambitious spirit of our founders – the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. A century later, we are proud to honor our storied past and pave the way for a bright future. Join us throughout 2023 for a series of events 100 years in the making!Find Your Way Here
USM's Programs
From cutting-edge Health Care programs to business, education, social sciences, and the humanities, USM has a path for you.
Saint Mary offers a variety of undergraduate majors, master's programs, and doctoral degrees.
How to Apply
USM's admission staff can help guide you through the application process!
Admissions requirements vary by program, but USM tries to make the process as painless as possible.
Saint Mary Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
The University of Saint Mary has a 100-year-long tradition of academic excellence—and today? This tradition is stronger than ever. Though we value our past and celebrate the achievements of yesterday, USM is looking ahead to an even brighter future!
Mission & Values
Mission
The University of Saint Mary educates students of diverse backgrounds to realize their God-given potential and prepares them for value-centered lives and careers that contribute to the well being of our global society.
Values
Saint Mary believes in the dignity of each person’s capacity to learn, to relate, and to better our diverse world. We value:
- Community
- Respect
- Justice
- Excellence
Tradition
Founded in 1923 by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, the University of Saint Mary has a long tradition of academic excellence. Saint Mary is a tight-knit community where one-on-one attention is valued and growth is measured by more than a percent in a grade book.
USM focuses on fulfilling the needs of both our students and society— establishing academic programs where purpose, global impact, and long-term success govern their existence. Students are inspired to follow their dreams and find their potential—choosing from over 30 majors, minors, and concentrations; a growing number of master's programs; and three doctoral degrees.
Foundation in the Liberal Arts
Committed to a liberal arts education, core curriculum is designed to create breadth of knowledge in graduates. USM is one of 700 member colleges in the Council of Independent Colleges supporting a national advocacy program promoting the understanding of the liberal arts and the effectiveness of independent higher education called “Power of Liberal Arts.”
USM: A Timeline
1858 — The Sisters of Charity arrive in Leavenworth
1870-92 — Opening of Saint Mary and Mead Halls
1923 — Saint Mary Junior College opens
1930 — Junior College becomes Saint Mary College; Berchmans Hall opens
1960s — Maria, Miege, and Saint Joseph Dining Halls built
1988 — Saint Mary College goes co-ed
1990 — Saint Mary offers degree-completion and graduate programs in Overland Park
2003 — Saint Mary College becomes the University of Saint Mary
2004 — Launches on-campus BSN program
2009 — Introduces special partnership with Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB) allowing gifted students to matriculate into medical school (without the MCAT) following the completion of their junior year
2012 — Matriculates first class of Stefani Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students
2014 — Debuts the Círculo de Cuidado (Circle of Care) program—a full-tuition/living stipend scholarship opportunity for Wyandotte County Hispanic and Latino prospective nursing students; also moves the HIM program online and launches new Enhanced Accounting program
2015 — DPT program receives notice of accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
2016 — Accepts first class of undergraduate Exercise Science majors; admits first class of Master of Science in Athletic Training students; and receives notice of acceptance from nursing’s premiere honor society, Sigma Theta Tau International
2019 — Recognized as the only school in Kansas by the Commission on Accreditation for Athletic Training Education (CAATE) as having a professional, accredited Master of Science in Athletic Training program
2020 — Launches doctorates in Education and Occupational Therapy
Our Founders & Sponsors
The University of Saint Mary is shaped by the educational mission of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.
Rooted in the gospel of Jesus, the charism of St. Vincent de Paul, and the spirit of Mother Xavier Ross, the sisters see Christian education “as one of the greatest acts of charity: serving others at the fullest points of their needs and ministering to their need to know and come to the truth, to be opened to the good and the beautiful, to understand the past, to confront and help shape the future, to be called to justice, to be more fully and completely human and Christian.”
To live in the spirit of Vincent is to be part of a larger community united in service and caring, acting as a bridge between the rich and the poor, striving to witness virtues of simplicity, humility, and charity. It is to see the face of Christ in all people.
The SCL Founding Story
With a strong sense of their pioneer heritage and roots, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth annually celebrate Founders’ Day on Nov. 11 – the date in 1858 that the first group of Sisters arrived by a steamer boat to serve and make their home in Leavenworth. They had responded to the call of Bishop John Baptist Miege who invited them to “Come North.”
Ten days earlier on Nov. 1, this group had left Nashville, Tenn., for their journey to what was called the Kansas Territory (Kansas was not yet a state). The group of nine travelers included five Sisters, one novice, two postulants and an orphan. They set out from Nashville by rail and transferred to coaches with their trunks, packages, bundles and baskets. In Kentucky, they were mistaken as beggars. They took a train to St. Louis where the Sisters and companions boarded the steamer that made slow progress to Leavenworth due to winds and floating ice. (History of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas, Sister Mary Buckner, 1898)
In her history of the community, Sister Julia Gilmore writes, “This was the band of displaced persons, inconspicuous in manner, but different in dress from other women, who attracted the attention of the loungers at the wharf in Leavenworth City, November 11, 1858.” (We Came North, 1958)
The new arrivals spent their first night in Leavenworth in a hotel. The next day, they visited Bishop Miege and then went to their convent. Their furniture and belongings arrived the same day, and townspeople brought them provisions. “Notwithstanding the kindness of the clergy and the people, the Sisters necessarily had much to suffer, but their confidence in God was great, and they knew well that hardships are to be encountered in all beginnings.” (Buckner, p. 59)
A second group of Sisters arrived from Nashville in December, and the final two – Mother Xavier Ross, foundress and first leader of the community, and Sister Joanna Bruner – came in February 1859. The beginning community in Leavenworth numbered 16. (Gilmore, p. 9) The Sisters soon began teaching boys in one schoolhouse and girls in another that eventually became “St. Mary’s Academy for Young Ladies,” the precursor to the University of Saint Mary.
In succeeding years, the SCLs expanded their ministries to health care, social services, pastoral work, spiritual development and many other ways to serve persons who are poor and vulnerable. Today, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth number 218 and serve in 11 states and Peru.
They first came to the Midwest in response to the call to serve needs of people in a pioneer territory. Their Mission Statement continues to reflect that commitment and outreach: “Impelled by the love of Christ, we, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, offer every loving service in our power to meet the critical needs of God’s people.”
For more information, visit www.scls.org.
Catholic Roots
Students, faculty, and administration from all faith traditions call Saint Mary home. USM’s 200-acre campus has students from all over the world—with different upbringings, beliefs, and traditions. Though the university honors its rich Catholic roots, USM believes a deep appreciation for diversity fosters spiritual growth for all.
USM at a Glance
USM Fast Facts
How many students attend USM? What are our programs? What athletics are offered? Find all of that, and more, below
Locations:
- Main Campus: Leavenworth, Kan.
- Evening and Graduate: Overland Park, Kan.
Enrollment:
1,220 across both campuses
- Undergraduate: 760
- Graduate: 460
Student-to-faculty ratio:
11-to-1
Demographics:
- Female: 55%
- Male: 45%
- Catholic: 20%
- Minority: 34%
- First-Generation: 43%
- Kansas Residents: 49%
- 43 States and 5 Countries
Academic Offerings:
- Over 30 Undergraduate
- 10 Graduate
- 3 Doctoral
Top majors:
Biology, Nursing, Exercise Science
Newest major:
Social Work
Newest graduate programs:
Doctor of Occupational Therapy and Doctor of Education in Leadership
Scholarships:
99% of students receive financial aid of some kind
- $8 million awarded in scholarships annually
- Up to $70,000 over four years for qualified incoming freshmen
- Up to $15,000 a year for qualified transfer students
- Up to $10,000 in departmental awards over four years
Nickname:
Saint Mary Spires—named after the spire atop Saint Mary Hall, the oldest campus building
Mascot:
Spiro the Dragon
Athletics:
28 varsity sports
- Football, volleyball, baseball, softball, cheer, dance, esports, flag football, men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, lacrosse, cross country, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, wrestling, swimming, tennis, and bowling
- Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC)
- National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
Colors:
Navy blue and gold
About the Area
USM is situated in Leavenworth, just minutes from KCI Airport, and a short drive from everything metro KC has to offer
Leavenworth, “the first city in Kansas,” was founded as a major trading area with access to railroads, trails, and waterways—serving also as a stepping stone for the settlement and opening of the West. Much of its early growth is attributed to the installation of Fort Leavenworth (the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C.) in 1827—while the city had a boom in population during the Civil War, becoming a destination for refugee slaves from Missouri and other surrounding slave states.
Today, the Leavenworth is home to more than 35,000 people—along with a hundreds of restaurants, shops, and businesses. Leavenworth is also in close proximity to all the shopping and entertainment venues of the metropolitan Kansas City area.
Things to do in Leavenworth & Kansas City
Lots of Fun Things to Do in Our Own Backyard
One of the big advantages of attending the University of Saint Mary is that you're
close to all the shopping and entertainment venues in the Kansas City area.
A quick 30-minute drive, and you can be at a wide variety of new restaurants, entertainment
and shopping districts, movie theatres, sports stadiums, water parks, and festivals
offering plenty of fun things to do with your friends.
In Our Own Back Yard
Leavenworth, the first city of Kansas, has its own special charm with restaurants, bars, movie
theaters, a shopping mall, and museums.
Kansas City Northland - To the Northeast - 25 minutes from campus
Zona Rosa
Shops at the Boardwalk
Kansas City, KS and Bonner Springs Area - To the Southeast - 25 minutes from campus
Sporting Kansas City
The Legends Outlets
Kansas Speedway
Dave and Buster's
Great Wolf Lodge
Kansas City Monarchs Baseball
Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
Downtown KC & Crown Center Area - To the Southeast - 35 minutes from campus
T-Mobile Center
Power and Light District
Crown Center
Union Station
Kansas City Ballet
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Plaza Area - 40 minutes from campus
Country Club Plaza
Westport
Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Overland Park, KS - 35-45 minutes from campus
Oak Park Mall
Town Center Plaza
East Kansas City & Independence, MO - 50 minutes to 1 hour from campus
Worlds of Fun
Royals Baseball
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Zoo
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
To the Southwest - 45 minutes from campus
Lawrence
Annual Events and Festivals You Don't Want to Miss
American Royal - Summer and Fall Events
Renaissance Festival - Weekends from August 30-October 13
Plaza Art Fair - 3rd Weekend in September
Celebration at the Station - Memorial Day Weekend
Big 12 Basketball Championship
KC St. Patrick's Day Parade
Planet Comicon
Boulevardia
To learn more about things to do in the Kansas City area visit www.visitkc.com.
Click here for the University of Saint Mary Calendar of Events.
Photos Courtesy of the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association.
*From The Princeton Review's Best Regional Colleges 2024. (c)2023 TPR Education. All rights reserved. Used under license.
Have Questions About Saint Mary?
Contact USM at 913-682-5151 or admiss@stmary.edu. If you'd like info about USM's programs and offerings, click the link below!