University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)

University of St. Thomas

Former names	College of St. Thomas (1885–1990)
Motto	All for the common good
Type	Private
Established	1885
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
Endowment	$458 million
Budget	$204 million
President	Julie Sullivan
Academic staff	879
Administrative staff	1,041
Students	10,229
Undergraduates	6,234
Postgraduates	3,995
Location	St. Paul–Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Campus	Urban: 78 acres (32 ha)
Colors	Purple & Gray
Athletics	NCAA Division III – MIAC
Sports	11 men and 11 women varsity teams
Nickname	Tommies
Mascot	Tommie the Tomcat
Affiliations	ACCU ICUSTA NAICU ACTC
Website	www.stthomas.edu

Coordinates: 44°56′24.92″N 93°11′36.33″W / 44.9402556°N 93.1934250°W / 44.9402556; -93.1934250

The University of St. Thomas (also known as St. Thomas) is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, United States. Founded in 1885 as a Catholic seminary, it is named after Thomas Aquinas, the medieval Catholic theologian and philosopher who is the patron saint of students. St. Thomas currently enrolls more than 10,000 students, making it Minnesota's largest private – non-profit university. Dr. Julie Sullivan became the 15th president in the history of the University in 2013.

Founded in 1885 by John Ireland, archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, St. Thomas began as an all-male, Catholic seminary. In 1894, the liberal arts program became an independent college through a gift from local railroad tycoon James J. Hill, who provided funds to establish the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity apart from the college. In 1903, the College of St. Thomas established a military program on campus, and it was officially termed a military school by the U.S. War Department in 1906. Initially, the school gave out two-year diplomas in commercial and classical programs before awarding its first academic degrees in 1915. In 1922, military training became optional.