Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy
| Motto | Veritas Vos Liberabit |
|---|---|
| Type | Private/Catholic |
| Established | 2000 |
| President | Dr. Keith Cassidy |
| Undergraduates | 82 full-time |
| Location | Barry's Bay, Ontario, CN |
| Campus | Rural |
| Website | www.seatofwisdom.ca |
Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy (OLSWA) is a Catholic post-secondary institution located in Barry's Bay, Ontario, Canada, in the Madawaska Valley, on the shores of Kamaniskeg Lake. The institution offers a three-year liberal arts program with concentrations in Theology, Philosophy, History, Literature and Sacred Music, as well as studies in Mathematics, Languages, Fine Arts, Natural and Social Sciences. OLSWA is known for its conservative values and traditional Catholic teaching.
“Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy, a Catholic institution that is faithful to Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the teachings of the Catholic Church, provides a post-secondary education in the liberal arts. We seek to form the whole person, especially intellectually and spiritually, while respecting the freedom of the individual. Our curriculum offers a deep and wide-ranging understanding of Western civilization along with the traditions of the Church, and equips students to engage with and critique contemporary culture.” The Academy's motto is Veritas Vos Liberabit.
Before Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy was an official academic institution, it was a study centre named “Mater Ecclesiae,” and had a class of six students. The centre was founded by Helen Fritz, Fr. Leo Sands O.S.B., Sheila O’Brien, and teachers George Dienesch, Luc Dauvin, and John Paul Meenan. They had a vision to provide affordable Catholic education to students wishing to advance their studies after high school. In the early days, studies took place in living rooms, basements, hay lofts, and other areas hosted by local families, while teaching and tuition were free.
In 2000, after the former St. Joseph’s Convent building was donated by the diocese for use by the study centre, Mater Ecclesiae became Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy, and the school had its first official academic year which saw nine students and several teachers. Basic studies included introductory theology, philosophy, history, literature, logic and Latin. In 2003, OLSWA added a second year of study to their program, and a third year in 2004.
OLSWA has been steadily growing each with more students and instructors. Students continue to come from all over Canada and the United States. By the beginning of the 2015-2016 academic year, the student body had grown to 108 students. OLSWA currently has a student-teacher ratio of 8:1.
OLSWA has been featured in The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College as one of the Catholic institutions around the world listed as faithfully Catholic colleges.
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