History
Saint Leo was founded as the first Catholic college in Florida, chartered on June 4, 1889 by a group of Benedictine monks from Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The University opened its doors on September 14, 1890 with an enrollment of 32 students.
Saint Leo ended racial segregation on their campus in 1898, before it was legal to do so in Florida, and totally integrated their campus in the Deep South. In 1920, the College was temporarily phased out to become an English-style prep school. A year later, in 1921, Saint Leo became accredited by the Southern Educational Association. After several name changes, the institution settled on Saint Leo College Preparatory School in 1929, a name which lasted until 1964. Saint Leo opened again as a college in 1959, receiving assistance from the Benedictine sisters at Holy Name Monastery, its neighboring community. Operating first on the associate's level, the College moved quickly to a four-year program and conferred its first bachelor's degree on April 23, 1967, on 51 men and 13 women. The college was accredited by the Southern Educational Association on November 29, 1967.
In 1973, the College responded to requests from the armed services to offer degree programs on military bases at home and abroad. Today Saint Leo University is one of the largest providers of higher education to military-related personnel in the United States. Continuing in the tradition of distance learning, the Saint Leo University Center for Online Learning was established in 1999, as one of the first online schools in the country.
Growth continues rapidly at St. Leo, and on August 24, 1999, Saint Leo was upgraded from "college" to "university" status. Several new centers have been established nationwide in recent years. In July 2011, the University opened its Channelside Tampa Education Center, a facility which houses five classrooms. Classes are offered at night and on evenings for continuing education students. There is also a student support center for students attending classes online.
Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr. has been the president of the University since January 1997.
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