Saint Vincent College facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Saint Vincent College

Former names	Saint Vincent Archabbey and College (1846–1870)
Motto	Veri iustique scientia vindex
Motto in English	Knowledge is the guardian of truth and justice
Type	Private college
Established	1846; 179 years ago (1846)
Religious affiliation	Catholic (Benedictines)
Academic affiliations	ACCU CIC NAICU
Endowment	$113 million (2021)
Chancellor	Martin de Porres Bartel
President	Paul R. Taylor
Academic staff	196 (2023)
Students	1,463 (2023)
Undergraduates	1,299
Postgraduates	164
Location	Latrobe, Pennsylvania , United States
Campus	Suburban, 200 acres (81 ha)
Colors	Blue (academic)           Green and Gold (athletic)
Nickname	Bearcats
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division III – PAC, ECAC
Mascot	Bearcat

Saint Vincent College is a private Catholic college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It was started in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a Benedictine monk from Germany. The college is run by the Benedictine Monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey. This archabbey was the first Benedictine monastery in the United States.

College History

Saint Vincent College began as "Saint Vincent Archabbey and College" in 1846. It was founded by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, Germany. In 1870, the state of Pennsylvania officially recognized it as a college.

On January 28, 1963, a fire damaged many buildings on campus. This included a student chapel and a bell tower. In 1983, Saint Vincent College became a coeducational school. This meant both male and female students could attend. In 2021, the college celebrated its 175th anniversary.

College Presidents

The current president of Saint Vincent College is Paul R. Taylor. He became the 18th president on July 1, 2019. Before this, he worked in other important roles at the college.

He took over from Norman W. Hipps, who was president from 2010 to 2019.

Here is a list of past presidents of the college:

• Boniface Wimmer (1871–1887)
• Andrew Hintenach (1887–1892)
• Leander Schnerr (1892–1920)
• Aurelius Stehle (1920–1930)
• Alfred Koch (1930–1950)
• Denis Strittmatter (1950–1955)
• Quentin Schaut (1955–1962)
• Maximilian Duman (1962–1963)
• Maynard Brennan (1963–1968)
• Fintan R. Shoniker (1968–1971)
• Cecil G. Diethrich (1971–1982)
• Augustine Flood (1982–1985)
• John F. Murtha (1985–1995)
• Martin R. Bartel (1995–2000)
• James F. Will (2000–2006)
• Jim Towey (2006–2010)
• Norman W. Hipps (2010–19)
• Paul R. Taylor (2019–)

Academics and Learning

View from the entrance, with Basilica and some academic buildings.

Saint Vincent College has four main schools. Each school offers different subjects and degrees. Students can earn bachelor's or master's degrees. Each school has a Dean who helps students and teachers.

Business, Economics, and Government

This school started in 2001. It includes departments like Business, Criminology, and Politics. Students can study Accounting, Economics, Finance, and Marketing. There are also master's programs in Criminology and Management.

Social Sciences, Communication, and Education

This school was formed in 2004. It has departments for Communication, Education, and Psychology. It also works with the Fred M. Rogers Institute for Early Learning and Children's Media.

Humanities and Fine Arts

This school also started in 2004. It includes subjects like English, History, Music, and Art. The college's art gallery and theater programs are part of this school. Students can join music groups like the Marching Band.

Natural Science, Mathematics, and Computing

This school began in 2004. It has departments for Biology, Chemistry, and Computer Science. Students can also study Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics. There are programs for Biochemistry and Environmental Science.

The college offers special programs for engineering. Students can spend three years at Saint Vincent. Then they spend two years at another engineering college. This allows them to earn two degrees. They can go to Penn State University or the University of Pittsburgh.

Since 2019, Saint Vincent College has partnered with Carlow University. This allows students to earn a Nursing degree. Students stay at Saint Vincent for all their classes.

The Basilica

Saint Vincent College Basilica

Saint Vincent Parish was founded in 1790. It was the first Catholic parish west of the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania. A church was built and opened in 1835. It was named after St. Vincent de Paul.

The main church building, now called a basilica, started being built in 1892. It was finished in 1905. The basilica was fully restored in 1996. This was part of the college's 150th anniversary celebration.

College Traditions

Every year, before Thanksgiving, the college celebrates Founders Day. This day honors everyone who helped start the college. It includes a special ceremony and a candle-lit dinner. There are also fireworks and a campus light-up.

The college's fight song is "Forward, Saint Vincent." It was approved in 1996. The song's name comes from a quote by the college's founder, Boniface Wimmer. He said, "Forward, always forward, everywhere forward!" The Marching Band plays the fight song at games.

There is also a network of tunnels under the campus. These tunnels are used for storage and maintenance. It is an unofficial tradition for students to explore these tunnels.

College Sports

Saint Vincent athletics wordmark

Saint Vincent football players during a game v Gallaudet in 2007

Saint Vincent College has many sports teams. They are called the Bearcats. Teams include women's bowling, football, baseball, and basketball. They also have cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, track, and tennis. The college is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Most teams play in NCAA Division III in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC).

The newest sport is men's volleyball, which started in 2020. The college also has club sports like men's ice hockey and rugby. One Saint Vincent basketball player, Daniel Santiago, played in the NBA. The athletic colors are green and gold.

Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp

The Steelers at the St Vincent training camp in 2006

Since 1966, the Pittsburgh Steelers football team has held its training camp at the college. Before 1966, the team trained in different places. After a big fire in 1963, new buildings were added to the campus. These buildings helped provide more housing for players. Rooney Hall, built in 1995, is a residence hall used by the Steelers. It is named after the Steelers' founder, Arthur J. Rooney Sr..

A sportswriter named Peter King said the training camp location is "perfect." He described it as a "classic, wonderful slice of Americana."

Other Sports Highlights

The main sports center is the Robert S. Carey Student Center. It has a gym, swimming pool, and fitness center.

In 2011, the Bearcat women's basketball team made history. They were the first team to qualify for the NCAA Division-III postseason. The team was ranked among the top 20 nationally. The women's basketball coach, Kristen Zawacki, won over 500 games in her career. She passed away in 2010. Jimmy Petruska became the new head coach. His teams have made it to the NCAA Division III playoffs three times. In the 2018–19 season, they won their first PAC title.

In 2016, the Saint Vincent men's basketball team won their fourth straight PAC Tournament Championship. They advanced to the NCAA National Tournament for the fourth year in a row.

In 2017, Brian Niemiec became the head coach of the men's tennis team. He was thought to be the youngest NCAA head coach at the time.

The Saint Vincent women's lacrosse team has a top scorer. Maggie Nelson set Division III records in 2018. She scored 141 goals and 178 points in one season. She also scored 19 points in a single game. Her 496 career points rank second all-time in NCAA Division III history.

Notable Alumni

See also

In Spanish: Saint Vincent College para niños

• Saint Vincent Seminary
• List of Benedictine Colleges