University of the Incarnate Word facts for kids
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Former name
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| Motto | "Your Journey. Our Mission." |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | July 1881 |
| Accreditation | SACS |
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Religious affiliation
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $175 million (2021) |
| President | Thomas Evans |
| Students | 9,191 |
| Location |
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Texas
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United States
29°28′01″N 98°27′59″W / 29.46694°N 98.46639°W |
| Campus | Large city, 154 acres (62 ha) |
| Other campuses |
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| Newspaper | The Logos |
| Colors |
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| Nickname | Cardinals |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Red the Cardinal |
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The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is a private Catholic university. Its main campus is in San Antonio and Alamo Heights, Texas. The university was started in 1881 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.
UIW's main campus covers about 154 acres. It is the largest Catholic university in Texas. The university has 11 schools and colleges. It also has two campuses in Mexico and a study center in Europe. UIW offers online degrees for students in Latin America. It also manages St. Anthony Catholic High School.
Contents
History of UIW
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The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word founded UIW. They came to San Antonio in 1869 to help people during a cholera outbreak. Sisters Madeleine Chollet, Pierre Cinquin, and Agnes Buisson arrived at the request of Bishop Claude M. Dubuis.
The sisters opened Santa Rosa Infirmary on December 1, which was the city's first hospital. They also started caring for children. By 1874, they opened the first children's homes in San Antonio. These were St. Joseph's Orphanage for Girls and St. John's Orphanage for Boys. This work led them to open schools in many places, including Texas and Mexico.
The school began as the Incarnate Word School in 1881. It was first a college for women. In 1900, the Academy of the Incarnate Word moved to the Motherhouse of the Sisters in Alamo Heights. College classes were added in 1909. The school's name then became the College and Academy of the Incarnate Word.
In 1971, UIW became a fully co-educational school. This meant both men and women could attend. Before this, men could only attend the nursing school.
The Brainpower Connection program started in 1989. This program helps students from Pre-K all the way to getting a Ph.D. Several schools are part of this program. St. Anthony Catholic High School is managed by UIW.
In 1995, UIW started new programs for adult learners. The Adult Degree Completion Program (ADCaP) allowed adults to earn a degree faster. The school officially became the University of the Incarnate Word in 1996.
In 1998, UIW was approved to offer doctoral degrees. These are the highest degrees you can earn. In 2000, the China Incarnate Word Education Center opened in Guangzhou, China. UIW began offering university degrees there.
UIW's football team, the Incarnate Word Cardinals, started playing in 2008. The campus stadium is named after Tom and Gayle Benson. They helped start the team with their generous donations. In July 2017, the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine welcomed its first class of students.
Learning at UIW
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All students at UIW must volunteer 45 hours in the community before they graduate. This helps them give back to others.
Accreditation and Approvals
In 1998, the university was re-approved to offer bachelor's and master degrees. It also received approval to offer doctoral degrees. This approval came from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Many other groups also approve UIW's programs. These include the American Music Therapy Association and the Texas Education Agency. The university is also a member of groups like the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. It is recognized as an institution that serves Hispanic students.
University Rankings
U.S. News & World Report is a well-known publication that ranks colleges. In its 2025 college rankings, Incarnate Word was placed 288th among "National Universities."
Schools and Colleges
UIW has many different schools and colleges. These include:
- College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- Dreeben School of Education
- Feik School of Pharmacy
- H-E-B School of Business & Administration
- Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions
- Rosenberg School of Optometry
- School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering
- School of Media and Design
- School of Osteopathic Medicine
- School of Professional Studies
- School of Physical Therapy
UIW also works with E-Army-U, which is an online learning program for the U.S. Army.
UIW Campuses
The main campus of UIW is in the Midtown Brackenridge area of San Antonio. It is also in the nearby city of Alamo Heights.
UIW has other campuses too. These are in:
- Northwest San Antonio at the South Texas Medical Center
- Mexico City, Mexico (Centro Universitario Incarnate Word)
- Irapuato, Mexico (Universidad Incarnate Word Campus Bajio)
- Strasbourg, France
UIW also has four School of Professional Studies locations. These are in northeast San Antonio, Alamo Heights, northwest San Antonio, and Corpus Christi, Texas.
New buildings have been added to the campus. The pharmacy school and the "Hillside" dormitory opened in 2007. The Tom Benson Field House and Stadium opened in 2008. The Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions was updated in 2011. The Rosenberg School of Optometry opened in 2009.
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In 2013, a new $16 million ceramics and sculpture studio was built. In 2019, the university bought a nearby eight-story building. This expanded the Broadway campus by 20 percent.
Sports at UIW
In August 2012, UIW was invited to join NCAA Division I. This is the highest level of college sports. They became a member of the Southland Conference. UIW officially joined NCAA Division I on July 1, 2013. Their football team started playing in the conference in 2014. UIW became fully eligible for Division I championships in the 2017–18 season. Before this, UIW was in NCAA Division II.
In 2004, UIW changed its mascot from the Crusaders to the Cardinals. This change was made to be more welcoming to everyone. The new mascot is Red the Cardinal.
The UIW Men's Swim team placed second at the NCAA Division II National Championships in 2010. UIW's synchronized swimming team won the U.S. collegiate national championship in 2024. This team is often one of the best in the country.
UIW's Men's and Women's Soccer teams have won many championships in the Heartland Conference. The Men's Cross Country team won the Heartland Conference meet in 2008 and 2009.
In November 2021, UIW announced it would join the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). However, in June 2022, they decided to stay in the Southland Conference. In 2025, UIW co-hosted the Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. They hosted it with the University of Texas at San Antonio at the Alamodome.
Notable people
See also
In Spanish: Universidad del Verbo Encarnado para niños
