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Ave Maria University (AMU) is a
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Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
university in
Ave Maria, Florida Ave Maria, Florida, United States, is a planned community and census-designated place located in Collier County, Florida, consisting of approximately 5,000 acres (2,023 ha). The population was 6,242 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Naples- ...
. It existed formerly as "Ave Maria College" in
Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti ( ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's popu ...
, which was founded in 1998 and reestablished in 2007 along with an interim
Naples, Florida Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 19,115, down from 19,539 at the 2010 census. Naples is a principal city of the Collier County, Florida, Naples–Marc ...
campus (first named Ave Maria University) created in 2003. The school was founded by philanthropist and entrepreneur,
Tom Monaghan Thomas Stephen Monaghan (born March 25, 1937) is an American entrepreneur and Philanthropy, philanthropist who founded Domino's Pizza in 1960. He also owns the Domino's Farms Office Park in Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan, and owned the Det ...
. In 2021, the enrollment was 1,245 students. In 2016 its student body was 80% Catholic.


History


Ave Maria College

Ave Maria College was founded by Catholic philanthropist and former
Domino's Pizza Domino's Pizza, Inc., commonly referred to as Domino's, is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain founded in 1960 and led by CEO Russell Weiner. The corporation is Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware-domiciled and headquartered ...
owner and founder
Tom Monaghan Thomas Stephen Monaghan (born March 25, 1937) is an American entrepreneur and Philanthropy, philanthropist who founded Domino's Pizza in 1960. He also owns the Domino's Farms Office Park in Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan, and owned the Det ...
on March 19, 1998, occupying two former
elementary school A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...
buildings in Ypsilanti, Michigan, near the campus of
Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University (EMU, EMich, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern) is a public university, public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1849 as the Michigan State Normal School, it was the fourth normal ...
. Monaghan's goal was to create a Catholic university faithful to the
magisterium The magisterium of the Catholic Church is the church's authority or office to give authentic interpretation of the word of God, "whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition". According to the 1992 ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' ...
of the Catholic Church, providing a liberal arts education in a Catholic environment. He originally intended to construct a full college campus on his property in nearby
Ann Arbor Township Ann Arbor Charter Township is a charter township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,673 at the 2020 census. The township borders the city of Ann Arbor and contains numerous exclaves, but the two are admin ...
, known as
Domino's Farms Domino's Farms is an office park in Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan, centered around a four-story, , Prairie style groundscraper known as the "Prairie House". Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan commissioned the complex in the early 1980s ...
. The plan for the Ann Arbor campus also included a 25-story
crucifix A crucifix (from the Latin meaning '(one) fixed to a cross') is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the (Latin for 'body'). The cru ...
, which was never built.


Interim Naples campus

After being denied zoning approval by
Ann Arbor Township Ann Arbor Charter Township is a charter township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,673 at the 2020 census. The township borders the city of Ann Arbor and contains numerous exclaves, but the two are admin ...
to build a larger campus near Domino's Farms, Monaghan decided to move the college to Florida. Monaghan initiated the founding of the Florida institution Ave Maria University with a donation of $250 million. In August 2003, the university opened an interim campus in The Vineyards in Naples, Florida, enrolling some 100 undergraduate students, 75 of whom were freshmen. While occupying the interim campus, Monaghan focused efforts on constructing a new campus and
planned community A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...
nearby known as
Ave Maria, Florida Ave Maria, Florida, United States, is a planned community and census-designated place located in Collier County, Florida, consisting of approximately 5,000 acres (2,023 ha). The population was 6,242 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Naples- ...
. The Barron Collier family donated the land in southwest Florida for the campus, joining Monaghan in the enterprise as 50% partner. While the infrastructure of the new campus and town were being completed in early 2007, the Ypsilanti campus was also closing at the end of the 2006–2007 academic year. Monaghan planned to have most of the staff transferred to the Florida location. The Michigan location remained open until students graduated or transferred, leaving just three students for the final year and a number of the remaining staff.


Ave Maria campus

The university moved from the temporary facility to the new campus in 2007. In its first year at the new campus, the university enrolled about 450 undergraduates and 150 graduate students. Bishop Frank Dewane, the local Catholic ordinary, formally dedicated the university in 2008. In March 2007, the original provost of the university, Fr.
Joseph Fessio Joseph Fessio (born January 10, 1941) is an American Jesuit priest, as well as the founder and editor of Ignatius Press. After studying with Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), he founded the St. Ignatius Institute at the University of San Fr ...
, S.J., was dismissed by Monaghan for undisclosed reasons. In a formal statement, Monaghan, in his role as chancellor, stated that the dismissal was because of "irreconcilable differences over administrative policies and practices." Immediately, the school's first-ever student protests were mounted in support of Fessio. Outside observers were critical: editor Philip F. Lawler of the conservative ''
Catholic World News Catholic World News (CWN) is an online independent news service founded in 1996 by Philip F. Lawler providing news concerning the Catholic Church. Staffed by lay Catholic journalists, its editorial policy is generally conservative with an emph ...
'' said the firing was "institutional suicide", and that if a respected theologian such as Fessio could be fired then no others would want to fill the position. Monaghan reinstated Fessio the next day as theologian-in-residence. He was dismissed from that position in 2009, stating he was fired the second time because of a conversation he had with Academic Vice President Jack Sites about administrative policies harming the university's finances.Fr. Joseph Fessio
"Breaking: Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., dismissed from Ave Maria University"
''Ignatius Insight Scoop'', 2009
He said his firing was "another mistake in a long series of unwise decisions" but that he would continue to guide students to AMU. Monaghan planned to continue to expand the university and hoped to one day have an enrollment over 5,000, Division I athletics and an academic reputation as "a Catholic Ivy", however as of 2024, only has about 20 percent of this goal. The university's growth has fallen short of its stated goal of "growing the University's undergraduate enrollment at its main campus in Florida to approximately 1,700 students by the fall of 2016" and 1,500 by the year 2020. In 2011, James Towey, former Director of the
White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wavelen ...
and former President of Saint Vincent College, was named the president of Ave Maria University after a unanimous vote by the AMU Board of Trustees. He also assumed the role of CEO, in the place of Monaghan, who remains the Chancellor. The
2008 financial crisis The 2008 financial crisis, also known as the global financial crisis (GFC), was a major worldwide financial crisis centered in the United States. The causes of the 2008 crisis included excessive speculation on housing values by both homeowners ...
took a toll on Ave Maria's finances. Monaghan said in 2012 that Ave Maria's construction cost estimates doubled over three years, requiring the university to cut back on planned buildings. The troubled Florida real estate market also meant that Ave Maria School of Law had to shelve its plans for a building in Ave Maria, as its existing campus was worth less than was paid for it. According to Towey, for a period of time the university survived through Monaghan's funding of a ten million dollar annual deficit. Towey credits his efforts at controlling financing costs, along with increased contributions, with placing the university back on a firm financial footing by 2014. In February 2012, Ave Maria made national news when it filed its lawsuit ''Ave Maria University v. Sebelius'', suing the government over the US Health and Human Services birth control mandate by claiming that it would force the university to forego its religious freedom. It became the second college to do so, and was followed by several others, including the
Franciscan University of Steubenville Franciscan University of Steubenville is a Private university, private Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance, Franciscan university in Steubenville, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2023, the university enrolled 3,750 students in 40 under ...
and the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...
. The lawsuit is represented by the
Becket Fund for Religious Liberty Becket, also known as the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, is a non-profit public interest law firm based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to "protect the free expression of all faiths." Becket promotes accommodationism and is active in the ...
. In June 2012, President Towey wrote that the university would "vigorously prosecute its lawsuit". In 2016, the Supreme Court unanimously sent the case back to federal appeals court to find a solution that would both honor religious organizations objections and provide their employees with birth control. Ave Maria administrators celebrated the decision as a "great victory." The university ran a
satellite campus A satellite campus, branch campus or regional campus is a campus of a university or college that is physically at a distance from the original university or college area. This branch campus may be located in a different city, state, or country, ...
in
Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
called the Ave Maria University-Latin American Campus for 13 years, and then sold it to
Keiser University Keiser University is a private university with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and flagship residential campus in West Palm Beach, Florida. Additional campuses are located in other parts of Florida and internationally. Keiser provides ...
in July 2013. In 2021, it was ranked in the Top 8% (115 of 1472 colleges) in the "Best Colleges for the Money" by CollegeFactual.


Founder's goals

In a May 2004 speech, Monaghan expressed his wish to have the new town and university campus be free from pre-marital sex, contraceptives and pornography. This elicited sharply critical statements from the international press, who saw such proposed restrictions as violations of civil liberties. Howard Simon, executive director of the
American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. T ...
branch in Florida, challenged the legality of the restriction of sales of contraceptives. He said, "This is not just about the sale of contraceptives in the local pharmacy, it is about whether in an incorporated town there will be a fusion of religion and government." An opinion column in ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' quoted an Ave Maria faculty member who called it a "Catholic
Jonestown The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known by its informal name "Jonestown", was a remote settlement in Guyana established by the Peoples Temple, an American religious movement under the leadership of Jim Jones. Jonestown became in ...
". Frances Kissling of
Catholics for Choice Catholics for Choice (CFC) is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that advocates for the legalization of abortion, in dissent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. CFC is not affiliated with the Catholic Church. Formed in ...
compared Monaghan's civic vision to
Islamic fundamentalism Islamic fundamentalism has been defined as a revivalist and reform movement of Muslims who aim to return to the founding scriptures of Islam. The term has been used interchangeably with similar terms such as Islamism, Islamic revivalism, Qut ...
, and called it "un-American". In response, Monaghan announced a milder form of civic planning in which the town could mostly grow on its own, except that it would not have
sex shop A sex shop is a retailer that sells products related to adult sexual or erotic entertainment, such as sex toys, lingerie, pornography, and other related products. An early precursor of the modern sex shop was a chain of stores set up in Par ...
s or
strip club A strip club (also known as a strip joint, striptease bar, peeler bar, gentlemen's club, among others) is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease and other erotic dances including lap dances. St ...
s, and store owners would be asked rather than ordered not to sell contraceptives or porn. Contraception and porn would still be banned from the university.


Academics

Ave Maria University currently offers 33
undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, ...
and three graduate degrees. Graduate programs include M.A. and Ph.D. studies in theology and a Master of Theological Studies for
non-traditional student Nontraditional student is a term that refers to a category of students at Higher education, colleges and universities. The term originated in North America and usually involves age and social characteristics. Nontraditional students are contrasted ...
s. Undergraduate students must complete a core curriculum of 14 required courses in philosophy, theology, composition, science, math, history, political science, and a foreign language. The Honor Society of
Phi Kappa Phi The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ) is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to the area of study, and to promote the "unity and democracy of educa ...
installed Ave Maria University as its 358th chapter on October 17, 2023. In 2023 '' U.S. News & World Report'' reported that the university enrolled 1,021 undergraduate students paying an average of $28,224 for the school year 2022-2023. Faculty student ratio was 18:1.


Accreditation

In June 2010, the Commission on Colleges of the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of 2022, the organization oversees ap ...
(SACS) declared that Ave Maria had obtained "accredited membership" status. This allows the university to award bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees accredited by the SACS. The university had previously received full accreditation from the
American Academy for Liberal Education The American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE) is a United States–based educational accreditation organization with a focus on fostering liberal arts education, both in higher education and in earlier schooling. AALE does not currently have U ...
(AALE) in June 2008. On October 7, 2011, the local ordinary, Bishop Frank Joseph Dewane, formally recognized the institution as a Catholic university pursuant to the code of canon law. In December 2015, The
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of 2022, the organization oversees ap ...
reaffirmed Ave Maria University's accreditation.


Catholic Theology Show

''The Catholic Theology Show'', a faculty podcast, began on October 22, 2022, hosted by Dr. Michael Dauphinais, chair of the Theology Department and professor of theology. ''The Catholic Theology Show'' was launched on the feast day of Saint
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
. The pope’s apostolic constitution, '' Ex Corde Ecclesiae'' (''From the Heart of the Church''), set the foundations for the academic and spiritual standards for Ave Maria University. Since its inception there have been fifty-seven podcasts listened to by 31,100 listeners in 86 countries. ''The Catholic Theology Show'' is available on
Apple Podcasts Apple Podcasts (known as simply Podcasts in Apple operating systems) is an audio streaming service and media player application developed by Apple Inc. for playing podcasts. Apple began supporting podcasts with iTunes 4.9 released in June 2005 ...
and
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...
.


Study abroad

Ave Maria University offered study abroad programs in
Gaming, Austria Gaming () is a municipality within the district of Scheibbs (district), Scheibbs in Lower Austria. It is known, primarily, for an old Carthusian monastery existing within its borders. This served as the home and burial place of Duke Albert II of t ...
, and in San Marcos, Nicaragua. Instruction was conducted in English. The Austrian program required an additional $1,750 beyond regular tuition, along with the added expense of airfare and ground transportation, while the Nicaraguan program required no additional tuition. Ave Maria's Nicaraguan program was discontinued in mid-2013, with the site transferred to
Keiser University Keiser University is a private university with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and flagship residential campus in West Palm Beach, Florida. Additional campuses are located in other parts of Florida and internationally. Keiser provides ...
to become Keiser University-Latin American Campus.


Rankings

Ave Maria University was ranked #156-201 in National Liberal Arts Colleges by '' U.S. News & World Report'' in 2022-23.


Campus

The new campus is located in the town of Ave Maria, Florida, east of Naples in rural
Collier County Collier County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, its population was 375,752; an increase of 16.9% since the 2010 United States Census. Its county seat is East Naples, where the county offices were moved from E ...
. The town site occupies about , of which nearly 20 percent are designated for the campus. The Ave Maria Oratory, a large Gothic-inspired structure located at the center of town, was constructed by the university and currently serves as the parish church. Several more master-planned communities are under construction or planned in the immediately surrounding area, north and south of the campus. Managed wetlands lie north and west of the campus. Wildlife preservation and restoration projects have also been instituted on the site, to preserve a degree of its natural state.


Recognition

Ave Maria University won the 2007 'Digie Award' (Commercial Real Estate Digital Innovation Award). The $24 million Oratory won the 2008 TCA Achievement Award as well as an award from the American Institute of Steel Construction.


Canizaro Library

The Canizaro Library holds over 215,000 volumes and over 100 online journals. The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections houses over 10,000 volumes which includes Catholic Americana, leaves from Bibles from the 12th through the 20th century, the Oxford Movement and manuscript letters by
John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English Catholic theologian, academic, philosopher, historian, writer, and poet. He was previously an Anglican priest and after his conversion became a cardinal. He was an ...
, the
Michael Novak Michael John Novak Jr. (September 9, 1933 – February 17, 2017) was an American Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat. The author of more than forty books on the philosophy and theology of culture, Novak is most widely known ...
collection, and the
Terri Schiavo case The Terri Schiavo case was a series of court and legislative actions in the United States from 1998 to 2005, regarding the care of Theresa Marie Schiavo (née Schindler) (; December 3, 1963 – March 31, 2005), a woman in an irreversible ...
. The second floor of the Canizaro Library houses the University Archives and the Canizaro Exhibit Gallery.


Mother Teresa Museum

Ave Maria University is home to a museum about the life and legacy of
Mother Teresa Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, ; 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), better known as Mother Teresa or Saint Mother Teresa, was an Albanian-Indian Catholic Church, Roman Catholic nun, founder of the Missionaries of ...
, honored in 1979 with the
Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...
. Artifacts include a piece of her sari, her crucifix and rosary, and letters from her and former Ave Maria University president, James Towey. The Mother Teresa Museum contains an array of items on loan from the
Missionaries of Charity The Missionaries of Charity () is a Catholic centralised religious institute of consecrated life of Pontifical Right for women established in 1950 by Mother Teresa, now known in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta. , it consisted o ...
in Calcutta. The Missionaries of Charity also provided storyboards – in Spanish and English – that include rare photographs of Mother Teresa and tell the story of her life.


Student life

Dormitories are organized into same-sex communities. There are six dorms on campus: Sebastian, Maria Goretti, St. Joseph, Xavier, and the Mega dorm, a building which contains both John Paul II and Mother Teresa dormitories. Not all dormitories are always used to house undergraduates; for example, Xavier has been used as a conference center and guest house. However, it currently serves as a girls dormitory. Opposite-sex visitors are permitted in residential common areas during the day, and in individual dorm rooms on specified evenings.


Liturgy

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
is celebrated on-campus in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel and off-campus in the Ave Maria Parish Church. The
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
serves both the town and the university. Originally owned by the university and called the Oratory, the building was purchased in January 2017 by the Diocese of Venice, and its status was raised to parish church. Chapels are located in each of the six dorms, each containing a tabernacle housing the Eucharist, and each but the Mega dorm containing an altar for Mass. Members of the clergy, who live on campus, assist in maintaining spiritual life. A perpetual adoration chapel was added to the Library in 2009. Mass on campus is offered in both the
Ordinary Form The Mass of Paul VI, also known as the Ordinary Form or , is the most commonly used liturgy in the Catholic Church. It was promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969 and its liturgical books were published in 1970; those books were then revised in ...
as well as the
Extraordinary Form In the Catholic Church, preconciliar Latin liturgical rites ("preconciliar": before the Second Vatican Council, which began in 1962) coexist with postconciliar rites. In the years following the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI initiated sig ...
.


Student organizations

Until 2022, the official news publication of Ave Maria's student body was ''The Daily Bulletin''. Recently, the Marketing department has started sending bi-weekly event reminders to students. Campus organizations include the student activities board, student government, and more than 40 other clubs and organizations. The university also offers intramural and club sport programs.


Athletics

The Ave Maria athletic teams are called the Gyrenes. The university is a member of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...
(NAIA), primarily competing in the
Sun Conference The Sun Conference (TSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Eight of the ten full member institutions are located in Florida, with two in Georgia. The Sun Conference co ...
(formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference (FSC) until after the 2007–08 school year) since the 2009–10 academic year. They are also a member of the
United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) is a national organization for the intercollegiate athletic programs of 72 mostly small colleges, including community/junior colleges, across the United States. The USCAA holds 15 national ...
(USCAA). The Gyrenes previously competed as an NAIA Independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) during the 2008–09 school year (when the school joined the NAIA). Ave Maria competes in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and ultimate frisbee; basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, dance, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball. Former sports included men's & women's rugby.


Football

In 2011, Ave Maria became the first college in southwestern Florida to field a football team. In the spring of 2016, the Gyrenes football team joined the
Mid-South Conference The Mid-South Conference (MSC) is a List of college athletic conferences in the United States, college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Kentuc ...
(MSC) as an affiliate member.


Lacrosse

The women's lacrosse team competed in the
National Women's Lacrosse League The National Women's Lacrosse League (NWLL) is a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) women's lacrosse-only college athletic conference. The vast majority of NAIA women's lacrosse programs play at the club level as part of th ...
(NWLL) in their first varsity season in the spring of 2015.


Online Outreach

In 2023 Ave Maria University launched a series of free online video courses titled, "The Pursuit of Wisdom." Topics include: "Stewarding the Environment," "The Genius of
J.R.R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...
,” “The Wisdom of
C.S. Lewis CS, C-S, C.S., Cs, cs, or cs. may refer to: Job titles * Chief Secretary (Hong Kong) * Chief superintendent, a rank in the British and several other police forces * Company secretary, a senior position in a private sector company or public se ...
," and "The Philosophy of Motherhood." Howell, Sueann (2023
Ave Maria University offers free Catholic online courses
The Catholic Standard. (November 29).


See also

*
Ave Maria School of Law Ave Maria School of Law is a private Roman Catholic law school in Naples, Florida. It was founded in 1999 and is accredited by the American Bar Association. History and governance Ave Maria School of Law was founded in 1999, accepting its fir ...


References


External links

*
Athletics website

Mother Teresa Museum

The Pursuit of Wisdom
{{Coord, 26.33649, -81.43987, type:edu_region:US, display=title Liberal arts colleges in Florida Catholic universities and colleges in Michigan Education in Collier County, Florida Universities and colleges established in 2003 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Buildings and structures in Collier County, Florida USCAA member institutions Catholic universities and colleges in Florida Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Roman Catholic Diocese of Venice in Florida 2003 establishments in Florida Mother Teresa