College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
The College of Saint Benedict / Saint John's University (hereafter referred to as CSB/SJU) is a joint academic institution in rural central Minnesota. While the two schools share the same academic curriculum, they are recognized as being both separate and joint institutions at the same time.
Both schools are Catholic and deeply rooted in the Benedictine tradition, the oldest western monastic tradition still in existence. SJU is one of the oldest colleges in Minnesota, and is only one of five exclusively men's colleges or universities in the United States, while CSB accepts only female enrollment.
Historical timeline
- 1857 -- Officially started as Saint John's Seminary by five Benedictine missionaries, SJU moved a few times from its original stake along the Mississippi river near St. Cloud to its present location.
- 1868 -- The first abbot at Saint John's, Rupert Seidenbush, is elected.
- 1870 -- Saint John's is allowed to grant diplomas and degrees by the Minnesota government.
- 1888 -- First copy of The Record (the official student newspaper) is printed.
- 1902 -- Saint John's first football "championship."
- 1929 -- Saint John's officially becomes a State Game Refuge.
- 1961 -- CSB is officially incorporated as a separate institution.
- 2003 -- Saint John's long-time football coach John Gagliardi becomes the coach with the greatest number of wins in college football history, regardless of division.
Current activities
CSB and SJU both serve as two of the top three Catholic liberal arts colleges in the United States (U.S. News and World Report). The current student population is approximately 3,900 students (roughly 52% female, 48% male), making CSB/SJU the largest of the United State's liberal arts colleges. Students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and demographics, including a large concentration of students from the Bahamas, due to continuing missionary efforts. Student studies flow in both directions as well, since CSB/SJU is also ranked first for number of students who study internationally. [3]
Saint John's Abbey and University is currently undertaking a massive effort to create The Saint John's Bible. This will be the first handwritten Bible since Johann Gutenberg invented movable type in the mid-1400s. The first section to be completed, the four Gospels of the New Testament and the Acts of the Apostles, were officially unveiled in May 2002. In August 2003, the second volume, the Pentateuch is completed and makes its way to Collegeville. April 2004 saw the third volume, the Book of Psalms, finished and presented by Donald Jackson at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. [4] [5]
The Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, a project and library dedicated to preserving old manuscripts from European monasteries by photographing them onto microfilm, is housed at Saint John's. Currently, there are over 25 million pages from over 90,000 volumes in HMML, representing one of the largest medieval and Renaissance collections in the world. Researchers from around the world are invited to use the tools available at HMML rather than risk damage to these ancient and invaluable resources. [6]
Controversies
Saint John's has not been without its controversies, both in the past and the present. Current allegations throughout the United States of sexual abuse by members of the clergy have had a few incidents through the Saint John's Abbey. As a result of this, and through their ongoing mission, the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute is in the process of helping to rebuild and heal the community and those affected. [7]
On Saturday, November 9, 2002, Saint John's junior Joshua Guimond was reported missing. Countless numbers of volunteers and law enforcement personnel have searched in and around the Saint John's area, but as of 2005, no trace has been found. [8] [9]
Athletics
CSB/SJU is a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
Notable alumni
- Mark Kennedy - U.S. Congressman