University of Mary, where I’m studying for my M.S. in Bioethics, is a faithful and growing place. I selected it for a number of reasons; its Christian, Benedictine mission and its interest in becoming a national Catholic university were two of those reasons, and its thoughtfulness in approaching the teleological foundations of bioethics and inquiry into what sort of interventions into the human body, human person, and human genome were consistent with the human good and human flourishing were others. I’m glad to read that the University of Mary is growing:

The University of Mary has more students today than at any time in its nearly 60-year history. The 2017 class was record setting, but this 2018 fall class is the biggest ever—and by a huge margin.

Five-hundred thirty-three new freshmen are beginning their first classes on the main campus of the University of Mary today, Wednesday, September 5. That’s 22 percent more than last year, and also raises the number of students living on campus by 17 percent. According to preliminary numbers, the overall enrollment at Mary is expected to be over 3,600 students, an increase of more than six percent in just one year. Official enrollment numbers will be reported in October. Those students are coming from across the nation and the world, with all 50 states, 5 Canadian provinces, and 15 countries represented in the student body. …

“Once students visit Mary, whether from down the hill or across the country, they are simply blown away by everything we offer. Our Year-Round Campus option is a game changer for students wanting their bachelor’s degree in 2.6 years and a master’s in 4. We have some of the best academic programs and faculty in the world. You can’t beat the Lewis and Clark-view from atop our bluff overlooking the Missouri River Valley. … The world becomes an extension of the classroom with our comprehensive global studies program providing campuses in Rome and Peru and study abroad opportunities in England, Poland, Milan, and Jerusalem. And, they get to compete for conference and national championships in 17 different NCAA Division II athletics.” …

Helping to facilitate and accommodate that enormous growth is the University of Mary’s Vision 2030 capital campaign that has seen over 225,000 square feet of new facilities in the past 24 months. This three-phased $272 million campaign is nearing its Phase I goal of $96 million—with a new state-of-the-art School of Engineering facility as its capstone project coming soon.

I’ll be back on campus in December for a few days, ready to experience the start of North Dakota winter.