Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota (SMUMN) is a private, coeducational higher education institution primarily located in the town of Winona in south-eastern Minnesota.

Established as a male-only college in 1912 by Bishop Patrick R. Heffron, the De La Salle Christian Brothers teaching order purchased it in 1933 and enrolment increased rapidly, with students from various high schools affiliated with the De La Salle Christian Brothers encouraged to enrol at the institution.

The university rapidly increased the number of facilities available to students in the 1960s and 1970s.

The university sports teams, known as the Cardinals, field 21 sports teams in the NCAA Division III and the university’s only national championship title came in 2000, courtesy of the softball team.

Among the unique on-campus facilities is a cross country ski trail, complete with snowmaking equipment, as well as a disc golf course.

The majority of SMUMN students study at graduate level either through online courses, or at one of the various satellite locations in the Twin Cities, Oakdale, Minnetonka and Apple Valley. Programs are also offered at course delivery sites located throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as at facilities in Jamaica and Kenya. There are around 58 majors available at undergraduate level as well as an array of graduate and professional programs.

Among the university’s famous former students are John McDonough, a sports executive who spent two decades with the Chicago Cubs, Christina Tobin, an electoral reform activist and founder of the Free and Equal Elections Foundation, as well as former US Senator Mike Johanns.