Saint Leo University is a private Roman Catholic liberal arts university in St. Leo, Florida. It was established in 1889 The university is associated with the Holy Name Monastery, a Benedictine convent, and Saint Leo Abbey, a Benedictine monastery. The university and the abbey are both named for Pope Leo the Great, bishop of Rome from 440 to 461. The name also honors Leo XIII, who was Pope at the time, and Leo Haid, then abbot of Maryhelp Abbey in North Carolina, now Belmont Abbey, who participated in founding the university and served as its first president.
The first Roman Catholic college in Florida, Saint Leo is one of the five largest Catholic colleges in the United States. It enrolls students at the traditional University Campus, at more than 40 education centers and offices, and through its Center for Online Learning. University-wide, Saint Leo educates students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories, and more than 80 countries. As of Spring 2017, total enrollment was 16,207 students, with 2,088 of those at University Campus
Diversity
The publication Diverse Issues in Higher Education ranks Saint Leo among its Top 100 institutions graduating minority students with baccalaureate degrees. We're a small school, but we have an incredibly diverse student body composed of 41% students from underrepresented populations, representing 44 U.S. states and territories, and over 80 foreign countries.
Community Service
The university has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll each year since its inception in 2006. Saint Leo students, faculty and staff subscribe to a culture of service and volunteerism in the spirit of our core values.
We are traditional, but we are cutting edge
Established in 1889 by the Order of Saint Benedict of Florida, the university seeks balanced growth in mind, body and spirit for all members of our community. Saint Leo has grown from a peaceful campus in the rolling hills of Central Florida to an institution of international consequence—ranked one of the best regional universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report
Our Tampa-area campus remains committed as ever to student-centered liberal arts education, and is strengthened by the global reach of our regionally accredited online programs and Education Centers in seven states across the U.S., including on many military bases.
Catholic Roots
Saint Leo is proud to be one of the oldest Catholic universities in Florida, and the largest of four Catholic higher education institutions in Florida.
Faith is one of those qualities that lives inside each of us, remaining constant when dedicated and unwavering beliefs are present.
At Saint Leo University, faith has remained a constant since 1889, when the Florida legislature authorized the Order of Saint Benedict of Florida to establish the university. Saint Leo Abbey remains active today, a living embodiment of our history and our future.
We are Catholic, but we are for everyone
Our determination to make higher education more accessible to all has made Saint Leo a world leader in redefining the 21st-century university. Saint Leo now serves more than 13,000 students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories, and over 80 countries. Saint Leo is also one of the nation's leading providers of higher education to the U.S. military.
While we are proudly Catholic, we teach students not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic. And our faith compels us to imagine and contribute to a more socially just society.
Respect for All
Our mission to truly live the rich Catholic values of individual and collective excellence is still as firmly intact today as it has been from our beginning. In the spirit of this mission, we welcome learners of all faiths and those with no religious affiliation.
A living-learning-serving community, our University Campus thrives in bringing together students, faculty, and staff from all paths of life through service and leadership. Across our University Campus, Education Centers, and online programs, our vast history of integrity and responsible stewardship is uniquely woven into our academic curriculum. As part of their general education core, all our undergraduate students take courses in religion and philosophy, with no Christian or Catholic-specific subject requirements.
Living Our Catholic Faith
Opportunities abound at our University Campus for faith and spirituality in action. University Ministry programs include eucharistic adoration, Sunday and weekday Mass and confession, as well as:
- Voice of Christ: Student choir and band
- Imago Dei: Pro-life group
- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA): A scripture- and community-based process of learning more about the Catholic faith and practice
- Peer Ministry: Students are selected and trained to serve as spiritual partners for their campus peers
Mission Statement
Saint Leo University is Florida’s first Catholic University, offering a liberal arts-based education for people of all faiths.
Rooted in the 1,500-year-old Benedictine tradition, the university seeks balanced growth in mind, body, and spirit for all members of its community. At University Campus, at education centers, and through the Center for Online Learning, Saint Leo University offers a practical, effective model for life and leadership in a challenging world; a model based on a steadfast moral consciousness that recognizes the dignity, value, and gifts of all people.
To accomplish its mission, the university community creates a student-centered environment in which the love of learning is of prime importance. Members of the community are expected to examine and express their own values, listen respectfully to and respond to the opinions of others, serve the community in which they live, welcome others into their lives, and care for all of God’s creations.
Core Values
Excellence
Saint Leo University is an educational enterprise. All of us, individually and collectively, work hard to ensure that our students develop the character, learn the skills, and assimilate the knowledge essential to become morally responsible leaders. The success of our University depends upon a conscientious commitment to our mission, vision, and goals.
Community
Saint Leo University develops hospitable Christian learning communities everywhere we serve. We foster a spirit of belonging, unity, and interdependence based on mutual trust and respect to create socially responsible environments that challenge all of us to listen, to learn, to change, and to serve.
Respect
Animated in the spirit of Jesus Christ, we value all individuals’ unique talents, respect their dignity, and strive to foster their commitment to excellence in our work. Our community’s strength depends on the unity and diversity of our people, on the free exchange of ideas, and on learning, living, and working harmoniously.
Personal Development
Saint Leo University stresses the development of every person’s mind, spirit, and body for a balanced life. All members of the Saint Leo University community must demonstrate their commitment to personal development to help strengthen the character of our community.
Responsible Stewardship
Our Creator blesses us with an abundance of resources. We foster a spirit of service to employ our resources for University and community development. We must be resourceful. We must optimize and apply all of the resources of our community to fulfill Saint Leo University’s mission and goals.
Integrity
The commitment of Saint Leo University to excellence demands that its members live its mission and deliver on its promise. The faculty, staff, and students pledge to be honest, just, and consistent in word and deed.
One of the Top-Ranked Universities in Florida
As the oldest Catholic institution of higher education in Florida and one of the top universities in Central Florida, Saint Leo University has a century-long tradition of welcoming students of all faiths.
Our liberal arts campus—located 30 miles north of Tampa—educates more than 2,400 students each year. Total enrollment across our Central Florida campus,16 regional locations, and online programs is nearly 18,200 each year. Saint Leo offers over 50 undergraduate degrees, programs and endorsements as well as master's, doctoral and certificate programs in the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business, and College of Education & Social Services, and College of Health Professions.
U.S. News & World Report Ranking
Saint Leo is proud to have been consistently ranked as one of the top universities in the South, according to U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" list.
University Accreditation
Saint Leo University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.
Saint Leo University recognizes transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions. Non-regionally accredited coursework may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Transfer credit is assessed on the educational quality of the learning experience; the comparability of the nature, content, and level of the learning experience; and the applicability of the learning experience in light of the student's educational goals.
Schools & Programs Accreditations
Saint Leo University’s School of Business received initial accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP) in November 2014. Saint Leo University’s degree program in social work is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education (BSW and MSW). Saint Leo University’s undergraduate Sport Business program is accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA).
The Bridge Program at Saint Leo University is accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation. For further information about this accreditation.
Saint Leo University has Teacher Education Programs approval by the State of Florida Department of Education.
