St. Thomas University (Florida)
St. Thomas University (STU) is a private Catholic university in Opa-locka North, Miami Gardens, Florida. The university offers 23 undergraduate majors, 24 graduate majors, 4 doctoral programs, and 1 professional law program. As of 2018, the university enrolls 4,223 students, which includes 982 undergraduate students; 977 graduate students; 571 law students; and 1,693 dual enrollment (high school) students. Over the years, the university's students have represented several states across the nation, and more than 70 countries. St. Thomas University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities (SACS). The school of law  is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and master's degree program in nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). History. St. Thomas University's history can be traced back to 1946 Havana, Cuba, where it was founded as the Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva, named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. In 1961, Fidel Castro's militia confiscated the school's land and expelled the faculty and priests. In turn, the Augustinians fled to Miami  and opened a new Catholic men's college – Biscayne College. In 1984, with the establishment of the School of Law and other graduate degree programs, the college, by then co-educational, again became St. Thomas University. The university came under the sponsorship of the Archdiocese of Miami in 1988, conferring upon St. Thomas the distinction of being the only Catholic Archdiocesan sponsored university in the state of Florida. From 1970 until 1993, St. Thomas University was the training camp home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team. Biscayne College, now known as St. Thomas University, was also the former spring training  home of the Baltimore Orioles. It was in the Opa-locka North census-designated place, in an unincorporated area, until Miami Gardens incorporated as a city on May 13, 2003. On Wednesday, March 20, 2019, St. Thomas University formally installed David A. Armstrong, J.D. as the university's tenth president. Academics. STU offers 23 undergraduate majors, 24 graduate majors, 4 doctoral programs, and 1 professional law program. St. Thomas University is a member of the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities, the Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Hispanic Association of  Colleges and Universities. Study Abroad. Study abroad opportunities offer students study abroad experiences in Croatia, India, Israel, Italy, and Spain. Campus. 150-acre campus is located in Miami Gardens, Florida; minutes away from Miami's beaches, Wynwood Art District, the MiMo District, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami Downtown. The University Library also contains the Archbishop John C. Favalora Archive and Museum. The museum opened in 2008 and is open to visitors free of charge during the week and by appointment on Saturdays Residential life. St. Thomas has four residence halls: Villanova Hall, Cascia Hall, Sullivan Hall, University Inn, and Donnellon Hall  (currently under construction). Athletics. St. Thomas University offers athletics programs through the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and is a member of The Sun Conference (TSC). Men's teams compete in baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, swimming and diving (2020), tennis, track & field, and wrestling (2020); women's teams compete in basketball, beach volleyball, cross-country, flag football (2020), golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving (2020), tennis, track & field, and volleyball. The University also sponsors three co-ed varsity sports, co-ed competitive cheerleading, competitive dance, and eSports. Last year, 12 of its 14 athletic teams received  NAIA Scholar Team honors while five of the teams competed in national tournaments. Moreover, athletes annually maintain a 3.0 overall GPA. St. Thomas University prides itself on being “Champions of Character” and has annually been sighted as a Five Star Champions of Character Institution by the NAIA. Notable alumni. Notable alumni of the university include: