The College of St. Scholastica (CSS) is a private Benedictine college in Duluth, Minnesota. Founded in 1912 by a group of pioneering Benedictine Sisters, today St. Scholastica educates almost 4,000 students annually and has graduated more than 29,000 alumni. The college offers a liberal arts education and is located on 186 wooded acres overlooking Lake Superior. History The College of St. Scholastica owes its existence to the combining of two forces: Benedictine missionaries and the settlement of Duluth. In 1892, Mother Scholastica Kerst and 28 sisters arrived from St. Joseph, Minnesota, to spearhead the establishment of a Benedictine motherhouse and an academy in Duluth. The school and convent were located at Munger Terrace before growth required a move to a new facility at Third Avenue East and Third Street. Named Sacred Heart Institute, the high school continued to grow rapidly. Duluth's rapid expansion led to a third move in 1909 to its present location. Mother Scholastica's vision for the college can be summed up in this quote attributed to her: "My dream is that someday there will rise upon these grounds fine buildings like the great Benedictine abbeys. They will be built of stone: within their walls higher education will flourish." The school expanded its course offerings in 1912 to include a junior college and changed its name to The College of St. Scholastica. The college started with only six students and 52 courses offered in eight departments in its first year. Academic leadership and research were stressed early as an integral part of the college's commitment to Benedictine values. In 1924, the college became a four-year liberal arts institute with an enrollment of 68. The school's first baccalaureate degrees were granted in 1926. In 1969 it became a fully coeducational institution. As a Benedictine institution, the college is affiliated with the Order of Saint Benedict. Its endowment stands at more than $89.9 million. Presidents Mother Agnes Somers, 1924–1942 Mother Athanasius Braegeleman, 1942–1954 Mother Martina Hughes, 1954–1958 Sister Joselyn Baldeschweiler, 1958–1960 Sister Ann Edward Scanlon, 1960–1967 Sister Mary Richard Boo, 1967–1971 The Rev. F. X. Shea, 1971–1974 Sister Joan Braun, 1974–1975 Bruce Stender, 1975–1981 Daniel Pilon, 1981–1998 Larry Goodwin, 1998–2016 Dr. Colette McCarrick Geary, 2016–2019 Dr. Barbara McDonald, 2019–present Symbols The shield of the college shows a lily, blooming with three flowers symbolizing the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity. The base of the lily is enclosed by a crescent,