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Special Collections

University of Saint Mary's Le Beau Special Collections

History of USM

Image of Saint Mary Campus

The Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul came to Leavenworth, Kansas in 1858 and began teaching boys and girls. In 1859, they created St. Mary's Institute, a small educational institute for women in downtown Leavenworth. In 1870, Saint Mary's was moved to its current location and was renamed St. Mary's Academy. In 1923, the Sisters established Saint Mary College. In 1932, the college became a four-year institute and started accepting a few men in certain areas of study. The school became residentially coeducational in 1988. In 2000, a campus was opened in Overland Park, Kansas. The institution expanded again in July 2003, changing its name to the University of Saint Mary.