Bellarmine at 60
In 1950, The Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville founded Bellarmine
College with a pioneer class of 115 freshmen. Sixty years later, Bellarmine
University is a vibrant community of educational excellence and ethical
awareness that consistently ranks among the nation's best colleges and
universities. Our students pursue an education based in the liberal arts – and
in the distinguished, inclusive Catholic tradition of educational excellence,
the oldest and most rewarding in the western world. It is a lifelong education,
worthy of the university's namesake, Saint Robert Bellarmine, and of his
invitation to each of us to learn and live in veritatis amore -- in the love of
all that is beautiful, true and good in life.
This year we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the
founding of Bellarmine and the 20th year of Dr. Joseph J. McGowan’s
distinguished presidency. In the inclusive spirit of Thomas Merton, we
celebrate 60 years of academic excellence for lives of leadership and service.
And we celebrate our community values as they call us into the future -- as the
Premier Independent Catholic University in the South, and thereby the Leading
Private Institution in the Commonwealth and Region.
We invite you to join us as we celebrate our 60th anniversary with a year-long series of events.