Higher education with Catholic treasures

Nestled in the northeast corner of the Vancouver campus of the University of British Columbia are two intellectual jewels at the heart of Catholic intellectual formation in this province. They fulfill the purpose of Catholic higher education: rigorous academic development and human formation.

St. Mark's College is the only Catholic graduate theological college in B.C. Since 2005 it has graduated about 30 Master's degree students. Today over 50 students are enrolled in various programs: Masters, graduate certificates, diplomas, continuing education.

Founded by the Congregation of St. Basil (Basilian Fathers) in 1956, St. Mark's is expanding its course offerings to satisfy the demand for Catholic higher education. It is revamping existing Master's degree programs and developing new programs. Students will now be able to complete their degrees in two years.

The college is an Associate Member of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and will apply for full status in 2015-2016.

Beginning in July 2012, Sean Flynn will become St. Mark's first full-time lay academic appointment as an assistant professor. There is also a developing presence of Jesuits at St. Mark's, as well as contributions to academic programs by several clergy of the archdiocese.

Corpus Christi College is a degree-granting undergraduate liberal arts college also at UBC. It invites and directs students to excellence in all areas of intellectual formation, to growth in personal virtue, and to service of others.

Its Catholic Liberal Arts model contributes invaluably to developing young leaders as reflective life-long learners equipped to address professional, social, and spiritual challenges of today's world.

Corpus Christi College students spend their first two years of university exploring liberal arts subjects, with the option to enroll in courses in the arts, sciences, business, and the social sciences. All resulting credits are transferrable to other universities. For example, many of our students have gone on to UBC, SFU, and McGill.

In the spring of 2011 the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education awarded Corpus Christi College the ability to grant the Associate of Arts Degree, which the college expects to confer on 10 students in May 2012.

A Corpus Christi College education seeks to integrate intellectual and spiritual development by:

-- Experiential and engaged learning opportunities.
-- Supportive environments for discussing and debating important and complex issues of our time that demand critical thinking guided by faith and morals.
-- Directing students to make a difference in today's world as "servant leaders."
-- Inspiring students to make a hopeful and constructive contribution professionally and socially.

All of these are supported by qualified, dedicated, and engaging faculty, all with a minimum of a Master's degree, and many holding a doctorate. They provide dynamic instruction and strong student advisory support.

All students benefit from a variety of programs and services at UBC, including the option to take classes through UBC's Access Studies. Most important, service learning and pastoral ministry provided by the campus ministry team complement students' academic learning.

St. Mark's and Corpus Christi Colleges are student-focused and community-oriented. They invite the public to visit and explore their features and advantages.
They do not have a glamorous building (without government funding their resources are limited), but they are deeply committed to providing accessible education with reasonable and affordable tuition.

Donors appreciate the value of a faith-based liberal arts education. They have enabled the offering of essential and additional scholarships and bursaries, such as the recently established Corpus Christi College Leadership Award and the Archbishop J. Michael Miller Scholarship.

All are asked to join in helping close the gap between tuition and the cost of education.

The view of higher education expressed in Blessed John Henry Newman's The Idea of a University is that rather than merely preparing students for particular professions or trades, its key purpose is intellectual: it is to transform the mind. This aim is also a key higher purpose of these Catholic Colleges.

Msgr. Hagemoen is president of Corpus Christi College and principal of St. Mark's College.