University of Saint Katherine

University of St. Katherine is a private, Eastern Orthodox undergraduate university located in San Marcos, California. Founded by Frank J. Papatheofanis, MD, PhD, It opened in 2011, and has grown each year in enrollment from its inaugural class of 11 in 2011, to 104 in 2016. The university's mission is to provide a balanced education in the liberal arts and sciences, founded and rooted in the life of the Orthodox Christian Tradition – Inquiry Seeking Wisdom.

University of Saint Katherine
Location
San Marcos, California

United States
Coordinates33.0481°N 117.2775°W / 33.0481; -117.2775
Information
MottoInquiry Seeking Wisdom
Established2010
PresidentFrank Papatheofanis, MD, PhD
Color(s)Maroon and gold
AthleticsNAIA
MascotFirebirds
Websitehttp://www.usk.edu

History

The University of Saint Katherine (USK) was founded by Frank Papatheofanis, MD, PhD and incorporated on June 30, 2010 as a California not-for-profit corporation. USK was formerly known as Saint Katherine College and was approved for name change in November 2016 by the California Bureau for Private and Post-Secondary Education (BPPE). BPPE approved the University for operation in 2011, and when Senior College and University Commission(WSCUC) granted accreditation in 2016, authority to issue degrees shifted to WSCUC purview. USK takes pride as being among the youngest institutions within the WSCUC portfolio of accredited colleges and universities.

The University was originally located in Encinitas, California from 2010 to 2014, and moved to San Marcos, California in August 2014. From its founding, the University has offered baccalaureate degrees (BA, BS) in the liberal arts and sciences taught in the context of an Orthodox Christian worldview. Classroom instruction began in September 2011. The first commencement ceremony occurred in May 2013 and was marked by the graduation of one student. Since then, USK alumni have grown to over 100. USK is the only independent Orthodox Christian higher education institution of liberal arts and sciences in the Western hemisphere; it derives no financial support from and is not governed by any church body or authority. USK is not part of a larger system or organization and is not affiliated with a religious institution. USK welcomes students of all faith traditions or none at all.

For the 2016–2020 academic years, the University of St. Katherine was awarded an "A"-grade by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni for its emphasis on a comprehensive core curriculum.[1] In 2018, the institution began to negotiate with Chula Vista to potentially lease property to build a campus in the Otay Ranch neighborhood of the South Bay city.[2]

Academic

The University of St. Katherine teaches liberal arts and sciences. It is the first university of liberal arts and sciences in the Orthodox Christian tradition. Orthodox Christianity, founded at the original Pentecost, forms the basis for all Christian faith traditions. The University welcomes students of all religious faiths or none at all. The University offers a distinctive set of undergraduate degree programs that reflect our mission and focus on four major disciplines: BA in Arts and Humanities (with concentrations in Art, English Language and Literature, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Psychology, and Orthodox Christian Theology); BA in Business Management; BS in Kinesiology (with concentrations in Health Science and Exercise Science & Athletic Performance); and BS Natural Sciences (with concentrations in Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, and Applied Biological Health Sciences).

  • Areas of study

Applied Health Science - BS concentration, Art – BA concentration or minor, Biological Sciences – BS concentration, Business Management – BA concentration or minor, Chemistry & Biochemistry – BS concentration, Communications – minor only, Criminal Justice and Sociology – minor only, English Language and Literature – BA concentration or minor, History – BA concentration or minor, Interdisciplinary Studies – BA concentration or minor, Kinesiology- Exercise Science & Athletic Performance – BS concentration or minor, Kinesiology- Health Science – BS concentration or minor, Music – BA concentration or minor, Orthodox Christian Theology – BA concentration or minor, Psychology – BA concentration or minor,

  • Affiliated institutions

We have articulation agreements with various universities so students can continue seamlessly to graduate work elsewhere -- agreements with LECOM for Medicine, PLNU for Physical Therapy, any others

Athletics

St. Katherine is affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The university competes in the NAIA's California Pacific Conference (Cal-Pac) in Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Volleyball, Men's and Women's Soccer, and Softball.

On December 28, 2013, St. Katherine's men's basketball program gained national attention when it faced off against then No. 20 ranked San Diego State University and Pac-12 Conference member University of Utah on consecutive nights, losing by 83 points and 73 points respectively.[3]

St. Katherine was admitted to the NAIA as a full member in April 2019 and began competition in the California Pacific Conference (Cal-Pac) during the 2019-20 athletic season.[4]

Student body
  • Admissions

First-time Freshmen need a high school GPA of 2.5 or above, with 3.0 and above eligible for consideration for the President’s Scholarship. For Transfers, same, with nearly automatic acceptance of AA holders from California Community Colleges.

References
  1. Shosteck, Eron (May 2, 2016). "California's Brand New St. Katherine College Earns An "A" For Its Core Curriculum". American Council of Trustees and Alumni. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  2. Solis, Gustavo (September 26, 2018). "Chula Vista closer to landing a four-year university". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  3. "Utah basketball: Utes looking to test depth vs. St. Katherine". Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  4. "USK official members of NAIA". April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.



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