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 | Staff Report

Saint Leo University to Welcome Largest Class in University History

For the third year in a row, Saint Leo University will welcome another record-breaking incoming class of students to its University Campus. This year’s class, comprised of more than 1,100 new campus students, will surpass the size of the Fall 2019 and Fall 2020 classes, previously the largest and second-largest in the institution’s history.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming this historic number of new students to Saint Leo this year,” said Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese, Saint Leo University president. “The past year was challenging for everyone, but working together, the university community accomplished much and is ready for the new academic year. There is no replacement for the learning that happens when we are physically and socially engaged together, and it is time that we get back to that. We are encouraging students, faculty, and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 so that we can be together.

“This incoming class demonstrates our students’ enthusiasm for a more typical college experience,” Senese continued. “And Saint Leo provides not only the academics, but also prepares our students to be good citizens of the world.”

Prayerful Start

University Ministry is providing St. Benedict medals to all students when they move to campus. Father Randall Meissen, university chaplain, blessed the medals on August 16, in front of the statue of St. Benedict in the Saint Leo Abbey Church.

Saint Leo’s core values are based on St. Benedict’s rule, and the university was founded in 1889 by Benedictine priests, monks, and sisters. The medal the students will receive depicts St. Benedict holding a cross in his right hand, the Christian symbol of salvation, and in his left hand is his rule for monasteries. The back of the medal features the Benedictine cross, which you also can see atop the university’s clock tower. The medal’s large letters C S P B stand for Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti (The Cross of [our] Holy Father Benedict).

About the New Saint Leo Lions

Notable characteristics of the incoming Fall 2021 class include:

  • 63 percent are from Florida;
  • 22 percent are from out of state; and,
  • 15 percent are from 45 international countries.

Choosing Saint Leo

Saint Leo University is expecting to enroll more than 1,000 new undergraduate students, with an additional anticipated 100 new students enrolling in the on-ground graduate programs in business administration, computer science, and cybersecurity. The new Lions were selected from 11,977 applicants, the largest application pool in Saint Leo’s history. This year’s applications rose 81 percent over the previous year and can be attributed to new academic programs, the D2R Program, the Tuition Advantage as well as the Catholic Promise Scholarship and other new financial aid programs.

Throughout the pandemic, international students have faced additional challenges in their pursuit of higher education in the United States. However, Saint Leo is poised to welcome its largest international class in the institution’s history, a landmark success during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the Academics

Saint Leo recently launched a new college and school and will introduce several new degree programs throughout 2021-2022.

The new College of Health Professions now will offer three degree programs, including the new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The BSN program will be offered at University Campus as well as the Bachelor of Science in health education and health promotion degree, which the university started in 2020. Population trends and events, including the coronavirus pandemic, created an ongoing need for additional nurses, particularly in Florida and the Southeast. This new degree will prepare nurses to not only help fill the labor demand, but also provide them with an orientation toward treating the whole patient, advancing the well-being of the patient’s community, and working collaboratively with clinical colleagues.

In Spring 2022, the College of Health Professions will offer the new online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) for those employed as respiratory therapists, who already have an associate degree.

Saint Leo recently introduced its new School of Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Data Science (CARDS), which is recruiting students for the new Bachelor of Science in robotics and artificial intelligence. The new degree program will be offered in Fall Semester 2022. Because of projected job growth in Florida and neighboring states, the Florida State Legislature granted Saint Leo $1 million in 2021 to launch this program.

The university also established the nation’s first Bachelor of Arts in veteran studies, which will begin in Fall Semester 2021 at University Campus. The degree also will be offered online in the future. Those majoring in veteran studies will be immersed into courses from history, art, policy, psychology, ethics, and other fields to learn how people from various generations, ethnicities, genders, and nations have been influenced by their military service and then the transition back to civilian life.

About Saint Leo University

Saint Leo University is one of the largest Catholic universities in the nation, offering 57 undergraduate and graduate-level degree programs to more than 18,200 students each year. Founded in 1889 by Benedictine monks, the private, nonprofit university is known for providing a values-based education to learners of all backgrounds and ages in the liberal arts tradition. Saint Leo is regionally accredited and offers a residential campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, 16 education centers in five states, and an online program for students anywhere. The university is home to more than 98,000 alumni. Learn more at saintleo.edu.