University of St Francis

University of St. Francis is a private Catholic university located in Joliet, Illinois. Founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, the institution maintains a Franciscan tradition that emphasizes service, leadership, and ethical values. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs through colleges focused on arts and sciences, business and health administration, education, and nursing. It serves students at its main campus in Joliet as well as additional sites and online. Known for programs in nursing, health care, business, and education, University of St. Francis attracts students seeking career-oriented degrees within a faith-based academic environment in the Chicago metropolitan area.

University of St. Francis traces its origins to educational efforts begun in 1865 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate in Joliet, Illinois. The institution officially recognizes 1920 as its founding year, when the Sisters’ Normal Institute of Higher Learning was established to provide college-level education and nurse training. In 1925, it became Assisi Junior College, and Mother M. Thomasine Frye served as the first president. Reorganized in 1930 as the College of St. Francis, the school gained bachelor’s degree-granting authority and later achieved regional accreditation. The college became coeducational in 1971 and introduced graduate programs in 1980. In 1998, it adopted the name University of St. Francis and expanded online offerings. Doctoral authority followed in 2009. University of St. Francis marked its centennial in 2020 and continues to develop academic facilities and professional programs in Joliet and beyond.