St. Edward’s Celebrates 125 Years of Education, Growth and Service

A Journey Filled with Hope and Tenacity

The story of St. Edward’s was set in motion in 1872 when Mrs. Mary Doyle donated 398 acres of her Austin farm to Father Edward Sorin, CSC. A visionary Holy Cross leader and founder of Notre Dame, Sorin saw the site's potential for establishing a Catholic education institution.

By 1874, three Holy Cross Brothers set about farming the land that would become home to Austin’s famous hilltop landmark. Four years later, they were educating students in a makeshift schoolhouse. The growing school secured its state charter as a college in 1885, launching a 125-year journey of education, growth and service.

The university’s history is filled with stories of perseverance. The early founders battled droughts, small pox outbreaks, a tornado, fire, crushing debts, teacher shortages and the Depression. Yet they forged ahead with hope and tenacity in their mission — to educate the hearts and minds of students from all walks of life.

This year, we commemorate 125 years of St. Edward’s University. We're proud of how far we've come and excited about the journey ahead. Join us in celebrating our rich history and our promising future.

Celebrating Our Anniversary Online

The new St. Edward’s anniversary website keeps you up to date on all things related to our 125th year.

• Enjoy a pictorial history of St. Edward's University.
• Check the calendar of events and learn more about the anniversary celebrations ahead.
• Connect to our Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and
  YouTube communities.
• Sign our guest book, and read and share comments.
• Get details on the anniversary kickoff during Homecoming and Parents Weekend 2010.

125 Service Challenge: Join the Journey

The university’s anniversary celebration would not be complete without a commitment to service — the foundation of the St. Edward’s Holy Cross tradition. Our 125 Service Challenge commemorates our 125-year journey by giving back to our communities. The ultimate goal: 75,000 hours of service in 2010. Every hour counts.

Encourage your student to sign up today for the 125 Service Challenge.

 

Copyright © 2010 St. Edward’s University