Catholic Women's Colleges in America

Book excerpt: Provides a comprehensive history of more than 150 colleges in the United States which were founded by nuns, and how they met the challenges of broader educational change. The authors explore how and for whom the colleges were founded and the role of Catholic nuns in their founding and development. They examine the roots of the founders' spirituality and education; they discuss curricula, administration and student life. And they describe the changes prompted by both the Church and society beginning in the 1960s, when decreasing enrollments led some colleges to opt for coeducation, while others restructured their curricula, partnered with other Catholic colleges, developed specialized programs, or sought to broaden their base of funding.