Cardinal Stritch University, Roman Catholic university in Wisconsin, U.S.
Cardinal Stritch University was a private Catholic institution located in the northern suburbs of Milwaukee that offered more than 60 fields of study across several colleges. The campus sat on about 40 acres and awarded bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in areas such as education, business, nursing, and arts.
The school was founded in 1937 as St. Clare College by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi to train women as teachers and was renamed in 1946 to honor Cardinal Samuel Stritch. After relocating to a larger suburban campus in 1962 and becoming coeducational in 1970, it achieved university status in 1997, though it ultimately closed in 2023 due to financial challenges.
The university was rooted in Catholic tradition and integrated values of compassion and service into its academic programs. These principles shaped how the campus functioned as a gathering place where students and staff could learn and grow together.
The campus was located in Fox Point and Glendale, less than 2 miles from Lake Michigan, making it accessible from central Milwaukee. Most buildings are now being demolished as the land is being repurposed for a new school, so visiting the site is no longer an option.
The institution established a reading clinic in 1943 to teach literacy to local residents, a forward-thinking program for that era. These literacy centers continue to operate in Milwaukee today, representing a lasting legacy of community service.
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