‘Understanding the integrated nature of subjects breeds an environment of wisdom and brings us closer to the truth only found in God,’ university president says
The “first Catholic college” in South Carolina is opening this month.
Rosary College in Greenville, South Carolina will start by offering an associates degree of Catholic studies in integrated humanities. Founders of the college provided further information to The College Fix.
“The creation of Rosary College was truly a work of the Holy Spirit and a series of events that brought together passionate individuals,” President Michael Shick said via email, when asked about the creation of the college.
“It began with Father Dwight Longenecker, who saw his son thrive as a dual-enrolled student at a local community college while he completed high school,” Shick, who is also the board chairman, told The Fix. “He thought having a Catholic institution with a similar capability to support the local community would be of tremendous value for the growing Catholic population.”
(While Roman Catholic priests cannot marry, Longenecker was an Anglican priest before converting to Catholicism.)
Longenecker is the pastor of Our Lady of Rosary church in Greenville. Shick is a professor at Western Carolina University and a retired military officer.
He started the college with Professor Joseph Pearce “an acclaimed author and scholar in the area,” according to Shick.
Jared Staudt, the director of content for Exodus 90, is also involved. Exodus 90 is a program that challenges men to grow in their faith through prayer and giving up luxuries such as alcohol and hot showers for 90 days. Staudt has experience starting Catholic schools, Shick also said.
“The primary goal is to foster students’ intellectual, moral and spiritual growth, helping them build wisdom and virtue to navigate life,” he said. “The institution prepares students for further academic pursuits at other faithfully Catholic institutions or for entering the professional world.”
Students will learn how to “[embody] their faith in all aspects” while “developing the crucial ability to think critically.”
Future plans could include “training in trades,” “establishing a permanent campus,” and “evolving into a four-year university.”
It is currently “non-residential” which keeps “operating costs low.” There are also “in-person and online classes,” which will keep tuition reasonable, Shick said.
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“Agreements with other colleges, such as Ave Maria University and Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, ensure seamless credit transfer, providing a cost-effective pathway to a bachelor’s degree,” the board chairman told The Fix.
Homeschool students can also dual enroll and gain college credit.
He did not have final enrollment numbers for the first semester when asked in July.
Longenecker, the local pastor, said he is “looking forward to a small scale junior college that will be integrated with our local parish and family life rather than a distant residential college that takes young people away from home, family and a safe environment.”
Professor Joseph Pearce, a local scholar who is helping start the school, said he looks forward to bringing “classic literature alive” and to teaching “the inaugural class in the first ever Catholic college” in the Palmetto State. “It’s a moment of history in the making,” he said.
Pearce will be teaching HUM 101: Classical Epic and the Tragedy. Other classes offered at the school include “Catholic Doctrine,” “Servant Leadership,” and “Sacred Scripture.”
What separates the college from other universities is its grounding in truth, according to President Shick.
“Rosary College’s focus on integrating faith and reason, fostering a community grounded in Catholic values, and preparing students for diverse career paths sets it apart,” he told The Fix.
“The faculty, staff, and administration understand that faith, reason, and objective truth are not divergent,” he said. “Moreover, they believe truth is uniform across all time, subjects, and thoughts.”
“Understanding the integrated nature of subjects breeds an environment of wisdom and brings us closer to the truth only found in God.”
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IMAGE: Rosary College/YouTube
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