Benedictine University’s commitment to academic excellence traces its roots to St. Benedict, a young monk in the sixth century. Over the centuries, the involvement of the Benedictines in education expanded to college and universities.

Benedictine University was founded in Chicago by the Benedictine monks of St. Procopius Abbey in 1887 when the school served primarily as an all male high school for men of Czech and Slovak descent. In 1901 the College moved to Lisle to allow for future growth. The campus consisted of one building and has grown since the early 1920s. The College became fully coeducational in 1968 and in 1971 became Illinois Benedictine College. With the addition of international programs and a doctoral program, the College became Benedictine University in 1996.

Today, the mission and vision of Benedictine University continue to reflect our Catholic and Benedictine traditions, providing the University community with a sense of connection with the past and direction for the future. Benedictine University continues to reevaluate and implement strategies that ensure its graduates — as they reach out and become part of an ever-changing world — are fully prepared for roles of leadership and social responsibility.