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St. Francis Xavier University
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Coordinates: 45°37′0.47″N 61°58′58.40″W / 45.6167972, -61.9828889
St. Francis Xavier University is a university located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.
The university brings together 4,200 students from across Canada and around the world in arts, science, business and information systems and applied programs.
History
St Francis Xavier College was a Roman Catholic institution founded at Arichat, NS, in 1853. [1] The Roman Catholics founded St Francis Xavier at Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1855. [2]
In 1866, it gained university status. In 1868 and awarded its first degrees. In 1883, its ladies' institution, Mount St Bernard Academy, was founded. In 1894, it affiliated with St Francis as Mount St Bernard College. In 1897 became the first co-educational Catholic university in North America to grant degrees to women.[1] In the early part of this century, professional education expanded beyond the traditional fields of theology, law and medicine. Graduate training based on the German-inspired American model of specialized course work and the completion of a research thesis was introduced.[3]
The policy of university education initiated in the 1960s responded to population pressure and the belief that higher education was a key to social justice and economic productivity for individuals and for society.[3]
In 1985, women equalled men in numbers for the first time. In 1990 the ladies' college existed as a residence only.[1]
Academics
Maclean's Magazine has ranked St Francis Xavier as the top Primarily Undergraduate university in Canada for five consecutive years (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006). The university has also ranked first in alumni support for the past six years (2001-2006).citation needed In 2007 Maclean's Magazine placed the university in 3rd place in the Primarily Undergraduate category, having been replaced by Mount Allison University and Acadia University, who tied for first place.[4]
Between the years 2000 and 2004 more St Francis Xavier students, on a per capita basis, have received Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) awards for post-secondary study than any other university in Canada.[5]
Campus renewal
The latest phase of the initiative announced in April 2007. An $11 million renovation of Bishops Hall, which includes Fraser, Burke and Plessis residences, finished in September 2007. The building was upgraded with wireless internet access, new heating, plumbing, ventilation and electrical systems, elevators were installed, and most rooms became single occupancy, with a small number of them remaining as double occupancy.[6]
Athletics
StFX in the Atlantic University Sport conference by 11 varsity athletics teams. The X-Men teams include men's football, basketball, soccer, hockey and cross-country. The X-Women teams include soccer, rugby, hockey, basketball, and cross-country. In 1966, the X-Men Football team won the College Bowl (now the Vanier Cup) as top university football team in Canada. The X-Men Basketball program has won 3 CIS Championships (1993, 2000, and 2001). In 2004 the X-Men Hockey team won their first CIS Championship. In 2006, the X-Women Rugby team became the first female StFX varsity team to win a CIS Championship (also 10-time defending AUS Rugby Champions). X Alumnus, Eric Gillis (2003 CIS Cross Country Champion) competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and placed 33rd in the 10 000m race.
Noted alumni
- John Allan Cameron, Celtic Musician
- Moses Coady, leader of the Antigonish Movement
- Martin William Currie, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St. John's, Newfoundland 2007-
- Pat Dunn, Member of the Legislative Assembly, Pictou-Centre, Nova Scotia
- Danny Gallivan, Sportscaster for the Montreal Canadiens
- Robert J. Higgins, New Brunswick politician, Supreme Court justice
- Charles V. Keating, Canadian businessman
- Angus L. MacDonald, Premier of Nova Scotia (1933-1940; 1945-1954), Canada's Minister of Defence for Naval Services (1941-1945)
- Rodney MacDonald, Premier of Nova Scotia 2006-present
- Ronald J. MacDonald, World Record holder in Running and Boston Marathon Champion from 1898
- Allan J. MacEachen, first Deputy Prime Minister of Canada
- John Keiller MacKay, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario 1957-1963
- Alistair MacLeod, Canadian writer
- Ronald St. John Macdonald, Canadian legal academic and jurist
- Lisa MacLeod, Member of Provincial Parliament, Nepean-Carleton, Ontario
- Frank McKenna, Premier of New Brunswick 1987-1997, Canadian Ambassador to the United States 2005-January 25, 2006
- Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada 1984-1993
- John Ralston (actor), Canadian actor
- Seamus O'Regan, Co-host of CTV's morning television programme, Canada AM
- Daniel Petrie, American-based Canadian television and movie director
- Geoff Regan, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, Nova Scotia
- Mike Smith, Canadian actor ("Bubbles" on the Trailer Park Boys)
- Sam Webb, leader of the Communist Party USA, 2000-
Histories
- Father Jimmy Tompkins "Knowledge for the People--a Call to St. Francis Xavier College" 1921
- Dr. James Cameron "For the People: A History of St Francis Xavier University". Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1996.
Also see
References
- ^ a b c St. Francis Xavier University, Encyclopedia of Music in Canada
- ^ http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/tlctd10.txt The Project Gutenberg EBook #6466 of 'The Intellectual Development of the Canadian People, A historical review' by John George Bourinot, House of Commons, Ottawa, February 17th, 1881
- ^ a b University, Encyclopedia of Canada
- ^ McGill U. Tops Canadian University Rankings Issued by 'Maclean's', Chronicle of Higher Education Blog, November 8, 2007
- ^ St. Francis Xavier University, Associations of Universities and Colleges of Canada
- ^ St. Francis Xavier invests another $11 million in residential campus, St. Francis Xavier University Media Room
External links
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