Brescia University College

This article is about the women's college in Ontario. For the university in Kentucky, see Brescia University. For the university in Italy, see University of Brescia.

Brescia University College

Former names	Ursuline College (1919-1963) Brescia College (1963-2001)
Motto	Choose to Lead
Type	Affiliated college of The University of Western Ontario, Public university
Established	1919
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Principal	Dr. Donna Rogers (Interim)
Academic staff	46
Undergraduates	1350 full time + 200 part time
Postgraduates	12
Address	1285 Western Road, London, Ontario, Canada, N6G 1H2 , London , Ontario , Canada
Campus	Urban
Colours	Blue and Tangerine
Affiliations	AUCC, IAU, COU, ACU, WCC
Website	http://www.brescia.uwo.ca

Brescia University College is a Catholic liberal arts college for women located in London, Ontario, Canada. Affiliated with the University of Western Ontario, Brescia is the only university-level women's college in Canada. It has approximately 1,100 undergraduate students.

Mission statement

According to its mission statement, Brescia University College:

• is a Catholic college in the Ursuline tradition,
• educates women to think critically and to participate actively in society.
• is a student-centred community,
• prepares graduates to respond with wisdom, justice and compassion to a changing world.

History

Brescia University College is the only university-level women's college in Canada. Brescia was founded in 1919 as Ursuline College by the Ursulines. It was originally located at 556 Wellington Street London, Ontario. It was founded as a Roman Catholic affiliate of the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. From the beginning, the graduates have always received University of Western Ontario degrees. The Ursuline Sisters named the Roman Catholic college after the Italian city of Brescia where their religious institute was founded. The first class was of seven young women. Construction at the present location (1285 Western Road London, Ontario) began in 1923. Brescia Hall was the first building and was built by contractor Joseph Michael Piggot. Brescia Hall was renamed "Ursuline Hall". Ursuline College was renamed "Brescia College" in 1963, and in 2001 renamed "Brescia University College".

Programs

• Bachelor of Arts (English, French, Psychology, Sociology, Family Studies, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Community Development, Political Science, and Dimensions of Leadership)
• Bachelor of Management & Organizational Studies
• Bachelor of Science (Foods & Nutrition)
• Bachelor of Arts (Human Ecology)
• Bachelor of Science (Human Ecology)
• Master of Foods and Nutritional Sciences
• Certificate in Community Development
• Certificate in Religious Education

The Honours Bachelor of Science in Foods and Nutrition at Brescia is accredited by Dietitians of Canada. This means people who graduate with this degree are eligible to apply for dietetic internship placements.

The Master of Foods and Nutritional Sciences programme is divided into two streams. The internship stream is for people who have graduated from a programme accredited by Dietitians of Canada. It combines a master's degree and an internship and upon graduating, the person has an MSc and can write the exam needed to become a registered dietitian. The second stream is for people who are already a Registered Dietitian in Canada.

Brescia also offers a Pre-University Year programme. According to the Brescia website, the Preliminary Year is a one-year university preparatory programme taught by university professors on the College campus. This programme is co-educational.

The College also offers and English as a Second Language programme called CultureWorks.

Student life

The Preliminary Year programme and the Masters of Science are co-education; all undergraduate programs are women-only. However, all courses are accessible to UWO students, male or female, including students from Western's two other affiliated university colleges.

Buildings

James Carlisle Pennington designed Brescia Hall (1924–25) for the Ursuline Sisters, near Western Road at Sarnia Road, on the campus of the University of Western Ontario. The Mother St. James memorial building is the main building on campus. It houses classrooms, offices, student services, the business office, the Beryl Ivey Library and computer lab, the Mother St. James Memorial Auditorium, a coffee shop and the Circle Women’s Centre resource centre. The Ursuline hall is the residence for 170 female students. Ursuline Hall also has the cafeteria (Castle Café), some professors' offices, the food laboratories and a few classrooms. In September 2013, Brescia opened its new residence building and dining pavilion, Clare Hall, which houses just over 300 students and features a state of the art eatery.

File:Brescia Campus at University of Western Ontario.jpg

Brescia Hall

Notable alumnae

• Margaret Chan - Director General of the World Health Organization (BA 1973)
• Beryl Ivey, CM - Philanthropist (BA 1947)

See also

Books

• Murray Llewellyn Barr A century of medicine at Western: a centennial history of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario (London: University of Western Ontario, 1977), ISBN 0-919534-00-7
• John R. W. Gwynne-Timothy Western's first century (London: University of Western Ontario, 1978)
• Ruth Davis Talman 'The beginnings and development of the University of Western Ontario, 1878-1924.' (MA Thesis, University of Western Ontario, 1925)
• Available from the Beryl Ivey Library are Emeritus Professor of History Dr. Patricia Skidmore's books Brescia College 1919-1979 and The History of Brescia

External links

• Official Website

1. REDIRECT Template:Post-secondary institutions in Ontario