The Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America gathered for its June meeting this week on the other side of the Potomac River. They may have been in Northern Virginia, as opposed to the University’s 176-acre D.C. campus, but, still, they were at home.
This semester, the University opened its new Alexandria, Va., location on the second floor of the Catholic Charities USA headquarters building at 2050 Ballenger Avenue. For the members of the board, it was an opportunity to not only take pride in the University’s newest expansion, but also to be part of the blessing ceremony for the new office and education space.
“We are always working to attract more students to Catholic University,” said University President John Garvey. “Our presence here in downtown Alexandria will expose more people to the quality education we offer and help expand our profile and reach.”
Garvey thanked Trustee Sister Donna Markham, president of Catholic Charities, who he credited with making the partnership possible.
In his blessing, Trustee Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington dedicated the center to “education and to progress of the sciences.” He prayed it will become a place “where students and teachers, imbued with the words of truth, will search for the wisdom that guides the Christian life.”
In 2021, the University also launched Catholic University-Tucson, which provides a new, Catholic-informed undergraduate option for business students in that region of Arizona.
Board Chairman Joseph Carlini, B.S.M.E. 1984, followed the Alexandria blessing with a toast. “The expansion of Catholic University through the opening of this new Alexandria campus, along with the growth of our Tucson program, makes it a truly exciting time for the Cardinal family.”
“I am excited for our students who will take classes here,” said Garvey about the new 18,500-square-foot space. “The first group will be adult learners from our Metropolitan School of Professional Studies. We will also have graduate students from our School of Engineering, and eventually law students, studying here as well.”
Visit our website for more information on CatholicU class offerings in Alexandria.