University of Mary Earns Top-10 National Ranking for Pro-Life Integration

Prestigious A+ Rating Places Mary Among Nation's Best for Living Its Mission and Building a Culture of Life

BISMARCK, N.D.- The University of Mary has been named a Top 10 Christian college in the nation for strongly integrating pro-life values into campus life. The University of Mary earned a rare A+ grade with zero infractions in the 2025 Christian Schools Projectconducted by Students for Life of America's Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement. Out of 725 Christian colleges and universities investigated nationwide, only 66 received an A+ rating. The University of Mary not only achieved that distinction, but rose to the top tier for its comprehensive, mission-driven commitment to a culture of life.

The national recognition affirms what generations of students and families have experienced firsthand: the University of Mary remains true to its mission. Parents and students seeking an authentically Catholic education can trust that the university's faith-based commitments are not symbolic or selective, but lived daily in policies, programs, community life and a consistent dedication to serving students.

"University of Mary. For Life." is a visible motto throughout campus, a phrase that carries layered meaning for the campus community, said Ed Konieczka, assistant director of University Ministry.

"To me, this has two meanings," Konieczka said. "The first is education for the whole of life. But it also has a second meaning - that the University of Mary is for life."

A Pilgrimage That Forms Conviction

That conviction is visible in concrete action. Nearly 200 University of Mary students, faculty, and staff travel annually to Washington, D.C., for the National March for Life, undertaking a 60-hour round-trip bus journey that the university intentionally frames as a pilgrimage. The institution underwrites a portion of the cost to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent students from participating.

The depth of that commitment gained national attention in 2016, when University of Mary students were stranded for more than 36 hours on a Pennsylvania interstate during a snowstorm after the march. University President Monsignor James Shea celebrated Mass for stranded travelers, leading to the University of Mary being invited to lead the national March for Life in 2017. More than 600 Mary students participated that year, with one student addressing the crowd and others receiving an invitation to the White House Rose Garden.

When the COVID-19 pandemic made travel to Washington impossible in 2020, the university did not retreat from its witness. Instead, it helped establish the North Dakota March for Life at the state Capitol, convening regional leaders and forming the North Dakota Pro-Life Committee. The annual march, now in its fifth year, continues to draw participants from across the state.

Students Leading a Culture of Life

At the heart of campus life is Collegians for Life, the largest student organization at the University of Mary. The student-led group partners with Students for Life of America to bring national speakers and professional training to campus, while also engaging in service and outreach in the local community.

Their impact has garnered national recognition. This year, Collegians for Life will receive the Rev. Thomas King, S.J., Award at the Cardinal O'Connor Conference on Life at Georgetown University, honoring their outstanding contributions both on campus and beyond.

Supporting Mothers, Strengthening Families

The university's pro-life commitment is perhaps most powerfully embodied in the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Community for Mothers, a nationally acclaimed initiative that provides on-campus housing, support, and community for single mothers pursuing their undergraduate degrees.

"We support young women facing unplanned pregnancies or navigating the pressures of college life and new motherhood, while also inviting other students to serve through volunteer childcare," said Lucy Spooner, coordinator for Mission for Life and the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Community for Mothers.

These investments reflect the University of Mary's ongoing commitment to supporting families and honoring the sanctity of life through practical, mission-driven support for student mothers.

Since 2023, three mothers have graduated from the program, with three more currently enrolled.

Building on that success, the University of Mary recently announced plans to constructSaint Joseph's Residence Hall, a new 58,000-square-foot, $20 million facility that will include a dedicated wing for the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Community for Mothers. The project will provide private living spaces for mothers and children, along with a state-of-the-art, year-round daycare, and responds directly to three consecutive years of record enrollment and the university's trajectory toward another record class in fall 2026.

"This community is a concrete expression of the University of Mary's commitment to building a culture of life," said Reed Ruggles, vice president for Student Development. "It ensures that motherhood and higher education are not competing paths, but complementary vocations."

Forming the Whole Person for a Culture of Life

The university also marks the National March for Life each year with Life & Dignity Weekon campus, a series of educational and formative events celebrating the inherent dignity of every human person.

"The sanctity of human life is core to who we are," said Father Dominic Bouck, chaplain and director of University Ministry. "As a Christian, Catholic, and Benedictine institution, we form students to live well, to serve generously, and to carry a culture of life into their communities after graduation."

The Top 10 national ranking further distinguishes the University of Mary as a Catholic institution recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society, underscoring its fidelity to mission and offering a strong example of how faith and values can be fully integrated into the life of a university.

For families discerning higher education rooted in faith, truth, and unwavering respect for life, the University of Mary's recognition offers powerful reassurance - and a clear invitation.