Saint Leo University
Former name | Saint Leo College (1889–1999) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Courage to Be More |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | 1889 (established). Re-established as a college in 1959. |
Religious affiliation | |
Academic affiliations | Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities |
| President | Jim Burkee |
Academic staff | 565 |
| Students | 10,231 |
| Location | , U.S. 28°20′16″N 82°15′25″W / 28.33778°N 82.25694°W |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Green & gold |
| Nickname | Lions |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division II – Sunshine State |
| Mascot | "Fritz" |
| Website | saintleo.edu |
Saint Leo University is a private Catholic university in St. Leo, Florida, United States. It was established in 1889. The university is associated with the Holy Name Monastery, a Benedictine convent, and Saint Leo Abbey, a Benedictine monastery. The university and the abbey are both named for Pope Leo the Great, bishop of Rome from 440 to 461. The name also honors Leo XIII, who was pope at the time the university was founded, and Leo Haid, then abbot of Maryhelp Abbey in North Carolina, now Belmont Abbey, who participated in founding the university and served as its first president.
The first Catholic college in Florida, Saint Leo is one of the fifteen largest Catholic colleges in the United States. It enrolls students at the traditional University Campus, through its Center for Online Learning, and at five regional Education Centers. University-wide, Saint Leo educates students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories, and more than 80 countries. As of 2023, total enrollment was 10,231.
Saint Leo was one of the first American universities to provide distance learning opportunities to students, beginning with educating military men and women in 1973 during the Vietnam era at the height of the anti-war movement. Saint Leo University offers more than 55 associate, baccalaureate, and master's degrees, and certificate programs and inaugurated its first doctoral program in 2013. The university website listed 447 faculty and staff members in July 2025.