University of Providence Has Tradition of Education and Service
The University of Providence is a main pillar of the Great Falls community and has been for nearly 100 years.
Sponsored by: University of Providence
The Sisters of Providence arrived in Great Falls, MT, in 1892 with a determined goal to help meet the needs of the local community.
Their Catholic ministry, which originated in Montreal, initially accomplished this through the foundation of a hospital and a nursing school, then in 1932 with the establishment of the College of Great Falls, now known as the University of Providence.
“The sisters worked with the local folks serving their physical emotional, academic and financial needs,” current University of Providence president Father Oliver Doyle says. “That tradition remains in the DNA of this institution. To serve wherever and however we’re called to serve in the community.”
In addition to the traditional, campus-based four-year School of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Great Falls, the University of Providence also offers a variety of programs and degrees through the School of Health Professions, primarily online.
UP provides a mission-driven education with small class sizes (a 14-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio), a robust athletic department and a strong connection to the residents and businesses of Great Falls.
This commitment to the community is evident in the service learning component in the curriculum that all students complete a set amount of service hours before graduating and can receive academic credit in the process. Through UP’s Sister Providencia Center for Service Learning, students work with numerous area nonprofits.
“Our aim is not just to provide an education and all the workforce skills that students need, which is very important, but also to develop character in terms of how students can serve the community that they’re in,” Doyle says.
The University of Providence also provides an entertainment outlet for Great Falls, most notably through the school’s NAIA Argos athletic programs, with more than 340 student-athletes competing in 15 sports.
In addition, the University of Providence has a free art gallery – Galerie Trinitas – showcasing the artistic works of Sister Mary Trinitas Morin, a nationally known multimedia artist and teacher.
UP has the ability to host the Great Falls and surrounding communities with a dozen of on-campus venues that can be utilized for a wide variety of public and private events (conventions, conferences, fundraisers, galas, weddings, etc.).
And, of course, the University of Providence continuously provides a workforce pipeline to Great Falls, with 17 undergraduate majors and six graduate online majors ranging from business administration to psychology. Combine that with the school’s more than 250 employees, UP is a major economic driver for the Great Falls community.
“Just as the Sisters of Providence started their ministry, we have continued to respond to the changing times in our community through a variety of ways, not just education,” says UP Vice President for Advancement Kylie Carranza, a 2014 and 2016 graduate who was a member of the Argo women’s basketball team.
“You can see many examples of the mission of the University of Providence alive in Great Falls,” she continues. “As you start to talk to those in the community, many of them have either graduated from or been touched by our university. We are proud to be one of the main pillars in the Great Falls community.”
For more information on the university, visit uprovidence.edu.