A Catholic liberal arts college in Kentucky that closed in 2016 after financial and federal compliance challenges.
St. Catharine College traced its roots to classes held in the early 1800s and received its charter in 1839 from the Kentucky Sisters of St. Dominic. Originally a women's academy and junior college founded in 1931, it became co-educational in 1951 and received full accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1958. In 2003, the college received approval to offer four-year degree programs, expanding beyond its junior college roots.
At closure, St. Catharine offered 17 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, one Master of Arts degree, and five Associate degree programs, along with one certificate program. The college was known for its Berry Farming Program based on the work of Wendell Berry, which was subsequently adopted by Sterling College in Vermont. The Richard S. Hamilton Health and Sciences Building (2006), Aquinas Hall residence (2011), and Emily W. Hundley Library (2013) supported academic and residential life.
The St. Catharine Patriots competed in the NAIA, primarily in the Mid-South Conference from 2008–09 to 2015–16. The college fielded 21 intercollegiate varsity sports including baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, wrestling, softball, and volleyball, plus co-ed cheerleading.
Between 2011 and 2014, the college faced federal investigation for offering financial aid to four-year program students without prior approval. In 2015, the Department of Education placed the college on heightened cash monitoring. A $5 million deficit resulting from construction of new residence halls, the health sciences building, and library, combined with enrollment decline from 600 to 475 students, led to closure at the end of July 2016. The college sued the federal government seeking $645,000 in reimbursement.