Alverno College

Alverno College is a private, Catholic, Franciscan liberal arts college for women located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The college's core mission is to prepare women for lives of personal and professional distinction and meaningful engagement with the world, a mission it extends by offering coeducational graduate and adult programs. The defining characteristic of this institution is its pioneering "abilities-based curriculum," a unique, outcomes-focused model that emphasizes the development of eight core skills, such as problem-solving and communication, ensuring graduates possess the practical abilities necessary for career success and effective citizenship.

The university traces its roots back to 1887 with the founding of St. Joseph's Normal School by the School Sisters of St. Francis, initially established to train female religious students for teaching roles. Over the following decades, the school expanded and merged with a conservatory of music and a school of nursing, ultimately forming a single four-year liberal arts college. In 1946, it officially adopted its current name and, in 1948, began admitting laywomen, broadening its mission beyond the religious community. The university cemented its reputation as a national leader in liberal arts education when, in the early 1970s, it developed and launched its revolutionary abilities-based curriculum, which has since been studied and adopted by educational institutions globally.

This university is a powerful example of an institution that has successfully innovated the liberal arts model to better serve its students and the modern workforce. By grounding its education in Catholic and Franciscan values while championing the abilities-based curriculum and narrative assessment, the college offers a deeply personalized experience that directly correlates learning to practical application. The university stands as a nationally recognized leader, especially for its success in empowering a diverse body of women to become confident, principled leaders and professionals who are prepared to make significant contributions to their communities and careers.