Bellarmine University, << BEHL ahr mihn, >> is a private, independent institution of higher learning in Louisville, Kentucky. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. The college was named after Saint Robert Bellarmine, an Italian Jesuit theologian of the late 1500’s and early 1600’s who defended the church against the growing power of European kings.
Bellarmine was established in 1950 as a men’s college. It was one of the first schools in Kentucky to be open to students of all races. In 1968, Bellarmine merged with Ursuline College, a Catholic women’s school, and the combined institution was called Bellarmine-Ursuline College. Its name was shortened to Bellarmine College in 1971, but the school remained coeducational. In 2000, the college changed its name to Bellarmine University to better reflect its mission. Bellarmine athletic teams are called the Knights.
The university’s website at https://www.bellarmine.edu/ offers additional information.
