Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico

The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is a Roman Catholic university with its main campus in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It provides courses leading to Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate degrees in the areas of education, business administration, science, and arts and human studies. The university is also home to a Law School and, in August 2010, it inaugurated a School of Architecture in downtown Ponce. The university's original name, Universidad Católica de Santa Maria, was changed in 1950 to Catholic University of Puerto Rico with the graduation of its first class. On 25 January 1991, the name was again changed to its current name, after Pope John Paul II bestowed the title of pontifical on the university.
The university was founded in spring of 1948 by James E. McManus, C.S.S.R., Bishop of the Diocese of Ponce, and James Peter Davis, Bishop of the Diocese of San Juan. It was founded as the Catholic University of Santa Maria.</ref> "The name Santa Maria was chosen to honor the Mother of God and to implore her protection and help." Its first president was Monseñor Vicente Murga. The original campus consisted of a few classrooms provided by the Capuchin Friars and the Sisters of Saint Joseph, catholic clergymen and nuns, respectively, in the Colegio San Conrado in Ponce, a catholic primary educational school. During 1949, the university acquired 118 cuerdas from the Government of Puerto Rico . This plot of land was located south of the city center proper and was, at the time, part of the Ingenio La Reparada sugar cane plantation, and being used to feed Central Mercedita sugar mill. The University has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools since 1953.

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