Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

New Catholic college planned

7. March 2007 • Murph
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Artist's conception of Ave Maria, FL

With Ave Maria University and Ave Maria School of Law relocating from the Ypsi-Arbor area to the built-from-scratch town of Ave Maria, FL (artist’s conception at right), plans are in the works to create a new orthodox Catholic college in the area.

The recently formed foundation behind The College of Saints Peter and Paul is holding fundraisers and examining local sites in hopes of opening the new school in the Fall 2008 semester. From the Detroit News:

Henry Russell, chairman of literature at the soon-to-be defunct Ave Maria College, said he and others at Ave Maria came to Michigan to create a small, Catholic college that pays close attention to the teachings of the church.

“When the college decided to pursue another vision, I decided to continue working on the same vision,” said Russell, board president of Saints Peter and Paul Educational Foundation.
. . .
Unlike Ave Maria College, the College of Saints Peter and Paul would likely be funded through many small donations that would create “a broader sense of ownership to all the Catholics in Michigan,” Russell said.
. . .
The College of Saints Peter and Paul would be unique to the state, Russell said. Faculty and students would be almost exclusively Catholic. Exceptions would be made for students still searching in their faith. While students will study economics and biology, they will be taught through the lens of the Catholic faith and the reasoning behind the faith, Russell said.

The College hopes to eventually enroll about 425 students.



  1. How much of the Pfizer campus would a 425 student college take up?

    (Though, of course, they’d pay even less tax than vacant land…)


       —Murph    Mar. 7 '07 - 10:51PM    #

  2. That’s the reason they moved to Florida. AA Twp didn’t want to lose the tax revenue (greedy) when it was proposed to turn Dominoes Farms into the new Ave Maria campus so they turned down the rezoning request. Tom got pissed and moved the machine to Florida.


       —Jackson    Mar. 8 '07 - 02:22AM    #

  3. One can hope that the Pfizer relocation will be even more productive of spinoff entities that opt to stay in the area.


       —Larry Kestenbaum    Mar. 8 '07 - 07:40AM    #