Bring together top-calibre professors, highly engaged undergraduates, a diverse community connected to all corners of the world, and you’ve got a national-level, academic experience that is second to none. This is St. Francis Xavier University.
WELCOME TO StFX
Growing up in Ottawa, Marc Rodrigue noticed that many of his best teachers were St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) graduates. That his mentors chose to study in the university town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, prompted Mr. Rodrigue to consider an education at StFX.
Also accepted at both Queens and Ottawa University, the aspiring political science student had a choice to make. Now in his fourth year of an honours degree, Mr. Rodrigue says it was a comment from one of those teachers that decided it for him. “He told me to go to StFX because I’d know what it is to be part of a community and learn more about the world through an education here.”
StFX, with a 155-year academic tradition and strong sense of community values at its core, has grown into an intimate, high-calibre university, reminiscent of its New England counterparts in the United States.
It isn’t, however, just the historic buildings and residential nature of StFX that makes it Canada’s premier undergraduate university. It’s the fact that everything at this university is focused on providing the best possible undergraduate experience, from strong academics and top faculty to the vibrant social network and opportunities for research and international
experiences.
During his time at StFX, Mr. Rodrigue has had the role of StFX’s Students’ Union vice president, has studied British politics in England, travelled to Montreal, Toronto and Halifax with the Canada Millennium Foundation and the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations, and represented StFX at the Model UN at Harvard. “Through these [experiences] I’ve learned more about Canada and the world. I’ve also come to understand my abilities, interests and who I am.”
Sean Riley, president of StFX, should know. A Rhodes Scholar with a doctorate from Oxford, he still regards his time as an undergraduate at StFX as his deepest personal experience. “If you had to pick something really outstanding about StFX, it would be how incredibly positive the students themselves feel at the end of their experience here.”
He adds, “It’s the complete opposite of the impersonal commuter experience. Students have a high-quality academic experience, founded on a strong faculty-student relationship, but they also have tremendous opportunities outside the classroom in research, leadership and international opportunities.”
Steve Baldner, dean of Arts, says, “The first-year experience here is an intimate one,” and quotes very small average class sizes starting from as few as 25 students per class.
Over 95 per cent of StFX’s core programs are taught by full-time faculty, according to Mary McGillivray, academic vice president and provost. She says the small class sizes and highly-qualified, full-time professors greatly improve the access of students to faculty who can provide valuable guidance.
“Our teaching and learning environment is one in which the students are the focal point,” says Dr. McGillivray. “With our manageable size (4,200 students), we are serious about giving our students a solid foundation.”
That means, even when professors are immersed in research, they are teachers, first and foremost.
“Our faculty is very active in research, which is brought right into the undergraduate classroom,” says Dr. Baldner.
Mr. Rodrigue, who is working on his thesis and has been accepted at Osgoode Hall Law School after he graduates, says faculty mentorship goes beyond the call of duty.
“The professors really love to engage their students. If students come to their office to discuss a project, [professers will] ask them
about their program structure and will offer advice and input,” he says.
Dr. Riley sees this as an essential quality at StFX. “It is important to have high ambitions, and you get those from people who make you stretch, give you confidence, and make you feel appreciated and mentored,” he says.
The average grade of the students admitted to StFX in 2007 was 86 per cent, among the top in Canada. Dr. Riley uses that as a measure of StFX’s success in attracting high-quality students from across the country.
“Why do we have students from Nelson, B.C.; Kingston, Ontario; and Leduc, Alberta; and almost 50 per cent of our incoming class from outside of Nova Scotia? We have them because we are focused on providing the undergraduate with a very comprehensive, national-level experience. The undergraduate is our number one priority: scholarship, leadership and a glimpse at the world through our windows to the international sphere.”
---
TO READ THE FULL REPORT AS IT APPEARED IN THE GLOBE AND MAIL, PLEASE CLICK ON THE ATTACHED PDF >