St. Mary’s University is a Catholic and Marianist liberal arts institution located on 135 acres (0.55 km) northwest of downtown San Antonio. St. Mary’s is a nationally recognized master’s level school ranked among the top colleges in the west for best value and academic reputation by U.S. News and World Report. St. Mary's was named by Washington Monthly as first in the nation in the category of Master’s Universities for promoting an ethic of service to country; fostering scientific and humanistic research; and performing as an engine of social mobility. Founded by the Society of Mary (Marianists) in 1852, St. Mary’s is the oldest Catholic university in Texas and the southwest. With a diverse student population of nearly 4,000, St. Mary’s is home to five schools: Humanities and Social Sciences; Science, Engineering and Technology; Bill Greehey School of Business; Graduate; and Law. St. Mary's University, founded in 1852 by Marianist brothers and priests, is the first institution of higher learning in San Antonio and the oldest Catholic university in Texas and the southwest. Personal attention and powerful academic programs have made St. Mary's, located on 135 acres (0.