Five hundred years ago, St. Angela Merici, founder of the Ursuline Order, urged her followers to "risk new things." Echoes of St. Angela's words are clearly heard on the Ursuline Academy campus today, where students are encouraged to try something new, take risks, speak up, and to recognize that there are no limits to what they can do.

The Ursuline Order is the oldest religious order of women in the Catholic Church dedicated exclusively to the education of young women.

Located in Dedham, Ursuline Academy was founded in 1946; our proud tradition of educating young women has been 500 years in the making, yet is now more vital than ever. We believe in empowering young women to find their voices, pursue their passions, and discover new ones. In doing so, each student comes to know herself, and to prepare for a life of faith, leadership, and service in the world she will inherit.

In the changing landscape of Catholic schools, and in keeping with another of St. Angela's teachings -- "If, according to times and circumstances, the need arises to do something differently, do it prudently and with good advice" -- the school has continued to not only adapt, but ultimately to thrive. Ursuline Academy remains a model of educational excellence, operational vitality, and community. At its core, it is the latter that provides a great comfort to parents who are looking for a community that promotes kindness, compassion, and inclusivity, a school to educate and nurture their daughters -- in mind, body, and spirit.

Signature programs at Ursuline include our Women in Leadership program, which connects current students with alumnae in a full array of professions. Alumnae share advice about choosing a college major, internships, and career paths; networking opportunities continue throughout the year and beyond graduation.

Our writing program is highly regarded among educators and colleges alike. Graduates emerge as strong writers and confident public speakers who can think critically, reason carefully, and communicate persuasively.

Ursuline schools worldwide are committed to "Serviam," which means "I will serve." It is not merely a school motto, but a way of life. It is the heart of our community. Each year, students contribute over 24,000 hours of volunteer work in the Boston area, while developing a greater awareness of the needs of others and caring for our world. The senior service program requires students to both give back through a campus internship program and an external service project just prior to graduation.

Our I.D.E.A. Hub (Innovate, Design, Engage, and Apply), or innovation lab, provides a space for creativity while students learn to problem solve and master new technologies.

Robust opportunities in co-curricular activities enhance classroom learning. There are over 40 clubs, including competition teams for Speech, Robotics, and Mock Trial; 14 sports with teams at the junior high, freshman, jv or varsity levels; and six ensembles for theater, instrumental, and vocal performance.

Among the Class of 2023, there were four National Merit Scholars and two Commended Scholars; this spring, there were 50 AP scholars in our junior and senior classes. Eight of this year's graduates are competing on college level teams at Division I, II, or III colleges and universities. Annually, 100 percent of our students go on to four-year colleges, and acceptances for the Class of 2023 included Boston College, Boston University, Bowdoin, Clemson, Colby, Colgate, Creighton, George Washington, Georgetown, Haverford, Hobart, Holy Cross, Lehigh, Northeastern, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Providence, Purdue, Stonehill, Suffolk, Syracuse, Tufts, Villanova, Wake Forest, Wesleyan, and William and Mary, among others.

Each day, 360 students come to Ursuline from 57 communities around greater Boston. Here, students are known and nurtured by a dedicated faculty who guide each young woman in pursuit of her individual goals. In a tradition combining the best of all-girls and Catholic education, Ursuline offers unparalleled opportunities to become who you want to be. As one of the area's top college preparatory schools for young women, our students are both inspired to explore -- to "risk new things" -- and challenged to excel, while also discovering the joy in doing so.



CATHY SOLOMON (CSOLOMON@URSULINEACADEMY.NET OR 781.493.7726) IS THE CHIEF ENROLLMENT OFFICER AT URSULINE ACADEMY IN DEDHAM, MA, A CATHOLIC, COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN IN GRADES SEVEN TO 12. JOIN US AT OUR ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE ON SUNDAY, NOV. 5, FROM 11:00 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M., OR VISIT URSULINEACADEMY.NET TO ARRANGE A VISIT.