UPEI getting new Christianity and Culture Institute

UPEI is getting a new institute for Christianity and culture, thanks to the St. Dunstan's University foundation.

It will provide more opportunities for students in the religious studies faculty.

UPEI was founded in 1969 when St. Dunstan's and Prince of Wales College merged.Since then SDU has operated as a foundation, offering scholarships and Catholic courses at UPEI.

Now it will have a much bigger presence on campus, including an office.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the opportunity to be part of continuing the legacy of SDU," said George Morrison, president of the SDU Board of Governors.

"SDU meant a lot to me as it did to a lot of students at the time, and those students are going to be the future leaders in society, and anything that we can do that gives them a good grounding, that's what we like to do."

The new institute will receive $50,000 a year for 10 years. Along with a $500,000 donation to the UPEI capital funds project, the SDU foundation has pledged $1 million to UPEI.

Morrison said one of the big goals of the institute will be to offer more experiential learning for students. For example, a three-week course in Rome, and a trip this winter to New York to study Catholic icons.

The institute also plans to arrange several lecture series across the province throughout the year.