Search the Community

We are the Catholic, Franciscan learning place. Here, each person's dignity is appreciated and celebrated, providing a powerful sense of community and a place to pursue a private, liberal arts education that shapes more than your résumé — it shapes your character. Briar Cliff University is a community committed to higher education within a liberal arts and Catholic perspective. In the Franciscan tradition of service, caring and openness to all, Briar Cliff emphasizes quality education for its students, combining a broad intellectual background with career development. The University challenges its members to grow in self-awareness and their relationships with others and God. If you are a current high school student or graduate, a transfer student, an international student, or a first-time freshman of any age, take the first steps to an outstanding higher education. For professionals and those with bachelor's degrees looking to earn a graduate degree at Briar Cliff, take the next steps to advance and reach your full personal and professional potential. Finish your bachelor's degree online at the Briar Cliff University, without sacrificing your personal and professional responsibilities. At Briar Cliff, we believe cost should not keep any future student from joining the BCU community. Our Office of Financial Aid will work with you and your family to create a financial aid package that will help you achieve — and afford — your dream. Real-life is not divided into academic disciplines. It is a mixed bag of art and science and math and history and communication, all connected in many different ways. At Briar Cliff, studying liberal arts and your chosen field of study will prepare you for more than a career — it will prepare you for life. Briar Cliff faculty are published authors, Fulbright Scholars, performers at Carnegie Hall, and contributors to the Human Genome Project. However, most importantly, they care about your success as a student. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio also leads to lasting relationships. Look around campus, and you'll find students and professors teaming up on research, working side-by-side on service projects, and even grabbing lunch together in the cafeteria. Your diploma isn't the end of your Briar cliff experience. It 'sIt's just the beginning. That's why 95 percent of Briar Cliff students are employed or attending a graduate school within six months of graduation. The Honors Program at Briar Cliff creates a community for like-minded, motivated students to share transformational experiences. Learning has no boundaries. At Briar Cliff, it often takes place beyond the classroom: in the residence halls, with your friends, through student clubs, travel opportunities, intramurals, campus ministry, athletic teams, service projects — the list goes on. Here, you will find biology majors performing with the Cliff Singers art students competing on intramural sports teams, and self-declared "book nerds" crowd-surfing through the Blue Crew. The Briar Cliff University campus has four residence halls with a housing capacity of 580 students. Each hall is staffed by an area coordinator and resident assistants (RAs) on each floor. Briar Cliff University believes that living on campus is a vital part of the college experience. The best college experience is one where the curriculum and the co-curriculum are seamlessly integrated, given that the educational benefits of a residential education are many and well-documented. Here at Briar Cliff, every first-year student belongs to a learning community. You will get to pick one as soon as you enroll at BCU. Each community has a different theme, but the same purpose: for you to find a group of friends and professors at Briar Cliff, who is passionate about the same things as you. You will take a few of the same classes, team up on a service project, and adjust to college life together. So take a look — and think about which one is right for you. In 1929, only briar patches covered a 175-foot hill located on Sioux City, Iowa's western outskirts. However, two people — Mother Mary Dominica Wieneke, Major Superior of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Dubuque, Iowa, and the Most Reverend Edmond Heelan, Bishop of the Sioux City Diocese — had a vision. They envisioned that hill crowned with a Catholic college for women. Mother Dominica and Bishop Heelan met on March 9, 1929, with the Sioux City business community members. These community leaders committed themselves to raise $25,000 to support the establishment of a college in Sioux City. On March 30, 1930, at the laying of the cornerstone for the first building, Heelan Hall, Bishop Heelan commented that "the duty of education must not only prepare one for citizenship but also prepare one for eternity." This was indeed the spirit of the education that the Sisters of Saint Francis brought to Sioux City. Dominica carefully chose the 12 foundresses of the College. They were led by Sister Mary Servatius Greenen, who was named the first president. The College was dedicated on September 18, 1930, and named Briar Cliff — after the hill on which it is located. Four days later, 25 women started classes in Heelan Hall, then the only building on campus. Briar Cliff has been served throughout its history by dedicated and talented faculty, staff, and administrators. The University's history is one of patience, perseverance, and unyielding commitment. It is an institution with a wealthy Catholic, Franciscan heritage, and a strong service tradition.While the mission of the University has not changed in more than 80 years, Briar Cliff continues to grow and expand, always placing the needs of students first. View full university

Glen Briar Academy was founded on the belief that innovation, not just tradition, fuels growth, and education development. The Kindergarten curriculum at Glen Briar Academy was created with the specific aim of providing children with a balanced environment that is both nurturing and challenging. Inquiry and play-based learning guide students through units that integrate and explore all curricular areas in a meaningful, relevant, and dynamic way. The Primary years are a time to cement learning, push boundaries, and explore new avenues for growth. At the core of our ethos is the student and his/her development as a whole person. We strive to create individuals who will always be capable learners, confident participants, successful contributors, aware, and responsible citizens. To meet these goals, we ensure student access to advanced academic experiences, character, and leadership skills development, all guided by enriched and interactive curricula. Our Primary programs emphasize applying knowledge through practical, hands-on scenarios creating meaningful learning opportunities relevant to our students' everyday lives. Our Junior classrooms provide an environment designed to challenge minds and promote innovative thinking. This ensures that our students possess the knowledge they need and the skills that will allow them to effectively and confidently share, modify, and implement it, both in and out of the classroom. Our Intermediate programs provide rigorous academic instruction that is differentiated to suit the goals of every pupil. Students in Grades 7 & 8 are exposed to specialized knowledge through meaningful interactions, securing the understanding, and applying what they are learning. GBA's Greek Language Program aims to foster and develop a love of the Greek language and culture, as well as an understanding of the way it fits into our lives as Canadian citizens. Our curriculum, created by experienced and fluent speaking Greek educators, focuses on language acquisition, communication, and proficiency. Our students participate in and successfully pass the Ellinomatheia Proficiency Test. Our program also balances cultural and historical elements, providing our students with a broader understanding of what it means to belong to the Greek community in our city. Glen Briar Academy offers various after school extracurricular activities that allow your child to explore unknown talents or nurture existing skills. With options that range from yoga club to martial arts, from art workshops to drama circles, your child is sure to find activities to keep him/her engaged long after the school day is done. Extended care during the academic year runs before school from 7:30 am and after school until 5:30 pm. It includes supervised outdoor and indoor play and homework club, allowing students the opportunity to complete assigned tasks with the assistance and supervision of glen briar academy teachers. Extended care is included in the cost of tuition for all glen briar academy students. With individualized learning at the core of its pedagogy, Glen Briar Academy is a place for every student to flourish. It provides enriched academic programs supported by small class sizes, student-centric curricula, evidence-based teaching, and a robust scientific inquiry spirit. Personalized programs are complemented by a deep commitment to socio-emotional and character development. Glen Briar Academy is a place for the whole child to thrive and grow. View full school