About Providence College: Our History, Our Mission, Our Community

Providence College History
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In the first five months of 1915, the Right Reverend Matthew Harkins, D.D., Bishop of Providence, met with Dominican Prior Provincial Father James R. Meagher, O.P. in Providence and resumed negotiations for a college. Harkins and Meagher joined forces to make the idea a reality. With courage and boldness bordering on the foolhardy, they trusted in God to take care of the specifics, while they rolled up their sleeves and did everything but dig the foundation for Harkins Hall.

In mid-May 1915, immediately after consultation with Father J.D.M. van den Wildenberg, O.P., Bishop Harkins wrote directly to the Dominican Master General, “We petition your paternity to grant permission to the Fathers of the Province of St. Joseph to undertake the burden of a college of higher learning in our episcopal city.” In this petition Bishop Harkins conveyed his concern that “secular universities present dangers to faith and morals of Catholic students.” Bishop Harkins requested that permission be given this undertaking, as the college would provide the means by which the Catholic youth of his diocese could be “formed not only in the knowledge of humanities, but especially in the principles of sound and healthy philosophy, as well as in the pious discipline of a holy life.”

Mission and Ministry
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The word mission comes from the Latin, missio, which means “to be sent,” while ministry means to serve. The office therefore serves the College community by helping us to think about our many efforts in light of a broader and deeper call and mission, and by creating a culture on campus in which everyone—students, faculty, alumni, administration, staff, and trustees—partakes of and benefits from a common mission inspired by faith and enabled by grace.

The Office of Mission and Ministry is pleased to know of your interest in the Catholic and Dominican character of Providence College. We invite your to read our 2011-2016 Strategic Plan, The Conversation Continues, and we welcome your comments, questions and suggestions.

Our Community
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Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in the United States. It was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of “God’s merciful Providence” which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers. The city is situated at the mouth of the Providence River at the head of Narragansett Bay.

Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its textile manufacturing and subsequent machine tool, jewelry, and silverware industries. It also was the first to declare independence from England, however, it was the last to ratify the constitution in 1790.

Today, the city of Providence is home to eight hospitals and eight institutions of higher learning, including Providence College, which has shifted the city’s economy into service industries. However, it still retains some manufacturing activity. It is currently ranked among the top 10 greenest states in the country. 

As of the 2020 United States Census, Providence has a population of 190,934, making it the third-most-populous city in New England after Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts.