St. Thomas University is an exclusively undergraduate liberal arts institution with an innovative curriculum that emphasizes cross-disciplinary learning and strong teaching. The well-regarded journalism school hosts guest speakers through the Dalton Camp Lecture in Journalism. The university teaches a diverse student population; students come from 35 countries. STU has the rare advantage of being a small university where it’s easy to recognize fellow students and professors.

It also offers access to social and academic amenities, including the library and student centre, at the nearby—and much larger—University of New Brunswick. The cozy campus offers inspiring study spots, such as the Great Hall or the study hall in Margaret Norrie McCain Hall, complete with leather chairs and copper-domed lamps.

“STU’s personalized approach to education provides students with the opportunity to study their interests through multiple disciplines, explore diverse ideas and perspectives, and in doing so, discover what they are most passionate about,” says acting president Kim Fenwick. (M. Nauman Farooqi takes over as president later this year.) Classes and extracurricular opportunities focus on developing students’ sense of their social responsibilities; experiential learning opportunities expose students to social issues that they learn about in class and give students a chance to put that learning to the test. School spirit is strong and often on display as students cheer on their Tommies sports teams.