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SIGNATURE MONTANA | 65 e University of Providence—as it is now known—retains its distinctive Catholic identity. Father Oliver Doyle, current university president, points out that the Sisters of Providence today see the university as catholic in the universal sense of welcoming all. College administration early on was distinctly ecumenical. Dr. E. Milton Grassell, who followed Sister Rita as president of the college, was not Catholic but an active Methodist layman. Such a choice might not be unusual today, but it was unheard of in the 1960s. It exemplifies the intrinsic ecumenical intent following the tenets of the Sisters of Providence. Father Doyle explains that "spiritual agility" has been a guiding force. roughout the college's history, the Sisters of Providence —and the faculty who followed—have utilized their unique talents to match current needs. Sociology professor Sister Providencia Tolan, who saw extreme misery among impoverished Chippewa Cree living on Hill 57 in Great Falls, is a stellar example. Tailoring her skills, she brought national recognition to the plight of First Nations people and spoke to Congress on their behalf. She took her students to the hill not only to volunteer but also to experience poverty firsthand. In this way, she prepared them to be caring, responsible world citizens. Today, that is the school's ultimate mission. Although no Sisters of Providence physically remain at the college, the modern campus has reminders of those who le indelible footprints. Emilie Hall, Sister Rita Mudd Hall, and Gallerie Trinitas recall a few of those whose spiritual agility serves to inspire today's students. With a current enrollment of nearly 1100 undergraduate and 200 graduate students, the University of Providence celebrates its accomplishments while looking ahead to the challenges of tomorrow. Sister Henry Alphonse Lippens, left, oversaw Page and Werner's campus plan, a design recognized as a rare collection of Modernist style buildings. Sister Rita Mudd, in habit right, presides over a board meeting during her tenure as college president. S MT