STANDISH, Maine — Stephanie Bisol is grateful she chose to attend a school that emphasizes its Catholic faith.

“I've learned to follow in the footsteps of Jesus,” said Bisol, a junior at St. Joseph's College of Maine.

St. Joseph's has grown 54% since 1990, and many are attributing the increase to a renewed emphasis on its Catholic identity.

The Washington Post recently rated St. Joseph's as one of the top 100 “hidden gems, schools who deserve bigger reputations.”

Founded in the Portland Diocese in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, St. Joseph's is a Catholic liberal arts college for men and women with approximately 1,000 full-time students.

“We've reformed our curriculum, changed our hiring policy, and the whole question of our mission and Catholic identity is very important,” said Dr. David House, president of the college since 1995.

Some say House is the reason behind the college's success.

“One thing he has done very well is to place a high priority on hiring individuals to administrative and staff positions, including and especially student affairs positions, who have a clear commitment to Catholic identity.”

“I think the clearest lesson that one can draw from the situation at St. Joe's is that although renewal of Catholic identity doesn't rely entirely on those at the administrative level, a strong-minded president who has the charisma and the patience that Dr. House has can have a huge impact on the direction of the college,” said Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, a Falls Church, Va.-based organization that seeks to restore Catholic faith to Catholic colleges and universities.

“[House] has a very healthy perspective,” Reilly added. “He's not at all insisting that every person who works at St. Joe's be Catholic, but his focus is mission-based, and he insists that those he hires share the mission of the institution.”

St. Joseph's, the only Catholic college in Maine, is open to students of all faiths. Currently, 65% of the student population identify themselves as Catholics, and 30 students are participating in the college's RCIA program.

Although not all students are Catholic, the college's mission statement clearly professes “fidelity to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the doctrines and heritage of the Roman Catholic Church.”

“First and foremost we do nothing to hide our Catholic identity,” House said. “Our mission is posted around campus, and all new students get a copy of our mission statement on a laminated business-sized card. It's hard for students to come here and not know it's a Catholic college. In the admissions process we make sure people understand we are a Catholic college, and we are not apologetic about it.”

The governing board at St. Joe's is overwhelmingly Catholic. In fact, 25% of the board is made up of religious, priests, brothers or sisters.

“It's more important for the board to be Catholic than the president,” House said, “because ultimately they are the ones who have the responsibility.”

Numerous outward symbols assert the college's Catholic identity around campus. Crucifixes hang prominently in the classrooms. Daily Mass is celebrated. All three of the college's theologians have the mandatum. (“They wouldn't be here otherwise,” according to House.)

Sister Sylvia Comer, a Sister of Mercy who serves as head of campus ministry, believes the college's growth spurt stems from the fact that “people are looking for strong values and an opportunity for in-depth knowledge of life along with learning.”

“First of all, we hope to impart the core Christian values of faith, excellence, integrity, community, respect, compassion and justice,” Sister Comer said. “Each one of these values is spelled out and given to the students.”

Fields of undergraduate study include nursing, communications, English, science, environmental studies and biology. Yet, as part of a liberal arts core curriculum, all students regardless of their discipline are required to receive eight credits in theology and eight credits in philosophy.

At St. Joseph's, even science students learn the importance faith plays in their lives.

“We have one of the best small nursing programs in New England,” House said. “All of the students pass the nursing licensure. You don't necessarily think of nursing as tying into a Catholic orientation. But nursing students are the only students who come in contact with life and death, pain and suffering. There is a great opportunity for their faith to be developed.”

According to Bisol, who is majoring in sociology, “It's ingrained in every sociology major that we're doing good for others and not expecting a pat on the back. We are doing what we love to do. I think that's what Jesus did. The Catholic identity definitely shows at this college.”

Students also participate in service projects throughout the diocese that help them put their faith into action.

Father John Skehan works in parish planning at the chancery of the Portland Diocese. He said St. Joseph's College has many students who participate in service projects in the diocese during the school year.

“[It] gives them an opportunity to take what they're learning academically and spiritually and put them together,” he said, adding that the students also go to places such as Appalachia and to inner-city Philadelphia to work in soup kitchens.

Father Skehan has noticed a growing number of youth in the diocese are interested in attending St. Joseph's.

“There seems to be an increasing Catholic presence and atmosphere on the campus,” he said. “I think Dr. House has brought a lot of that. He very much helps add to that Catholic identity.”

A number of students on the campus recite the chaplet of Divine Mercy, and students pray the rosary on special occasions. For example, students recently recited the rosary for all the victims of war.

But the college isn't all prayer and study.

“Students do have fun here,” House said. “There are events and dances, and we have some party animals. But this is not a free-forall.”

“It's really a great community atmosphere,” Bisol said. “Everyone is accepting and understanding. It's fun to be on this campus.”

Mary Ann Sullivan writes from New Durham, New Hampshire.