America's oldest Catholic weekly newspaper The Wanderer features JP Catholic. The article, by Dexter Duggan in the Feb. 22, 2007 issue, is entitled 'California school aims to change culture through new-media Catholic grads'. Read this article in full ...

JP Catholic names Deacon Frank Mercardante as Chairman of its Board of Trustees. Frank is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Placer Sierra Bank. He is a forty year banking and financial services veteran. He was founder and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Community Bancorp and Southwest Community Bank, prior to its acquisition by Placer Sierra. Ordained a permanent deacon in May 1987, he serves at St. Mark's parish in San Marcos. He is a member of the Finance Council for the Diocese of San Diego and serves on the boards of the Tri-City Hospital Foundation, New Haven Youth & Family Services, and The Poinsettia Theatre for the Performing Arts.
Read more about the Board of Trustees ....

JP Catholic names Paul Colucci Senior Vice President of University Affairs. Paul will be responsible for overseeing all external university affairs, including its critical relationships with major benefactors and foundations, as well as other important governmental and religious agencies. “Paul is a tremendous addition to the senior management team at JP Catholic. He passionately believes in the mission of the university, has great familiarity with the San Diego business community and will be instrumental in the growth of JP Catholic”, said Derry Connolly, president of the university. Read more about Paul ....

JP Catholic Professor Jerry Jackson recently presented his research on a novel technique for removing arsenic from drinking water to an enthusiastic audience at an international conference in New Delhi, India. Arsenic contaminated water affects over 100 million people, reducing their life expectancy by 20 years.

His simple system uses common cattails to absorb almost 90% of the arsenic, and costs less than 21 cents per 1,000 gallons. The system requires no energy or imported parts, needs no maintenance or plumbing, and can be easily built and operated by rural, illiterate, lay people.

JP Catholic is featured in a story by Joseph Pronechen in the January 14-20, 2007 issue of the National Catholic Register. The article is entitled 'So Far, So Catholic: John Paul the Great Catholic University: A Progress Report. Read this article in full ...

Bishop Brom celebrated the first Mass in JP Catholic's chapel, Friday Sept 8th, 2006. Bishop Robert Brom, pictured above with five of the incoming JP Catholic freshmen, celebrated the first Mass in JP Catholic's chapel on Friday Sept 8th. The first Mass was concelebrated by Fr Anthony Saroki - a member of the JP Catholic Board of Trustees, and Fr Richard Huston - JP Catholic's chaplain. In attendance were several incoming freshmen, trustees, staff and friends. Bishop Brom's core message was that JP Catholic must educate for Christ's mission and that mission is NOT about 'me' (personal career, money, prestige). He recalled a meeting on this day in 1988 with Pope John Paul II and the poignant message of the meeting was that Jesus must be central to all we do in carrying out our spiritual mission.

JP Catholic announces a deferred student loan program. JP Catholic has established a partnership with Wells Fargo Bank to make available a deferred loan to our students. Read more details ....

JP Catholic Celebration Gala. Eduardo Verastegui, internationally known film star and Michael Barber Professor of the Theology, Scripture and Catholic Thought spoke to an enthusiastic and energized audience at the JP Catholic Celebration Gala on November 11th, 2006.

President Connolly introduced the inaugural freshmen, thanked the parents present for their confidence in JP Catholic and assured them that the faculty and administration took very seriously their commitment to the educate and shape our students in a faithfully Catholic environment. See student pictures ....

JP Catholic's first students began Fall quarter on Monday September 18th. The freshman class of 30 students includes 18 males and 12 females, with 13 students from outside of California.

JP Catholic begins national search for top faculty. Efforts are now underway to recruit top faculty. Read more details ....

JP Catholic is featured in a story in the August 10th issue of Our Sunday Visitor: The article is entitled 'New Catholic colleges seek fidelity, face obstacles, present challenges' Read this article in full ...

Michael Barber to join JP Catholic as Professor of Theology, Scripture and Catholic Thought. Michael has been granted the mandatum by Bishop Robert Brom, bishop of San Diego as an ecclesial recognition of Michael's posture and commitment to teach always in communion with the Church. Michael has an M. A. in Theology from Franciscan University, Steubenville and is in the midst of his Ph.D. in Theology at Fuller in Pasadena, CA. Read more ....

Fr Anthony Saroki to serve on the Board of Trustees of JP Catholic at the proposal of Bishop Robert Brom. Fr Saroki, ordained a priest in 2005, earned a BA in Government from Georgetown University and a JD from UC Berkeley. Beginning July 1, 2006, he will serve full time as Director of Priestly Vocations for the Diocese of San Diego. Read more ....

Fr Richard Huston to provide chaplain services at JP Catholic. Fr Huston, a priest from the Diocese of San Diego, at the request of Bishop Robert Brom, will provide chaplain services at JP Catholic. He is a senior priest at Good Shepherd Parish. Read more ....

Deacon Frank Mercardante to serve on the Board of Trustees of JP Catholic. Deacon Frank is a forty year banking and financial services veteran. He most recently served as founder and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Community Bancorp and Southwest Community Bank. Ordained a permanent deacon in May 1987, he serves at St. Mark parish in San Marcos and was recently appointed Financial Officer for the Diocese of San Diego. Read more ....

Alan Lane to join JP Catholic as COO & CFO. Alan was recently President and COO of Southwest Community Bancorp. Before that Alan was CEO of Financial Data Solutions, Inc., a recently divested subsidiary of Southwest Community Bancorp. Prior to joining Southwest Community Bancorp, he was President/CEO of Business Bank of California until the bank's sale to Union Bank of California in early 2004. Read more about Alan...

JP Catholic moves into its first facility. JP Catholic occupies a 4,400 sq. foot facility that is located at 10174 Old Grove Road in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego. It includes a chapel, classroom, library, kitchen, 2 conference rooms, 9 offices and a reception area. We will expand to 7,400 sq. feet in the Fall of 2007 to house additional classrooms and a film lab. The centrally located facility is within walking distance of the apartments that will be used for students residences, Alliant University and Miramar College and is well served by public transportation. It is very close to a number of large public parks and major shopping.

JP Catholic Scholarship fundraising gala

Pictured at the JP Catholic Scholarship fundraising gala on Sept 25th are: Fr Darrin Merlino CMF; Gala Speaker; Dr Derry Connolly, President of JP Catholic University; Fr Mitch Pacwa SJ, Gala keynote speaker and renowned TV host, author and scholar; Abbott Charles Wright OSB, who gave the opening invocation.

October 2005 - After much anticipation, JP Catholic has begun to recruit its inaugural freshman class of 60 students. On 10/25/2005, JP Catholic receives temporary Approval to Operate a Degree Granting Institution in California from the State of California's Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). The first draft was submitted on July 6, 2004.

JP Catholic is a niche university, with an academic focus on Communications Media, Business and Technology. Its hallmark is its uncompromising commitment to being faithfully Catholic.

09/17/2005: Over 200 attend JP Catholic Scholarship Endowment Gala - read more

06/11/2005: New Catholic University adopts a permanent name - John Paul the Great Catholic University. Read more