Catherine of Siena Virtual College was founded in 2004 by a group of academics who were concerned about the plight of women in the world.

The next few years were devoted to setting up the infra-structures required for such an undertaking.

In 2006 we established the Catherine of Siena Educational Trust in the UK, a registered Educational Charity.

In 2007 a USA Trust was established as Housetop Center for Women's Ministries, a non-profit educational corporation in the State of Ohio.

Our College began with a series of test courses in cyberspace from September 2007. On 7 January 2008 the College was formally opened to students.

Roots in the past

The roots of our Virtual College lie in the experiences of our Trustees, Patrons and Staff. We will indicate some typical examples which are purely indicative and in no way exhaustive.

• Our President, Ursula King, saw first-hand in India, when studying in Delhi in 1969, how the education of women can transform their prospects in cultures dominated by men. She witnessed the same in universities across the globe. Since then she has become one of the most prominent feminist scholars in the world.

• From 1984 Sister Mary John Mananzan, one of our Patrons, gave birth to women-centered programs in the Philippines among them GABRIELA, the Institute of Women Studies, Women Ecology and Wholeness Farm, and the Women Crisis Center.

• Pat Pinsent, our Academic Coordinator, discovered the merit of distance education when she obtained a BA degree by correspondence at the University of London (First Class honors in English) in 1963. She also gained experience as a Tutor at the Open University in the UK while completing her MA and PhD Degrees (London & Surrey).

• Our Joint-Vice President, Deborah Rose-Milavec, is a dedicated feminist. She spent her adult life working to create a more just and peaceful world for women through her work as the Executive Director of a domestic violence prevention agency, peace advocacy, working with youth and young adults to strengthen their educational possibilities and a lifetime of volunteer work with youth and the economically disadvanted.

All our Patrons, Trustees and Staff members recount similar experiences. All have been involved in programmes of educating and liberating women. Our Catherine of Siena Virtual Colleges arises from the life-long commitment of many to empowering women.