Saint Martin's patron saint is
Saint Martin of Tours, a fourth-century monk and missionary. The university and its founder,
Saint Martin's Abbey, sit on of woodlands, trees, rocks, and meandering trails. The site was selected in 1894 by Abbot Bernard Locnikar of
Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville,
Minnesota, which was the mother abbey of St. Martin's Abbey. At a
public auction on April 21, 1894, the wooded parcel that would become the Saint Martin's campus was purchased for $6,920. Work began on Saint Martin's first building in January 1895. By late summer, a four-story structure housing both the school and a monastery was completed. The school at that time offered preparatory classes for boys, plus commercial and classical education for older boys and young men. Boarding students who came from outside of town also were housed in the campus' one large building. Today, that structure is referred to as Old Main and continues to house many of the university's classrooms and offices.
Presidents • 1955–1959 Damian Glenn • 1959–1964 Dunstan Curtis • 1964–1971 Michael Feeney • 1971–1975 Matthew Naumes • 1975–1980 John Scott • 1980–1984 John Ishii • 1984–2005 David Spangler • 2005–2008 Douglas Astolfi • 2008–2008 David Spangler (interim) • 2009–2022 Roy F. Heynderickx • 2022–2023 Jennifer Bonds-Raacke • 2023–2024 Kilian Malvey and Roy F. Henderickx as interim co-presidents • 2024– Bill Brownsberger ==Academics==