Madonna University was founded in 1937, in the Felician Central Convent in Livonia, with a first year enrolment of 18 Sisters. The university instituted master's-level programs in 1982 and attained university status in 1991. Madonna University is an acknowledged leader in nursing education at the state, regional, and national levels. Currently, the institution has grown to become one of the USA’s largest Franciscan universities with a combined student body of around 3,000 students. The mission of Madonna University is to instil intellectual inquiry, a respect for diversity, and a commitment to serving others through a liberal arts education, integrated with career preparation, all of it based on the truths and principles recognized within the Felician Franciscan tradition. Madonna University receives its institutional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).