Catholic Studies was still in its earliest years on the St. Paul campus when the first group of students spent a semester in Rome. But the accommodations were temporary and not conducive to community life.
Thanks to a gift from the Bernardi family, St. Thomas purchased a 20,000-square-foot home from a group of Spanish nuns and renovated the interior.
In 2000, Catholic Studies students moved into the Bernardi Campus, named in honor of Antonio and Cecilia Bernardi, parents and grandparents of St. Thomas alumni, including Luigi Bernardi ’85, ’89 MBA. From this home on the Tiber River, more than 1,000 students have been transformed by the cultural, intellectual, spiritual and community life that are foundational to the Rome experience.
In the spring 2025 issue of St. Thomas Magazine, Derrick Diedrich ’21, ’24 CSMA shared how the Bernardi Campus provides a home away from home.
“The Bernardi Campus is such a unique place and reflects all the best of St. Thomas’ ideals and mission,” he said. “Having our own home in the Eternal City and heart of the Church creates one of the best learning environments I have ever had the privilege to be in and an experience of community that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Scan the QR code to read more about St. Thomas’ 25 years in Rome on the Bernardi Campus.
This story is featured in the fall 2025 issue of Lumen.
