Our day and boarding school is located on the outskirts of Cullman, Alabama, just a few minutes from the historic downtown, and less than an hour from major airports in Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama. On campus, the students enjoy miles of wooded nature trails carved through 900 acres of gently rolling hills.
“I call this our little slice of heaven,” says Fr. Joel Martin, President, with a smile.
Boarding students have the opportunity to visit and shop in Cullman, with school-sponsored trips to the city. In 2024, Site Selection Magazine ranked Cullman the #2 micropolitan area in the US. “We have been in the rankings for years,” said Jamie Troutman, Assistant Director of the Cullman Economic Development Agency.
The city of Cullman enjoyed a growth rate of 23% from 2010-2020, and today has just under 20,000 residents. A mild climate, business expansion, and safe streets all contribute to its continued growth.
Just ten miles from Smith Lake Park, area residents enjoy outdoor recreation year round. Known as the “City of Festivals,” over 100,000 visitors come every year for various celebrations, including to visit our own Ave Maria Grotto and Bloomin’ Festival.
After completing their college degrees, many St. Bernard graduates launch careers in Huntsville, especially in science and technology. Our strong graduate presence in Huntsville, just 45 minutes from Cullman, facilitates connections and introductions to many of the largest multinational firms in America.
Our strong alumni presence in huntsville facilitates connections to many of the largest multi-national firms in America.
The city is a hub for space, aeronautics, defense, cyberspace, and chemical engineering. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, QTEC Aerospace, Dynetics, and BASF are just some of the companies with headquarters or a major presence in Huntsville.
Due to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville is nicknamed “The Rocket City.” In their 2023-2024 rankings, US News & World Report named Huntsville the #1 Best Place to Live for Families in the U.S.
There is a misperception that if you want career connections, you have to accept the drawbacks of a boarding school in a major metropolitan city…
“Among international families, there is a misperception that if you want career opportunities and connections in America, you have to accept the drawbacks of a boarding school in a major metropolitan city on the East or West Coast,” observes Fr. Joel, President. “That is not so. We have the safety and beauty of the Cullman area, coupled with connections to alumni who work within some of the largest companies in the world.”