About Duchesne...

> HISTORY

In collaboration with the University of Queensland and the Religious of the Sacred Heart and at the direct wish of His Grace, Archbishop Duhig, Duchesne College was founded in 1937, as the first residential University College for Catholic women in Queensland. In 1958 the College was transferred from New Farm to the present site as one of the residential colleges on the campus of the University of Queensland St Lucia.

The College was named after Philippine Duchesne, a valiant French woman, who was instrumental in bringing the Society of the Sacred Heart to America from France in 1818. Her father was an eminent French lawyer, and her mother was a Perier, the family of a later President of France. The name Duchesne, meaning 'of the oak,' inspired the College motto "Robur in luce veritatis" – "Strength in the light of truth" which is a challenge to its students past and present to be strong as Philippine Duchesne was strong in her search for truth. In 1988, Philippine was canonised by the Catholic Church.