St. Norbert of Xanten, founder of the Norbertine order, was born near Cologne, Germany, around 1080. Born into nobility, Norbert initially lived a life of luxury and dissolution before his dramatic conversion in 1121, which is depicted in a monumental statue on campus.

St. Norbert College, a Catholic liberal arts institution rooted in the Norbertine tradition, was founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Dutch immigrant priest. Established in De Pere, Wis., to educate young men for the priesthood, it soon broadened its mission with a commerce program for lay students to meet the growing educational needs of northeastern Wisconsin. Enrollment expanded rapidly after World War II, leading the college to become coeducational in 1952. Abbot Pennings served as president until his retirement in 1955, and his vision — to foster the personal, moral, and intellectual growth of each student — continues to guide the college today.