The University of Mary is a private, Benedictine university near Bismarck, North Dakota that has 3,852 students. It was established in 1959 as Mary College. The university is the largest degree-granting institution in western North Dakota. It has study-abroad campuses in Rome and Arequipa, Peru, and also operates academic programs at satellite locations in North …The University of Mary is a private, Benedictine university near Bismarck, North Dakota that has 3,852 students. It was established in 1959 as Mary College. The university is the largest degree-granting institution in western North Dakota. It has study-abroad campuses in Rome and Arequipa, Peru, and also operates academic programs at satellite locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Kansas, and Arizona.