[3][4] The institution has retained a close relationship with the Benedictine Order,[5] which bears the name of St. Benedict (480–543 A.D.), the acknowledged father of western monasticism.

The monks created the all-male institution just two years after their community began, with the intention of educating men of Czech and Slovak descent.

While the school was called a college from its founding, it did not begin offering post-secondary courses until after it moved from Chicago to rural Lisle in 1901.

Also in 1957, the institution's high school component began operating independently of the college and is now called Benet Academy.

After recognizing that there is great demand for American business programs overseas, Benedictine joined forces with Shenyang University of Technology and Shenyang Jianzhu University in China to bring Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Management Information Systems programs there.

[11] While the president is confident that this effort will lead to financial stability and an increase in enrollment many remain weary about the possibility of the university closing after more than a century offering undergraduate degrees.

Benedictine University moved to Lisle, Illinois, in the far western suburbs of Chicago and DuPage County, in 1901.

The building also features classrooms, study areas, seminar rooms, offices, a 600-seat auditorium to facilitate lectures, a 40-seat real-time trading lab that provides hands-on investing experience, a 7,500-square-foot main hall and a café.

Edmund and Hilary Jurica, O.S.B., who collected specimens for their students to use during their almost 100 combined years of teaching at Benedictine University, and Fr.

[14] The partnership, which fits into the city's plan to create a "downtown innovation district", included renovation and expansion of Mesa's downtown campus facility at 225 E. Main Street to include space which would be provided "rent-free" to Co+Hoots as a commercial co-working space.

U.S. News & World Report listed Benedictine among its best colleges in 2019 (ranked #221 [tie] in National Universities).

The campus is a member at the NCAA Division III ranks, primarily competing in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) since the 2006–07 academic year.

Benedictine–Lisle competes in 19 intercollegiate athletic programs: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, track & field and volleyball, while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball.

The men's and women's golf, cross country, volleyball and tennis teams played their first season at the club level in the 2014–15 school year.