Trinity Washington University is a private Catholic liberal arts university for women located in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded in 1897 as Trinity College by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, it was established as the nation's first Catholic liberal arts college for women and was chartered by an Act of Congress on August 20, 1897. Initially an elite women's college attracting students from prominent families, it emphasized rigorous liberal arts education grounded in Catholic values. By the 1980s, facing declining enrollment, the institution pivoted to actively recruit local underprivileged students, expanding access to women from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. In 2004, it was renamed Trinity Washington University to reflect its evolving mission and broader scope, which now includes graduate programs alongside its undergraduate offerings. Today, it continues to operate as a women's undergraduate college while offering coeducational graduate degrees, maintaining its Catholic heritage and commitment to empowering women through education in an urban setting rich with policy and cultural opportunities.