Carroll College history

In September 1910, Mount Saint Charles College opened its doors for classes.

The first college student graduated in 1916.

There are the first of many honor societies to be formed in the 1920s.

With a generous gift from the late R. Jack Sneeden ’50 and his wife, Cherrill Swart Sneeden ’50, the college begins restoration of the Sneeden House, a magnificent 1922 colonial home now used as a guesthouse and conference center.

To go along with this change, on May 15, 1923, St Ignatius College was renamed Cleveland University for a time.

In 1925, the first copy of The Carroll News was published.

Thanks to the business sense of John J. Bernet, general chairman of the building committee and Herman R. Neff, chairman of the preliminary campaign, $1,400,000 in pledges was secured by 1929.

Since financial success was evident, the building of the new campus began by laying the cornerstone on July 5, 1931.

In 1932, the school’s name was changed to Carroll College in honor of its founder.

Earthquake Damage to Carroll College, 1935

William Arthur Ganfield becomes president and will hold the position until 1939.

In 1943, with the war in full swing, the campus was shut down to students, but opened its doors to the Navy, when its V-12 program was established.

In 1945, upon reopening the school after the war, the School of Business, Economics, and Government was established.

He will hold this office until 1946.

In 1947, a temporary gymnasium was erected on the original chapel foundation.

In 1949, the Evening College was established.

Nelson Vance Russell becomes president and will hold office until 1951.

Olive J. Van Male in memory of their son James R. Van Male of the class of 1954.

Dennis Punches, class of 1958, pledges $1 million to build an outdoor track along Grand Avenue.

In 1961, Grasselli Library opened its doors.

He will hold office until 1967.

1969 saw the completion of a Student Activities Annex which included a student bar known as the “Airport Lounge,” Little Theater, Development and Alumni offices, and Military Science.

John T. Middaugh becomes president and will hold office until 1970.

In 1971, the Fritzsche Religious Center opened.

The first group of women graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1972.

The William H. Johnson Natatorium was built to house the campus swimming pool in 1975.

In 1978, a new dormitory was built and named North Hall.

In 1982, Cleveland businessman Walter Sutowski’s gift of one million dollars brought the American Values Campaign over its goal of $8.4 million.

In 1984, a $2.1 million grant from the Mellen Foundation of Cleveland endowed a chair in finance in the School of Business.

1986 marked an amazing accomplishment as the University celebrated its Centennial.

He will hold office until 1988.

The 1989 Helena train wreck caused significant damage to Carroll, notably to Guadalupe Hall, the women's dormitory at the time.

Dan C. West becomes president and will hold office until 1992.

In 1994, the T.P. O’Malley, S.J., Center for Communications and Language Arts was opened and dedicated.

The John G. and Mary Jane Breen Learning Center, an addition to Grasselli Library that doubled its size, was dedicated in 1995.

Frank S. Falcone becomes president and will hold office until 2006.