Colby-Sawyer College history

In May of 1838, the Academy welcomed its first students led by Susan Colby, the Academy's first teacher and lady principal as well as the daughter of one of the Academy's founders.

In 1854, the Ladies Boarding House (later called Heidelberg) was built on what is now the New London green to accommodate up to 40 female students and the female faculty.

In 1858, the New Hampton Literary and Theological Institution moved to Fairfax, Vermont, and the New Hampshire Baptists, with encouragement from former Governor Anthony Colby and New London's Baptist minister, Ebenezer Dodge, assumed responsibility for the Academy.

In 1870, a brick Academy building was dedicated, located on the present site of Colgate Hall.

The New London Literary and Scientific Institution was in 1878 renamed Colby Academy in tribute to the ongoing support of the Colby family of New London.

Financed by Mary (”Mellie”) Colgate, Colgate Hall was completed and dedicated in 1912, named in honor of the Colgate family whose members were dedicated supporters of the college.

After 90 years as a secondary school, Colby Academy trustees voted in 1927 to transform Colby Academy into a junior college and preparatory school for women.

In 1928, after ninety years as a coeducational academy, Colby Academy became a junior college for women.

In 1930, 14 women received the first associate degrees conferred by Colby School for Girls.

In 1931, Colby Hall was built, a residence hall named in honor of the Colby family.

In 1933, by an act of the New Hampshire Legislature, Colby School for Girls was changed to Colby Junior College for Women.

In 1934 Burpee Hall was built, dedicated to the Burpee alumni, and trustees.

In 1943, the college charter was amended by the New Hampshire General Court to allow the granting of baccalaureate programs.

The Board of Trustees changed the name of the institution to Colby College-New Hampshire in 1973.

In 1975 the college was renamed Colby-Sawyer in honor of its first president and in recognition of its enlarged mission.

The Windy Hill School, a child study lab school, was established in 1976 as a site for teacher internships and student practica.

In 1989, the Board of Trustees voted to admit both men and women, returning the college to its coeducational roots.

In 1990, the Ware Campus Center, formerly the Library-Commons building, was dedicated to Judge Martha Ware.

Anne Ponder became the seventh president of the college in March 1996; she extended the college's contiguous land holdings to 190 acres (0.77 km), to build and dedicate Lawson Hall, and to enhance academic facilities and programs.

In 2004, the Curtis L. Ivey Science Center opened, and the student lodge was renamed the Lethbridge Lodge in honor of trustee and friend, George “Bud” Lethbridge.

Tom Galligan joined Colby–Sawyer College as its eighth president in August 2006.

Colby-Sawyer was featured in the 2007 edition of United States News & World Report's "Great Schools, Great Prices" category of the top comprehensive baccalaureate colleges in the North.

The Windy Hill School is now housed in the college's first building designed to be LEED silver certified (opened 2010) and remains one of the few lab schools in northern New England.

In July 2016, President Galligan was succeeded by Doctor Susan D. Stuebner as the ninth president.

Of the 179 students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Colby - Sawyer College in 2020, 7 of them were history majors.