College of Saint Elizabeth history

1903 - The first graduating class (Mary Ennis, Blanche Maskell, Esther Kenna, H. Seton McCabe,) received their degrees.

1907 - The first degrees in education were awarded.

1910 - The very first yearbook, "The Elizabethan" was published.

1915 - The first home economics degree was awarded.

1916 - In honor of the 300th anniversary of the death of The Bard of Avon, the play "Will Shakespeare" was performed at The Plaza Hotel, New York.

1919 - The College's Alumnae Association separated from the Academy of Saint Elizabeth's and held its first official meeting.

1924 - Student Government was created.

1931 - The Shakespeare Garden, designed by Sister Helen Angela Dorety, was completed in which flowers from each of The Bard's plays and poems were represented.

1936 - In celebration of "May Day", the first May queen, Anita McManus was crowned.

Students of all classes gathered in the Greek Theater to dance the maypole, hold "court" and celebrate spring! 1939 - "The Sector" became the College's annual literary journal with poems and stories composed and published by the students.

1943 - Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration was introduced.

1952 - Sister Hildegarde Marie Mahoney became the third president.

1955 - Aqua shows became a form of entertainment complete with costumes, narration, and music, with an interpretation of "Sleeping Beauty" being the first.

1956 - The first alumnae award, the Mother Xavier Award, for outstanding contributions and leadership, was presented and began the tradition of recognizing graduates to this day.

1957 - Father/Daughter Day began and grew into Father/Daughter Weekend with activities including film viewings, casino nights, dances, local outings, Mass, and brunch.

1962 - Henderson Hall opened.

1969 - Mahoney Library opened (in honor of Sister Hildegarde Marie Mahoney.)

1970 - The Continuing Education program was established, which allowed for non-traditional aged women to complete their degrees.

1971 - The 100 Nights to Graduation tradition began, in which seniors "rang" in the countdown to graduation by sneaking into the convent and ringing the bell.

1972-73 - The Rathskellar ("Rath") was created on campus in Saint Joseph Hall.

1975 - The campus community celebrated the canonization of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.

1992 - The first group of students from the Hispanic Leadership Program graduated.

1994 - The College officially became a Holocaust Education Resource Center at the hands of Doctor Harriet Sepinwall and Sister Kathleen Flanagan.

1995 - The College's address and zip code changed from "Convent Station, N.J. 07961" to "2 Convent Road, Morristown N.J. 07960."

2000 - Lizzie the Mascot began appearing at campus and athletic events as well as in "The Station" newspaper with her own advice column.

2010 - The first doctoral degree was awarded in Educational Leadership.

2013 - Doctor Helen J. Streubert became the seventh president and the first lay president of the College.

2014 - Blessed Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich's beatification was held in Newark, New Jersey, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

2016 - Henderson Hall was renovated with state-of-the-art labs, as well as a new chapel dedicated to Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, '23, alum and candidate for sainthood.

2018 - Significant renovations were completed creating: Anastasia Health Science Center, including a 12-bed patient Medical Simulation Center and six-room Patient Evaluation Clinic used by nursing and Master of Science in Physician Assistant students.

2020 - On July 1, 2020, officially became Saint Elizabeth University after receiving university status approval from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.