Emmanuel College history

The trustees of the college were incorporated by the state in 1921.

It was established as a result of the formation of The United Church of Canada in 1925 and formed with the intention of continuing the tradition of theological education established earlier by Canadian Methodists and Presbyterians.

The Calendar for 1927-28 of Emmanuel's antecedent, Union Theological College, described the College as "an organ by which the Church trains its young men for the ministry and promotes theological learning." Much has changed at Emmanuel since that time.

Emmanuel College was founded in 1928.

In 1933 the school was reopened as a high school and junior college, with the Reverend Thomas Lee Aaron as president.

In 1949, the college completed the construction of Alumnae Hall; this science center, the first building constructed on campus after the original Administration Building, signified Emmanuel's strength in the sciences, which continues today.

The Cardinal Cushing Library was also dedicated in 1965.

The administration of President Drum saw the completion of the present campus quadrangle, the recruitment of an excellent faculty, and the achievement of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in 1967.

By 1968, residential students outnumbered commuters for the first time.

The United Church no longer educates for ministry in isolation but cooperatively since 1969 in the Toronto School of Theology.

With the retirement of President Drum in January 1970, Doctor Culbreth Young Melton became the sixth president of the institution.

A new relationship with the University was established in 1978 when it agreed through the Toronto School of Theology to award conjoint degrees with the T.S.T. member colleges.

The first female undergraduates were admitted in 1979, with postgraduate women in the mid–'70s.

In 2001, the College officially became a coeducational institution, expanding its educational mission to include young men in its undergraduate arts and sciences program.

Emmanuel developed an ambitious building campaign featuring the state-of-the-art Jean Yawkey Student Center, which opened in 2004 as the first new building on campus in 35 years.

In 2009, the College partnered with the City of Boston to restore Roberto Clemente Field, across the street from campus, to serve as Emmanuel's home athletic field.

In 2010, Emmanuel launched its new Canadian Certificate of Muslim Studies program, which became the Muslim focus in the Master of Pastoral Studies program.

In 2015, Emmanuel introduced the Diploma in Buddhist Mindfulness and Mental Health, which became the Buddhist focus in the Master of Pastoral Studies program.

In 2016, Julie Hall was torn down to make way for a new apartment-style 18-floor residence hall.

In 2018, the College opened it's newest and largest building, an 18-story, apartment-style residence hall for upperclass students, on the site where Julie Hall once stood.

And in 2019, the College marked it's Centennial with celebrations that reflected on 100 years of transformative educational experiences and the bold, entrepreneurial spirit that enabled the College to thrive amid changes in society and in higher education.