Manhattanville College history

Since Manhattanville’s inception in 1847, its founders have bequeathed its mission, vision and heritage the symbiotic relationship of academic excellence and social and ethical responsibility to its faculty and students.

In 1880, the academy began offering a two-year post-high school program for its young women students, foreshadowing a future in higher education.

Destroyed by a fire in 1888, the Academy was rebuilt on the same foundation and continued to grow, both in curriculum and physical environment.

The Class of 1915. #mville

Manhattanville College dorm in 1916! #mville

In March of 1917, 76 years after its founding as an academy, Manhattanville was chartered as a college by the New York State Board of Regents, empowering it to grant both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

In May 1933, students created the "Manhattanville Resolutions" a document that pledged an active student commitment to racial justice.

May 16, 1938 Letter of support sent to President Dammann following decision to admit African American student

laurel chain 1945. #mville

In 1946, the Mayor of New York City formed a special commission to investigate the resource needs of the city's public education institutions.

In February 1949 The New York Times reported that City College was campaigning to acquire the Manhattanville campus to expand their facilities.

Campus planning in 1950 for the Purchase campus. #mville #60years

A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the new campus near Harrison, in Purchase, New York on May 3, 1951.

In 1952, the College moved to its current location in Westchester, N.Y., former estate of Whitelaw Reid.

A science lab in 1954. #mville

Kennedy Gym 1957 #mville

Sister Ruth on campus in 1959. #mville

Lani Phelan, Chairman of Social Action Secretariat (Class of 1960) Request for information regarding booklet topics

Manhattanville students participated in the March on D.C. in 1963. #mville

In 1965 the college introduced its first graduate program, a Masters of Arts in Teaching.

Homecoming 1968 #mville #homecoming

By 1969, the College Charter was expanded to include the admitting education of both women and men.

The first coeducational freshman class entered Manhattanville in August 1971.

In 1973 the student academic experience evolved due to an important campus study funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Valiants Basketball 1980. #mville #govaliants

Since 1993, the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, now the School of Business, has developed masters and certificate programs in a variety of professional and business fields.

The first doctoral program was introduced in 2010 with the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the School of Education.