St. Francis College history

Cornell University, in Ithaca, N.Y., opened in 1868 and was the first American university to be divided into colleges offering different degrees.

When Johns Hopkins University opened in 1876, it was divided administratively into an undergraduate college and a graduate school.

But English universities founded after 1879—commonly called “red brick” universities—have no colleges.

In 1884, just 25 years later, the trustees of St Francis received permission from the state legislature to "establish a literary college" under its current name and giving it the power to confer diplomas, honors, and degrees.

In June 1885, St Francis College conferred its first Bachelor of Arts degree, and seven years later the first Bachelor of Science degree was granted.

In June 1892, the college conferred it first Bachelor of Science degree.

In 1896, St Francis fielded the first collegiate men's basketball team in the New York City.

One of the office buildings went on to become SFC's Administration Building, it was constructed in 1914, by Brooklyn architect Frank Freeman.

The College continued its meteoric growth and built a new facility on Butler Street in 1926.

By 1945-46, the first year with students enrolled in all six classes, the total student population was 88.

Although by 1952, the College Séraphique had graduated young men who went on to enter the priesthood, the Franciscans decided to transform the institution into a four-year liberal arts college, which became St Francis College.

For the first few years they continued the high school, but in 1958 they began to phase it out.

The first male students register (as part-time); by 1959, the college is co-ed.

After these developments the college embarked on an expansion program, in 1960 it was announced that five office buildings in the Brooklyn Civic Center were purchased for $5 million from the Brooklyn Union Gas Company.

In 1961, the college purchased the Herman Behr Mansion in Brooklyn Heights to serve as a residence for the Franciscan Brothers and signaled the move from Cobble Hill to Brooklyn Heights.

In 1963 the college relocated to Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights, where it had purchased five office buildings from the Brooklyn Union Gas Company, allowing it to double its enrollment.

In 1969, the college became a co-educational institution and additional property was purchased on both Remsen and Joralemon Streets allowing enrollment to exceed 3,000 students.