Thomas More University history

These plans changed with the arrival of a new bishop in the Diocese of Covington in 1923, Bishop Francis W. Howard.

Villa Madonna graduated its first students in 1929 and became the official college of the Diocese of Covington that same year.

A step toward coeducation occurred in 1934 when Father Leo Streck began offering non-accredited courses to Covington Latin High School graduates.

In 1945, Covington’s new Bishop, William T. Mulloy, appointed Father Thomas A. McCarty the new Dean.

Bishop Mulloy also made another important decision that year. As a result, enrollment grew and by 1946, stood at 224.

The Newman Club grew with the college, and by 1948, was one of the leading religious organizations at Indiana State Teachers College (ISTC). The club activities included regular communion breakfasts, featuring spiritual speakers and seasonal outings at the College Lodge.

In the 1950's, the enrollment at ISTC steadily grew and with it the number of Catholic students.

On March 10, 1951 the Diocese of Greensburg was established from the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The first Mass was celebrated on site November 8, 1958.

In 1964, the school's chancellor, Bishop Richard Henry Ackerman, announced a building program.

FIELD STATION ESTABLISHED in 1967

Although the college was opened in January 1968, dedication ceremonies were held on September 28 with President Lyndon B. Johnson in attendance.

Further developments would await the arrival of Doctor Thomas Coffey as the new president of the college in Fall 1982.

5, 1984, TMU Archives). Far from dismissing business as a secondary field of study at TMC, Doctor Coffey wanted to upgrade it.

26, 1985, TMU Archives). These were things that Doctor Coffey was undoubtedly gratified to hear since he was hoping that this new committee would actually help design the new program center that would integrate the three departments.

Doctor Coffey, however, did not stay at TMC long enough to see this plan through to fruition (he departed in January 1986), though that did not mean that the plan was abandoned.

Seen as equally important was leadership and structure.” Among the most crucial components of the required resources were “upgraded computer assets …” and “computer integration into the curriculum …” (Ostasiewski to Hebert, July 24, 1987, TMU Archives).

But Doctor Bensman’s plan for other divisions was vociferously rejected by the faculty, and this rejection may have been part of his decision to resign from TMC in the spring of 1992.

In 1997, through a grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation, the former Lockhouse underwent a major renovation project, creating the space for what now includes state-of-the-art research laboratories, a classroom, and office.

PROGRAMMATIC GROWTH: RESEARCH EDUCATION and STEM OUTREACH (2000-present)

In 2011, the University completed a capital campaign, raising $1.6M, anchored by a $500K challenge grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation, to build a conference center at the Field Station.

The quality of these departments was affirmed in 2014 when business administration and accountancy were accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, following a self-study.

2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the Field Station.

In June 2018, 35 alumnae of Thomas More College who returned for their 50th Jubilee reunion at Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus spoke with interviewers for the Thomas More College Oral History Project.

Team project members were: Katherine Courter and Clare McCabe (FC 2020); Emma Quinn (FCLC 2020); and their campus coordinator, Lisa Betty, a doctoral student in history at Fordham.