University Settlement history

The College Settlement of Philadelphia was founded in 1892 to provide social, cultural and educational programs for the immigrants of South Philadelphia.

The College Settlement Camp was founded in 1922 by Anna Freeman Davies to augment the cultural, educational and recreational programs conducted in the city by The College Settlement of Philadelphia.

In 1926 the Group Services Training Center, (later known as the University Neighborhood Center, and ultimately the University Settlement,) was started by the School of Applied Social Sciences (SASS) of Case Western Reserve University.

In 1953 the settlement completed its main office at 7310 Fleet Ave. which later became the settlement's daycare center.

In 1966, three funds were set up as trusts under Mrs.

Mary Sanders became director in 1982 and moved the agency into the operation of transitional housing with the purchase and remodeling of the Panek Building in the north Broadway area.

In 1993 the settlement's main office was located at 4800 Broadway Ave.; it supported other centers on the city's near west side.

As of 1995, the settlement employed 25 full- and part-time employees, and also sponsored 5 interns from CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV. Mary Sanders served as executive director.

Tracey N. Mason took over the establishment in late 2003 and under Mason’s leadership, The Magic Johnson Foundation named University Settlement as a recipient of a $250,000 grant.