University of Scranton
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University of Scranton

The University of Scranton is a private Jesuit university in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1888 by William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. In 1938, the college was elevated to university status and took the name The University of Scranton. The institution was operated by the Diocese of Scranton from its founding until 1897. While the Diocese of Scranton retained ownership of the university, it was administered by the Lasallian Christian Brothers from 1888 to 1942. In 1942, the Society of Jesus took ownership and control of the university. During the 1960s, the university became an independent institution under a lay board of trustees.

The university is composed of three colleges that each contain both undergraduate and graduate programs. It offers 65 bachelor's degrees, 29 master's degrees, and 4 doctoral programs.

The university enrolls approximately 6,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Most of its students are from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. In 2016, about 58% of its undergraduate students were women and 42% men. In its graduate programs, about 62% are women students and 38% men. The university has about 300 full-time faculty members, approximately 200 of which are tenured.

In 1888 the first bishop of Scranton, William O'Hara, began construction of St. Thomas College, the predecessor of the University of Scranton. In September 1892 the college admitted its first students, 62 young men. Staffing passed from diocesan priests and seminarians, to Xaverian Brothers, and after 1897 to Lasallian Christian Brothers. In 1897 the school was broken into three divisions: the college department, a two-year commercial program, and St. Thomas High School which remained open until 1939. Jesuit priest Daniel J. MacGoldrick came from Georgetown University to serve as president from 1895 until his death in 1900. The college awarded degrees through other colleges until 1924, when it received a State charter to grant bachelor's degrees in arts and science, and the master of science. In 1938, the Christian Brothers renamed the college "University of Scranton" and began admitting women to the evening division.

The Drama Club began productions in 1893. The Aquinas began as a literary monthly in 1915, furnishing also a yearbook edition, evolving into a student newspaper in 1931, and by the 21st century adding a web edition. The current Windhover yearbook was first published in 1948 and named for the bird's loyalty to its master. The Glee Club dates to 1925. In 1931 the college band began playing at sports events and presenting a spring concert. Three members of the university faculty began producing Best Sellers: The Semi-Monthly Book Review in 1941; it remained in print until 1987.

In 1942 governance of the University of Scranton passed over to the Society of Jesuits. In 1944 Scranton Preparatory School was founded, with its first quarters in a former private hospital building; it moved to its present location in 1963 and became independent of the university in 1978.

With the influx of veterans after World War II, three barracks were constructed on the former Scranton Estate and served as classroom space over the following 15 years. After 1946 the athletic teams ceased to be the Tomcats and were called the Royals after the purple color of their uniforms. The Graduate School opened in 1950, soon adding programs in Education, Business Administration, Chemistry, History, and English; all admitted women from the start. In 1951 an Army ROTC unit was established and made obligatory for non-veterans through freshman and sophomore years.

An expansion plan, beginning at $5,000,000, produced fifteen new buildings between 1956 and 1966, with Loyola Hall of Science in 1956 and the first residence halls for students in 1958: Casey, Fitch, Martin, and McCourt. Three years later Denis Edward, Hafey, Lynett, and Hannan residence halls were added. With the death of Worthington Scranton in 1958, the university acquired the remainder of his properties. Alumni Memorial Library was completed in 1960 and Gunster Memorial Student Center in 1961, including the 400-seat Eagen Auditorium. In 1962 the five-storey classroom building St. Thomas Hall was built, which included St. Ignatius Loyola Chapel. At this time the original Wyoming Avenue properties were completely vacated. New construction extended to Driscoll and Nevils residence halls in 1965, raising on-campus housing to 650 male students. In 1967 the first varsity athletic center was completed and named after former president John J. Long who had led the building campaign over more than a decade.

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