History
Medaille College is a dynamic private, four-year college committed to serving the higher education needs of Western and Central New York, and Southern Ontario. The College is located within the historic Olmsted Crescent in the heart of Buffalo, New York, with branch campuses in Amherst and Rochester. The Institution is known for its flexible delivery systems, offering master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees.
Medaille College traces its roots to 1875, when it was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph as an Institute to prepare teachers. In 1937, the Institute received an absolute charter from New York State and was named Mount St. Joseph Teachers College and was chartered to grant baccalaureate degrees in Education. In 1968, the Sisters of St. Joseph, led by Alice Huber, SSJ, Ph.D., initiated a change in the charter, which would create a new college, accessible to all men and women. The State granted this charter and Medaille College was born.
In the 1970s, Medaille experienced rapid expansion. Since that time, student enrollment has grown tremendously and the Downey Science Building was completed in 1985. In 1991, the College implemented a resident student program, attracting students throughout New York State and Southern Ontario. In 1994, Medaille’s Kevin I. Sullivan Campus Center opened, offering students a perfect setting for athletic, dining, and recreational activities. The Sullivan Campus Center, with its Trbovich Alumni Tower, serves as home to the College’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III sports program. In the fall of 2001, Medaille opened its first on-campus Residence Hall, offering on-campus living for more than 140 students.
With the advent of two branch campuses, the implementation of graduate programs, and a number of new undergraduate programs, the College continues to innovate. Even with increasing interest from students throughout New York, Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario, you’ll still find Medaille to be a place “where everybody knows your name.”
In 2003-04, the College opened a second on-campus residence hall, expanded the Sullivan Campus Center, renovated the Huber Hall Library, added technologically enhanced smart classrooms, remodeled an Agassiz Circle landmark as a new home for the Admissions Office, and installed a new main parking lot and quadrangle greenspace.
Expansion has also continued at Medaille’s branch campuses. With a need for more space and upgraded facilities, the Amherst campus moved to its new location at 30 Wilson Road, Williamsville, NY, in May 2007.
In June 2007, Medaille welcomed its sixth president, Dr. Richard T. Jurasek. He leads a college that graduated a record number of students in 2007, is developing unique graduate programs in Education and Psychology, and continues to increase the number of undergraduate degree offerings.
As one of the fastest growing colleges in the country, Medaille continues to serve as an exciting institution, providing outstanding educational programs for men and women.
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