Manhattanville University is a

private university Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grant (money ...

Purchase, New York Purchase is a hamlet in the town and village of Harrison, in Westchester County, New York, United States. One myth explains that its name is derived from Harrison's purchase, where John Harrison was to be granted as much land as he could ride in ...

, United States. Founded in 1841 as a school at 412 Houston Street in

Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan (also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York) is the southernmost part of Manhattan, the central borough for business, culture, and government in New York City, which is the most populated city in the United States with ...

, it was initially known as the Academy of the Sacred Heart. In 1917, the academy received a charter from the Regents of the State of New York to raise the school officially to a collegiate level, granting degrees as the College of the Sacred Heart. In 1937, it became known as Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart, and from 1966 to 2024 as Manhattanville College. In 1952 it moved to its current location in the hamlet of Purchase, New York, a suburb north of

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. Purchase is inside the town and village of Harrison in

Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population o ...

. Approximately 1,100 undergraduate and 900 graduate students attend Manhattanville, with students coming from 45+ countries and 35+ American states. The architectural and administrative centerpiece of the Manhattanville campus is Reid Hall (1864) which was named after Whitelaw Reid, publisher and owner of the '' New-York Tribune'', one of the leading newspapers in the nation for a century. Next to Reid Hall stand academic buildings on one side and on the other residence halls around a central quad designed by the landscape architect

Frederick Law Olmsted Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the USA. Olmsted was famous for co- ...

, also the designer of New York's landmark

Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West Side, Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the List of New York City parks, fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban par ...

in the 1850s and 1860s. Other historic buildings include: the Lady Chapel; the President's Cottage known as the Barbara Debs House; the old Stables; and Water Tower.

History

The Academy of the Sacred Heart (1841–1917)

Manhattanville University traces its origins to an Academy of the Sacred Heart founded over 175 years ago on the Lower East Side of

. In August 1841 the

Society of the Sacred Heart , image = RSCJnuevo.jpg, , image_size = 150px , caption = , abbreviation = Post-nominal letters: RSCJ , formation = , founder = Saint Sr. Madeleine Sophie Barat, R.S.C.J. ...

(RSCJ), a Catholic religious order dedicated to the education of young women, established an academy at 412 Houston Street, near the corner of Mulberry Street, in the tightly packed warren of narrow streets in the southeast corner of

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

Island facing the

East River The East River is a saltwater tidal estuary in New York City. The waterway, which is actually not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates the borough of Queens ...

. This location was chosen, in part, due to its proximity to Old Saint Patrick's Cathedral. In September 1844 the boarding school moved to Ravenswood in the Astoria section of

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

. Archbishop John Hughes counted "upon Ravenswood becoming the leading Academy for young Ladies" in the Archdiocese of New York. However, within two years the location proved too remote. Of particular concern was that students were often deprived of the Mass. John McCloskey, the newly installed coadjutor bishop of New York, would personally travel there when he could, but even he "could not supply for all their spiritual needs." In 1847, the growing Academy relocated to the former estate of Jacob Lorillard in the village of Manhattanville on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in what was then a rural village. It occupied this site from 1847 to 1952 and it is from this location that the university derives its current name. At that time, the village of Manhattanville was still eight miles north of New York City, which clustered around the south end at the Battery of

Manhattan Island Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. By the time of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, (1861–1865), the Manhattanville Academy counted 280 girl pupils. The academy was always diverse with a substantial proportion of the student body consisting of recent immigrants from

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

and

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. In 1880, the academy began offering a two-year post-high school program for its young women students, foreshadowing a future in higher education. Over the next century New York City expanded, transforming the area from a farming village to a neighborhood in West Harlem. The Convent Avenue campus was located between 130th and 135th streets. The eastern border was Convent Avenue and its western border St. Nicholas Terrace. In 1949 proceedings began to incorporate the campus into the existing City College campus. Today it is known as the South Campus of City College. The final remaining buildings from the Manhattanville era are Park Hall (then known as Benziger) and Mott Hall (the Parish School during Manhattanville's time). Ccnysc1

The College of the Sacred Heart (1917–1937)

In the early 20th century, higher education opportunities for women increased as many formerly academies, seminaries, institutions and lower schools transitioned to the status of colleges. Shortly before the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

declared war on the

German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

and entered the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, on March 1, 1917, the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Manhattanville received a Provisional Charter from the Regents of the State of New York to offer undergraduate degrees as "The College of the Sacred Heart". The first baccalaureate degrees were granted in 1918. The Absolute Charter was signed May 29, 1919. As the college grew, the city of New York also expanded northward, toward the far north end of Manhattan Island towards the Harlem River transforming the surrounding area from a rural village to diverse residential/commercial communities of Manhattan bordered by the

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

and

Morningside Heights Morningside Heights is a neighborhood on the West Side of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Morningside Drive to the east, 125th Street to the north, 110th Street to the south, and Riverside Drive to the west. Morningside ...

neighborhoods. In 1935, The College of the Sacred Heart was accredited by the prestigious Association of American Universities. The name was officially changed to "Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart" in 1937.

Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart (1937–1966)

Racial justice (Manhattanville Resolutions)

In the 1930s, the Manhattanville student body consisted of approximately 200 female students. Though small, the college made headlines across the country for taking a strong position promoting racial equality decades before the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

of the late 1950s, into the 1960s and 1970s. In May 1933, students created the " Manhattanville Resolutions" a document that pledged an active student commitment to racial justice. This commitment was tested when the first Negro woman student was admitted to the college in 1938. Alumnae response to a racially integrated but all-female student body was mixed and somewhat controversial for a time. While the vast majority of letters praised Manhattanville for its courageous action, college president

Grace Dammann Grace Cowardin Dammann, Society of the Sacred Heart, RSCJ (1872-1945) was a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart, Society of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) and a president of Manhattanville College. She was a long time Civil rights movement, civil r ...

viewed the negative responses as an opportunity to open hearts and minds. At the annual Class Day reunion on May 31, 1938, she delivered a passionate speech entitled "Principles Versus Prejudices." She stated that education is the key to rising above prejudices.

"The more we know of man's doing and thinking throughout time and throughout the world's extent, the more we understand that beauty and goodness and truth are not the monopoly of any age nor of any group nor of any race."

The speech went on to be published in several national publications and established Manhattanville as a leader in higher education and human rights. When Dammann died suddenly in 1945, ''The New York Times'' obituary summarized her life's work with the headline, "Mother Dammann, College President: Head of Manhattanville Since 1930 Dies--Champion of Racial Equality." Manhattanville would continue its work in social action first through the National Federation of Catholic College Students and to this day with the Duchesne Center for Religion and Social Justice and the Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action. Mary Louise (Mamie) Jenkins, RSCJ was the first African American student to graduate from Manhattanville and June Mulvaney was the first African American student to major in Russian at Manhattanville.

Growth

As was the case for many colleges following World War II, neighboring

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, Cit ...

(CCNY-part of the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

) struggled to accommodate the growing college student population on its campus. In 1946, the

Mayor of New York City The mayor of New York City, officially Mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property ...

formed a special commission to investigate the resource needs of the city's public education institutions. Their recommendations would have particularly extensive ramifications for the future of the neighboring Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart. In February 1949, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' reported that City College was campaigning to acquire the Manhattanville campus to expand their facilities. The same month, CCNY distributed a pamphlet, entitled "No Other Place to Go: A City College Plea for Purchase of the Manhattanville Property". The New York City Board of Estimate agreed and deeded the campus to City College via the legal process of condemnation and eminent domain. In September 1949, the Manhattanville Board of Trustees purchased the Whitelaw Reid Estate, north of the city in suburban

. The next two years saw condemnation proceedings work through the New York State Supreme Court system. Manhattanville was eventually given near $8.8 million ($8,808,620) for the Manhattan campus and buildings. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the new campus near Harrison, in

on May 3, 1951. The new campus with its buildings were renovated and other construction was completed in October 1952.

Manhattanville College (1966–present)

With additional facilities and space to grow, the student population increased from 400 women students in 1950 to 700 students by 1960. Over the course of the next decade, the student population doubled once again, reaching 1,400 students by 1970. Manhattanville was a microhistory of the societal transformation in the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, higher education, and American society as a whole during the 1960s. In 1966, the college's board of trustees voted to amend the school charter and remove the words "of the Sacred Heart" from the official college name. This marked an important moment in the

secularization In sociology, secularization (or secularisation) is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions. The ''secularization thesis'' expresses the ...

of the college. Between 1966 and 1970, the Manhattanville administration oversaw the gradual removal of Catholic symbols and traditions from the campus. Although the college had been operated by an independent board of trustees since its founding in 1841, it was strongly identified with the Church and these changes were difficult for the community. By 1969, the college's charter was expanded to include the admitting education of both women and men. The first coeducational freshman class entered Manhattanville in August 1971. In 1973, the student academic experience evolved due to an important campus study funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Interviews with the Manhattanville community led to the development of the Portfolio System, a personalized and guided self-assessment charting the development of each student. Today the ATLAS program continues this tradition. In 1965, the college introduced its first graduate program, a Masters of Arts in Teaching and in 1993, the first graduate programs in business were offered. The first doctoral program was introduced in 2010 with the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the School of Education. In 2012, Manhattanville's Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Degree Program was formally approved. On April 3, 2024, Manhattanville College became Manhattanville University. The change was made possible, in part, because of an update in 2022 to the state Board of Regents' definition of a university.

Presidents

Since its chartering as a college in 1917, Manhattanville has had 16 presidents, including acting presidents, one of whom also served as interim president for a period of time: # Mary Moran (1917–1918) #Ruth Burnett (1918–1924) # Charlotte Lewis (1924–1930) #

(1930–1945) #

Eleanor O'Byrne Mother Eleanor O'Byrne R.S.C.J. (September 12, 1896 October 4, 1987) was a civil rights activist and the fifth president of Manhattanville College. She was best known for her efforts to reform the American educational system in order to provide ...

(1945–1965) #Elizabeth McCormack (1966–1974) # Harold Delaney (1974–1975) #

Barbara Knowles Debs Barbara Knowles Debs, Ph.D. (born in 1931) is an American art historian who was the president of Manhattanville College from 1975 to 1985. She was the president of the New-York Historical Society from 1989 to 1992. She serves on the board of dire ...

(1975–1985) # Jane C. Maggin (acting) (1981–1982) # Marcia Savage (1985–1995) # Richard Berman (1995–2009) # Molly Easo Smith (2009–2011); Robert Hall (acting) (2011) # Jon Strauss (2011–2016) # Michael E. Geisler (2016–2022); Louise Feroe (acting; interim) (Summer 2021; 2022-2023) # Frank Sanchez (2023–Present)

Current campus

Reid Estate (1860–1949)

Manhattanville purchased its current 100-acre campus in 1949. The first European owner of the parcel of land was

Ben Holladay Benjamin Holladay (October 14, 1819 – July 8, 1887) was an American transportation businessman responsible for creating the Overland Stage to California during the height of the 1849 California Gold Rush. Ben Holladay created a stagecoach ...

who bought the estate in the 1860s and named its Ophir Farm after a silver mine in Nevada. The Holladay family built a mansion called Ophir Hall, family chapel, and several outbuildings. However, after several family deaths and financial difficulties, Ben Holladay left the estate in 1873. In 1888 Whitelaw Reid and his wife Elisabeth Mills Reid purchased the property. Whitelaw was editor of ''

The New York Tribune The ''New-York Tribune'' was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the dom ...

'' and served various political positions including ambassador to France and England. Elisabeth was the daughter of Darius Ogden Mills, founder of The Bank of California. The Reids remodeled the existing Ophir Hall and outfitted it with the latest home luxuries, including electricity. However, shortly before completion, faulty wiring sparked a fire that destroyed the home on July 14, 1888. The Reids rebuilt under the direction of the famed architectural firm of

McKim, Mead & White McKim, Mead & White was an American architectural firm that came to define architectural practice, urbanism, and the ideals of the American Renaissance in fin de siècle New York. The firm's founding partners Charles Follen McKim (1847–1909), Wil ...

. This home was designed in the style of a gothic castle and built onto the existing foundation. The Castle was completed in 1892. A three-story addition including the East Library and West Room was completed in 1912. Whitelaw Reid died while serving as the ambassador to England in 1912. Elizabeth Mills Reid died in 1931 and the contents of the house were auctioned in 1935. In 1947 the Reid family placed the estate for sale. Reid Castle was dedicated to Elisabeth Mills Reid on September 19, 1969. In 1974 the U.S. Department of the Interior placed the building on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its historical and architectural significance.

Purchase Campus (1952–present)

After moving from Manhattan, the new Manhattanville campus relocated to suburban

in Westchester County. The new campus was completed in 1952 with six buildings: a renovated Reid Castle for use as an administration building, the library, the academic building, Brownson Hall; the music building Pius X Hall; Benziger Dining Hall, and Founders Dormitory. The increasing student population led to the addition of the Spellman Hall dormitory in 1957. The Kennedy Gymnasium, also completed in 1957, was made possible through a grant from the Lieutenant Joseph Kennedy Jr. Foundation. The Kennedy family dedicated the gymnasium in honor of their daughter, Kathleen, Marchioness of Hartington. The dedication for both the Kennedy Gymnasium and Spellman Hall were held October 27, 1957, and was presided over by

Francis Cardinal Spellman Francis Joseph Spellman (May 4, 1889 – December 2, 1967) was an American bishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church. From 1939 until his death in 1967, he served as the sixth Archbishop of New York; he had previously served as an auxiliary ...

, Archbishop of New York. In attendance were Joseph P. Kennedy, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy ‘11, Jean Kennedy Smith ‘49, and Ethel Skakel Kennedy ‘49. Edward M. Kennedy delivered the dedication speech. For the first decade in Purchase, the campus worship space was located in the West Room of Reid Castle. The chapel was completed in 1963 and named in honor of the longest serving president of the college Eleanor O’Byrne, RSCJ, whose administration lasted from 1945 to 1966. Dammann and Tenney Halls were the final residence buildings completed in 1966. In 1991, forty-eight faculty and staff housing units added a new dimension to the Manhattanville campus community. On September 26, 2006, the Manhattanville community dedicated the Ohnell Environmental Center. The center includes a classroom housed within a LEED-compliant, non-invasive structure designed by Maya Lin, architect of the Vietnam War Memorial. The project also included a restoration of the Holladay Stone Chapel, which features new stonework and a glass roof providing a unique reflective space on campus. In 2008 the Berman Center was completed. This building currently houses the Communication and Media Department, the Berger Art Gallery, the student-run radio station MVL; the school newspaper, Touchstone; a dance studio and a fitness center. The past several years have seen a variety of campus renovations including improvements to the library, dining facilities, gym, athletic fields, tennis courts and campus walkways. In 2012 the institution welcomed Heritage Hall, a permanent exhibition of the institution's history.

Academics

Manhattanville offers the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and

Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases. Background The Bachelor ...

degrees to undergraduate students and the Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Professional Studies, Master of Science, and Doctor of Education degrees to graduate students. Undergraduates can choose from 45 majors and minors, while graduate students can explore 75 graduate degrees and advanced certificates. Students are also free to design special majors or engage in dual majors.

Graduate programs

The old chapel at Manhattanville College

In addition to its 45 majors and minors of undergraduate study, Manhattanville University offers 75 graduate master's degrees and certificates and an Ed.D. in the School of Education. The university also offers Master's of Science degrees, a

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admini ...

, and a range of dual degree programs. The Institute for Managing Risk and the Women's Leadership Institute provide academic resources skills and events to serve the needs of individuals, organizations and businesses.

School of Nursing and Health Sciences

In 2019 the school began exploring the possibility of opening a nursing school as the nearby College of New Rochelle had permanently closed. In fall 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Manhattanville opened its nursing school. During its first year, in 2020, Manhattanville's School of Nursing and Health Sciences admitted more than 120 nursing students. In January 2021, the institution added a

Family Nurse Practitioner A family nurse practitioner (FNP) provides continuing and comprehensive healthcare for the individual and family across all ages, genders, diseases, and body systems. Primary care emphasizes the holistic nature of health and it is based on knowle ...

(FNP) program that welcomed its first students in the fall 2021. The school offers two degrees in nursing: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for traditional 4-year and transfer students as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for second-degree students who hold a bachelor's degree. In 2021, Manhattanville announced that it reached an agreement with Concordia College to acquire the school's Radiologic Technology (Rad Tech) program and the Rad Tech students from Concordia transferred to Manhattanville to complete their degrees. The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Radiologic Technology is a 122-credit program accredited by the ''Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology'' (JRCERT) and registered with the New York State Department of Education (NYSED). In November 2021, the School of Nursing and Health Sciences received accreditation from the

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is a nursing education accrediting agency in the United States. The CCNE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. CCNE accreditation is a voluntary, self-regulatory process, and the ...

(CCNE) for its Bachelor of Science programs in Nursing. In addition, as of November 2021, the school has a 100 percent pass rate for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), meaning all recent graduates from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Manhattanville who have taken the test have passed the national licensure exam.

Manhattanville Library Rare Book and Manuscripts Room

The Rare Book and Manuscripts Room preserves both manuscripts and printed materials from the Manhattanville University Library. The rare book collection consists of approximately 2,400 titles that span the history of the book in the United States and Europe. Subject fields represented include history, religion, literature, biography, and philosophy. The collection also includes other formats such as periodicals, Jewish pamphlets, government documents, maps, and manuscripts. Particularly noteworthy are five

incunabula In the history of printing, an incunable or incunabulum (plural incunables or incunabula, respectively), is a book, pamphlet, or broadside that was printed in the earliest stages of printing in Europe, up to the year 1500. Incunabula were pro ...

, and several bound manuscript volumes. The latter include individual collections of psalms and prayers intended as an aid to private devotion, known as the ''Books of Hours''. The most notable of these is the ''Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis, Cum Calendario''—also known as the ''Manhattanville Book of Hours''.

Pius X School of Liturgical Music

The Pius X School of Liturgical Music was opened in 1916 and closed in 1960. It was founded by Justine Ward, who had developed teaching methods for Gregorian chant emulating the techniques of the monks in Solesmes, and by Georgia Stevens, a musician and nun. Faculty over the years included Ward, Achille Bragers and André Mocquereau. Thousands of music teachers studied at the school, including

Cecilia Clare Bocard Sister Cecilia Clare Bocard, Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, S.P., (April 13, 1899 – February 15, 1994) was an American musician and composer of works for organ, piano, and chorus. Born Frances Ada Bocard in New Albany, Indian ...

and Thomas Mark Liotta. The school's namesake was

Pope Pius X Pope Pius X ( it, Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of C ...

, a devotee of sacred music who initiated reform of the

liturgy Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

in the 20th century. In 1959,

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...

attended a concert on the college's campus as part of research for The Sound of Music. In 2010 a Gregorian Chant, held in Pius X Hall, as part of Inauguration festivities for a previous President, saw a packed auditorium of alumni, students, and faculty, continuing on the tradition of the Pius X School of Liturgical Music.

Student life

The institution has four residence halls: Founders Hall, Spellman Hall, and two twin buildings (Dammann Hall and Tenney Hall). Most of Spellman Hall is used for housing first-year students, while the remainder of Spellman Hall, and all of Founders Hall, Dammann Hall, and Tenney Hall are occupied by upper-class students. Founders Hall and Spellman Hall use regular-size rooms, while Dammann Hall and Tenney Hall use suites. All four halls, as well as the library and most main buildings, were designed by the architectural firm Eggers & Higgins.

Athletics

Manhattanville is a member of NCAA Division III, competing primarily in the Skyline Conference, the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (men's & women's hockey), and the NECC (Woman's Field Hockey). The department has added ten teams since 2007 and currently sponsors 22 varsity sports: men's and women's basketball, cross country, hockey, indoor track, lacrosse, outdoor track, and soccer; baseball, softball, men's and women's golf, field hockey, women's volleyball and men's and women's tennis. Manhattanville was a charter member of the Skyline Conference, but would eventually leave to join the before leaving to join the MAC Freedom Conference in 2007. In May 2018, Manhattanville announced that they would leave the MAC and return to the Skyline Conference for the 2019–20 academic year.

Publications

The national literary magazine ''Graffiti'' is published at Manhattanville. In addition, MFA program publishes the

literary journal A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry, and essays, along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters ...

, ''Inkwell''. The most recent issue was published in 2021.

Notable alumni

* Karen Akers – singer, actress, Theatre World Award winner and Tony Award nominee ''( Nine, Grand Hotel, Heartburn, The Purple Rose of Cairo)'' * Kathleen Sullivan Alioto – educator, politician, Chairperson of the Boston School Committee * Ann Bermingham – professor emeritus of art history at the University of California, Santa Barbara *

, S.P. – musician and composer of works for organ, piano, and chorus * Jamaal Bowman – educator and congressman for New York's 16th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives * Matt Braunger – actor, writer and stand-up comedian ''( MADtv)'' *

Sarah Brownson Sarah Mary Brownson (June 7, 1839, Chelsea, Massachusetts – October 30, 1876, Elizabeth, New Jersey) was an American writer. She was the daughter of Orestes A. Brownson and the wife of William J. Tenney, whom she married in 1873. She and Te ...

– writer, daughter of

Orestes A. Brownson Orestes Augustus Brownson (September 16, 1803 – April 17, 1876) was an American intellectual and activist, preacher, labor organizer, and noted Catholic convert and writer. Brownson was a publicist, a career which spanned his affiliation wit ...

Meg Bussert Meg Bussert (born October 21, 1949) is an American actress, singer and a university professor. Early life Born in Chicago, Illinois,The Music Man'', '' Brigadoon'', '' Camelot'') * Sila Calderón – politician, businesswoman, and former Governor of Puerto Rico * Adele Chatfield-Taylor – president and CEO of the American Academy in Rome, 1988–2013 * Sook Nyul Choi – children's author * Christine Choy – documentary film maker ('' Who Killed Vincent Chin?'') *

Mary T. Clark Mary Twibill Clark (October 23, 1913 – September 1, 2014) was an American Roman Catholic nun, academic, and civil rights advocate. She was best known as a scholar of the history of philosophy, and was associated especially with Saint Augustine. ...

, RSCJ – academic, scholar of the history of philosophy and civil rights advocate *

Carlon Colker Carlon M. Colker (born June 21, 1965) is an American physician and celebrity doctor, whose practice specialties include internal medicine, integrative medicine, medical nutrition and applied nutritional science, sports medicine, human performance ...

, M.D. – physician and dietary supplement industry consultant * James Badge Dale – film and television actor ('' 24'', '' Rubicon'') * James de Givenchy – jewelry designer and owner of the jewelry company, Taffin *

Rosario Ferré Rosario Ferré Ramírez de Arellano (September 28, 1938 – February 18, 2016) was a Puerto Rican writer, poet, and essayist.

– writer, poet, essayist, professor at the University of Puerto Rico *

Anita Figueredo Anita V. Figueredo (August 24, 1916 – February 19, 2010) was an American surgeon and philanthropist, the first woman medical doctor from Costa Rica and the first woman surgeon to practice in San Diego, California. She was posthumously inducted i ...

– surgeon and philanthropist *

Lindsay Barrett George Lindsay Barrett George (born June 12, 1952) is an American illustrator and author of children's books. George has achieved her greatest notoriety for her ''Long Pond'' and ''Who's Been Here?'' series of books. Her books focus on the themes of natu ...

– award-winning illustrator and author of children's books *

Katharine Gibbs Katharine Gibbs (also Catharine Ryan and Katherine Ryan) (1863–1934) was the founder of Gibbs College, which became a for-profit institution of higher education. Catharine Ryan was born in Galena, Illinois on January 10, 1863, and was the gra ...

– founder of Gibbs College, for-profit institution founded in 1911 * Mindy Grossman – CEO of HSN, Inc., ranked #22 in ''Fortune''s Top People in Business, 2014 *

Mary Hamilton (activist) Mary Lucille Hamilton (October 13, 1935 – November 11, 2002) was an African-American civil rights activist whose case before the U.S. Supreme Court, '' Hamilton v. Alabama'', decided that an African-American woman was entitled to the same court ...

– Freedom Rider, Congress of Racial Equality field secretary, appelant in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, ''

Hamilton v. Alabama (1964) ''Hamilton v. Alabama'', 376 U.S. 650 (1964), is a United States Supreme Court case in which the court held that an African-American woman, Mary Hamilton, was entitled to the same courteous forms of address customarily reserved solely for whites ...

'' * Jane Briggs Hart – aviator *

Marion S. Kellogg Marion S. Kellogg (June 15, 1920 – August 14, 2004) was a management specialist and author who became the first woman vice president of General Electric (GE). Born in Rochester, New York, in 1920, she attended Manhattanville College in Purchase ...

– first woman vice president of General Electric * Rose Kennedy – mother of U.S. President John F. Kennedy *

Ethel Skakel Kennedy Ethel Kennedy (' Skakel; born April 11, 1928) is an American human rights advocate. She is the widow of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a sister-in-law of President John F. Kennedy, and the sixth child of George Skakel and Ann Brannack. Shortly a ...

– widow of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy; founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center * Joan Bennett Kennedy – writer, musician, former wife of U.S. Senator

Edward M. Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Massachusetts for almost 47 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic ...

Janice Lachance Janice Rachel Lachance is an American attorney and government official working as the president of the American Society for Public Administration. She was previously the 13th chief executive of the Special Libraries Association and director of t ...

– CEO of the Special Libraries Association and former Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management *

Mickey Lang Mickey Lang (born August 13, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He has also been a junior ice hockey head coach since retiring as a player. Undrafted out of Manhattanville College, on January 27, 2013, Lang was released ...

– professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Marlies * Maria Elena Lagomasino – CEO of Asset Management Advisors, an affiliate of SunTrust Banks; director of The Coca-Cola Company; former chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Private Bank; 2007 Hispanic Business Woman of the Year * Sean Lavery – composer; Director of Liturgical and Music Development at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Ozamiz in the Philippines; Director of Sacred Music at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland * Hildreth Meiere – architectural artist, muralist and mosaicist; first woman to win the Fine Arts Medal of the American Institute of Architects *

Daryl A. Mundis Daryl A. Mundis served as a Senior Trial Attorney at The Hague as a lead prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Education Mundis received his undergraduate degree from Manhattanville College. While at Manhat ...

– senior trial attorney at The Hague for the

Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević (, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the president of Serbia within Yugoslavia from 1989 to 1997 (originally the Socialist Republic of Serbia, a constituent republic of ...

trial * Rosemary Murphy – film, stage, and television actress ''( To Kill a Mockingbird, Walking Tall,

Eleanor and Franklin ''Eleanor and Franklin'' may refer to: * ''Eleanor and Franklin'' (book), 1971 biography by Joseph P. Lash ** '' Eleanor: The Years Alone'', 1972 companion volume to the previous biography * ''Eleanor and Franklin'' (miniseries), 1976 television ...

)'' * Josie Natori – president of

The Natori Company The Natori Company is a women's fashion designer and manufacturer based in New York City. The company sells lingerie, nightwear, loungewear, ready-to-wear, underwear and other high-end women's fashion to upscale department stores in the US, and ...

* Eileen Niedfield, Medical Mission Sisters nun, physician, and medical missionary (attended but graduated elsewhere). * Olga Nolla – poet, journalist, resident writer at Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) *

Kitty Pilgrim Kathryn Pilgrim, known professionally as Kitty Pilgrim, has worked throughout her career as international journalist and author. She was a CNN anchor and correspondent for 25 years. She has been active in the world of foreign policy, covering ...

– Emmy, Peabody, and duPont award-winning CNN News anchor and correspondent *

Mary Perkins Ryan Mary Perkins Ryan (April 10, 1912 – October 12, 1993) was an American Catholic author, editor, and educator. Biography Mary Perkins was born in 1912 in Boston to Charles Perkins and Elizabeth Ward Perkins, and was educated in New York City at M ...

– Catholic writer and educator *

Nancy Salisbury Nancy Salisbury R.S.C.J. (May 15, 1930 – September 27, 2004) was an American Roman Catholic religious sister, educator and academic. Salisbury entered the Religious of the Sacred Heart in 1952 and professed her final vows in 1960. Educatio ...

RSCJ – educator and academic * Dalmazio Santini – composer * Carol Sauvion – executive producer and director, ''

Craft in America Craft in America, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Carol Sauvion in 2003, and based in Los Angeles, California. Its mission is to document and advance contemporary American craft and traditional craft practices through ...

'', Peabody Award-winning, Emmy-nominated, PBS documentary series * Jane D. Schaberg – feminist biblical scholar; professor of Religious Studies and Women's Studies at the University of Detroit Mercy *

Phyllis Shalant Phyllis Shalant (born 1949) is an American writer of both fiction and non-fiction children's school, scholastic books. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, Shalant has a B.A. from Brooklyn College, 1971 and an M.A. from Manhattanville College, ...

– children's fiction and non-fiction author * Eunice Kennedy Shriver – founder and honorary chairman of the Special Olympics; executive president of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation * Maria Shriver – former first lady of California, noted journalist and activist *

Barbara Boggs Sigmund Barbara Boggs Sigmund (May 27, 1939 – October 10, 1990) was an American writer, Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician, and civic leader. She served as a Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County Freeholder and mayor of the Boro ...

– former mayor of Princeton, New Jersey *

Tina Sloan Tina Sloan (born February 1, 1943) is an American actress, best known for originating and playing the part of Citizens of Springfield, Guiding Light#Lillian Raines, Lillian Raines on the CBS daytime drama ''Guiding Light'' from 1983 until the sh ...

– film and television actress (''

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...

'') * Jean Kennedy Smith – diplomat and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland *

Nan A. Talese Nan Talese (née Ahearn; born December 19, 1933) is a retired American editor, and a veteran of the New York publishing industry. Talese was the senior vice president of Doubleday. From 1990 to 2020, Talese was the publisher and editorial direct ...

– editor *

Brittany Underwood Brittany Underwood (born July 6, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as teenagers Langston Wilde on the daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' and Loren Tate on the Nick at Nite/TeenNick serial drama '' Hollywood ...

– actress and singer (''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

'' and '' Hollywood Heights'') * Carmen Marc Valvo – designer * Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt – socialite, grandmother to

Anderson Cooper Anderson Hays Cooper (born June 3, 1967) is an American broadcast journalist and political commentator from the Vanderbilt family. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news broadcast show ''Anderson Cooper 360°''. In addition to his duties at C ...

Barbara Farrell Vucanovich Barbara Farrell Vucanovich (June 22, 1921 – June 10, 2013) was an American Republican politician who was the first Latina elected to the United States House of Representatives, in which she served representing Nevada from 1983 to 1997. B ...

– U.S. House of Representatives, Nevada 2nd District *

Patricia Nell Warren Patricia Nell Warren (June 15, 1936 – February 9, 2019), also known by her pen name Patricia Kilina, was an American novelist, poet, editor and journalist. Her second novel, '' The Front Runner'' (1974), was the first work of contemporary gay f ...

– novelist ('' The Front Runner''), essayist, lesbian and gay rights activist *

Kathleen Wilber Kathleen H. Wilber (born 1948) is a professor of gerontology and policy planning and development at the University of Southern California. At the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, she holds the title of Mary Pickford Foundation Professor ...

– professor of gerontology, University of Southern California

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Liberal arts colleges in New York (state) Universities and colleges in Westchester County, New York Harrison, New York Private universities and colleges in New York (state) Educational institutions established in 1841 1841 establishments in New York (state) Former Catholic universities and colleges in the United States Sacred Heart universities and colleges Former women's universities and colleges in the United States