Saint Louis University Timeline
200 Years of Seeking Truth and Transforming Lives.
1818
博彩网址大全 becomes the first institution of higher learning west of the Mississippi River when Saint Louis Academy (later known as Saint Louis College) is founded in a private residence near the Mississippi River at the request of the Rev. Louis William DuBourg, Catholic Bishop of Louisiana.
The history of 博彩网址大全's College of Arts and Sciences dates back to the original Saint Louis Academy.
1829
The Society of Jesus assumes control of the college, and Father Peter J. Verhaegen, S.J., becomes the school's first Jesuit president.
18291832
The college, now Saint Louis University, receives a formal charter from the State of Missouri, becoming the first university west of the Mississippi River. 博彩网址大全 also begins offering the first graduate programs west of the Mississippi River.
1841
St. Francis Xavier College Church, also known as College Church, is founded at Ninth Street and Washington Avenue. Construction on the current church building in Midtown begins in 1884 and is completed in 1914.
1867
University authorities purchase a tract of land at Grand and Lindell boulevards in preparation for a move from downtown to 博彩网址大全's current location.
18671888
DuBourg Hall opens on July 31, the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. Though now home to 博彩网址大全's administration, the building at its opening contained the whole of the University's operations, including classrooms, laboratories, a museum and library, and dormitories for both students and the Jesuit faculty.
1903
博彩网址大全 acquires the Marion-Sims-Beaumont College of Medicine, located at Grand Boulevard and Caroline Street.
1903
1908
The Saint Louis University School of Law admits five female students -- the first women to attend Saint Louis University.
The Billiken, Saint Louis University's mascot, is created by American art teacher and illustrator Florence Pretz. Learn more about the Billiken's unique history.
1910
The School of Commerce and Finance, the precursor to the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, is founded. It is the first business school west of the Mississippi River.
1921
WEW, the oldest radio station west of the Mississippi and the second oldest radio station in the country, hits the airwaves. It was owned by 博彩网址大全 for more than 40 years.
1923
Inez Specking becomes the first female faculty member in Arts and Sciences.
1923
1927
Parks Air College, later to become 博彩网址大全's Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology, is founded at Lambert Field in St. Louis by Oliver "Lafe" Parks. He gives the college to Saint Louis University in 1946. In 2022, Parks College becomes part of 博彩网址大全's School of Science and Engineering. It is the oldest federally certified school of aviation west of the Mississippi River.
1928
The School of Nursing is founded. It goes on to be the first in the United States to establish an accelerated BSN and the first in Missouri to offer a Ph.D. program.
1929
Mother Marie Kernaghan, R.S.C.J. becomes the first woman to graduate from Saint Louis University with a Ph.D. Her degree was in physics.
19291930
The Saint Louis University School of Social Work is founded.
19301932
The University opens the Firmin Desloge Memorial Hospital — later named Saint Louis University Hospital. The hospital, home to accomplishments such as the state's first heart transplant, was sold by the University in 1998.
19321944
Father Claude Heithaus, S.J., delivers a sermon at College Church decrying racial prejudice in America, ultimately leading to the integration of Saint Louis University. That summer, five African-American students are admitted to 博彩网址大全 — two undergraduates and three graduate students — making 博彩网址大全 the first university in any of the 14 former slave states to establish an official policy of integration.
19441946
The University purchases Samuel Cupples House to serve as a student union. Cupples House is later restored and is now open to the public as a historic home and gallery.
1949
The College of Arts and Sciences becomes co-educational. While women had been allowed to attend graduate and select programs since 1908, undergraduate men and women were not allowed to register and attend classes together until this time.
Jesuits from Saint Louis University perform the religious rite that becomes the basis of "The Exorcist" book and movie.
19491950
Anita Lyons Bond becomes the first Black undergraduate student to graduate from Saint Louis University with honors. 博彩网址大全 awarded Bonds, who became a noted civil rights activist, an honorary doctorate of humanities in 2015.
19501956
Marguerite Hall opens as Saint Louis University's first residence hall for women. It becomes the University's first co-ed residence hall in 1971.
1959
The University's Pius XII Memorial Library, honoring His Holiness Pope Pius XII, opens. The Knights of Columbus Vatican Film Library is established there, becoming the first repository of its kind outside of the Vatican itself.
Saint Louis University launches the 1-8-1-8 Plan, now called the 1818 Advanced College Credit Program, offering high school students the chance to earn college credit for certain high school courses. 博彩网址大全's program is the oldest dual credit program in the nation.
19591967
博彩网址大全 becomes the first major Catholic university to give lay and clergy people combined legal responsibility for institutional policy on its board of trustees.
博彩网址大全 establishes a campus in Madrid, Spain. Originally intended as a study-abroad program for U.S. college students, 博彩网址大全-Madrid is now a free-standing campus of Saint Louis University where students from more than 65 countries take undergraduate and graduate courses.
1977
Cecilia "Kitty" Cummings becomes 博彩网址大全's first female Black undergraduate and the first sophomore to be elected Student Government Association President. In 2022, junior Aric Hamilton becomes the first Black male elected to the post.
1977
1979
博彩网址大全's School of Allied Health Professions, now Doisy College of Health Sciences, is founded.
1981
Simon Recreation Center opens.
1988
博彩网址大全 introduces the Presidential Scholarship, a four-year, full-tuition award. Presidential Scholars represent some of the most exemplary student leaders at the University.
19881989
博彩网址大全 founds the Center for Vaccine Development. The Center has been instrumental in developing numerous vaccines that protect public health, including the FluMist nasal spray influenza vaccine and vaccines against smallpox and other potential biological weapons following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
19891990
The first late-night Sunday student Mass is celebrated at St. Francis Xavier College Church. Now a 博彩网址大全 tradition, particularly for undergraduates, the Mass is celebrated each Sunday 博彩网址大全 is in session during the academic year.
Robert R. Hermann Stadium, home to 博彩网址大全's men's and women's soccer teams, is christened.
19901991
博彩网址大全 opens Missouri's first school of public health. Now known as the Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice, it is the only accredited Catholic, Jesuit school of public health in the nation.
19911993
The Joseph G. Lipic Clock Tower Plaza is added to campus, the culmination of a project that closed West Pine Boulevard between Spring and Vandeventer avenues to create a large pedestrian mall.
Saint Louis University's Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (MOCRA) opens. It is the world's first interfaith museum of contemporary art that engages religious and spiritual themes.
19931995
博彩网址大全Care Physician Group is formed as the academic medical practice of Saint Louis University. SSM Health assumes ownership of the physician group in 2022.
1995
2001
Saint Louis University becomes the first location of the national Campus Kitchen Project.
2002
The Saint Louis University Museum of Art, housed in the former St. Louis Club, opens to the public, featuring rotating exhibits, modern and contemporary art, a collection from the Western Jesuit Missions and Asian decorative arts.
2002
2007
The $82 million Edward A. Doisy Research Center, with 80 research labs on 10 floors, opens.
20072008
Chaifetz Arena opens at a cost of $80.5 million. It seats 10,600.
2013
The Saint Louis University School of Law moves to downtown St. Louis. Located in Scott Hall, which is also home to the Saint Louis University Law Library and 博彩网址大全's legal clinics, the law school is situated near the city's Civil Courts Building, criminal courts, City Hall, the U.S. Court of Appeals and the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The University opens its Center for Global Citizenship in what was once the West Pine Gym.
博彩网址大全 grants the world's first Doctor of Philosophy degree in aviation.
2013
2015
The School of Education debuts as a stand-alone unit, returning to the name it started with in 1925.
20152017
博彩网址大全 kicks off its bicentennial celebrations with a Mass under the Gateway Arch — believed to be the first Mass ever celebrated at the St. Louis landmark.
20172018
Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield make a historic $50 million gift to 博彩网址大全, the largest in University history.
20182021
Saint Louis University formally recognizes Juneteenth, commemorating the day in 1865 when more than a quarter-million enslaved people living in the former Confederate state of Texas learned from arriving Union troops that they were free by presidential decree.
博彩网址大全’s first dean of students and trailblazer for women’s rights at 博彩网址大全 Mary Bruemmer dies at the age of 101. As an undergraduate, Bruemmer was the first female editor of the student newspaper and yearbook. During her 34 years as a University administrator and 26 years as a 博彩网址大全 volunteer, she founded the Women's Commission and was named 博彩网址大全’s first Woman of the Year.
2021