History of Fordham University in Timeline
Fordham University, a private Jesuit research university located in New York City, was founded in 1841. Named after the Fordham neighborhood in the Bronx, it holds the distinction of being the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the northeastern United States and the third-oldest university in New York City.
June 21, 1904: Approval to Open Law and Medical Schools
On June 21, 1904, the Regents of the University of the State of New York consented to allow the board of trustees to authorize the opening of a law school and a medical school.
1905: Construction of Collins Hall
In 1905, with the construction of Collins Hall, Fordham University became the first place on the East Coast of the United States to have a theater in the round, named the Penthouse Theatre.
March 7, 1907: St. John's College Officially Became Fordham University
On March 7, 1907, St. John's College officially became Fordham University, deriving its name from the village of Fordham where the Rose Hill campus is located.
1907: Founding of Marymount College
In 1907, Marymount College, an independent women's college, was founded by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary.
1908: Fordham University Press Established
In 1908, Fordham University Press was established.
September 1912: Carl Jung Lectures at Fordham
In September 1912, the Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung delivered a series of lectures at Fordham, marking his historic break with the theories of his colleague, Sigmund Freud.
1913: Closure of the College of St. Francis Xavier
In 1913, the College of St. Francis Xavier was closed, and various Fordham colleges were opened at the Woolworth Building in Manhattan to fill the void.
1913: Martin H. Glynn, Governor of New York
Martin H. Glynn became the 40th governor of New York in 1913.
1914: Martin H. Glynn, Governor of New York
Martin H. Glynn was the 40th governor of New York in 1914.
1918: Law School began accepting female students
In 1918, The Law School began accepting female students.
1919: Fordham's Medical School Officially Closed
Fordham's medical school officially closed in 1919.
1919: Closure of Medical School
In 1919, Fordham University closed its medical school due to a lack of endowment and reduced funds resulting from the First World War.
1920: Gabelli School of Business Begins
In 1920, the Gabelli School of Business began in Manhattan as the School of Accounting. Also in 1920, the annual cost for tuition, room, and board at the college was $600.
1928: Recognition of the "Seven Blocks of Granite"
In 1928, Fordham's football team was known for the "Seven Blocks of Granite," a name given to the team's offensive lines.
1929: Football Team Title Holders
The Ram's football team ended the 1929 season as title holders according to college football's fictitious national championship.
1936: The "Seven Blocks of Granite" Offensive Line
In 1936, Fordham's football team featured the "Seven Blocks of Granite" offensive line, coached by "Sleepy" Jim Crowley and including Vince Lombardi.
September 30, 1939: First Televised Football Game
On September 30, 1939, Fordham participated in the world's first televised football game, defeating Waynesburg College 34–7.
1939: First Televised College Football Game
In 1939, Fordham's football team participated in history's first televised college football game.
1940: First Televised College Basketball Game
In 1940, Fordham also participated in history's first televised college basketball game.
1941: Bowl Game Appearance
In 1941, Fordham's football team made a bowl game appearance.
1942: Bowl Game Appearance
In 1942, Fordham's football team made a bowl game appearance.
1944: School of Professional and Continuing Studies Established
In 1944, the School of Professional and Continuing Studies was established, largely bolstered by returning veterans using the GI Bill.
1946: Football Program Reinstated
In 1946, the football program was reinstated after being discontinued during World War II.
1947: WFUV Founded
In 1947, WFUV, Fordham's 50,000-watt radio station broadcasting on 90.7 FM, was founded.
1954: Robert Moses Proposes Fordham Building Near Columbus Circle
In 1954, Robert Moses proposed to Fordham administrators an alternative to renting space in the New York Coliseum, suggesting a new building north of Columbus Circle under the Federal Housing Law's Title One.
1954: Football Program Discontinued Again
In 1954, the football program was again discontinued due to high costs and limited success.
February 15, 1958: John F. Kennedy Receives Honorary Degree
On February 15, 1958, Senator John F. Kennedy received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Fordham University and delivered an address at the Fordham Law Alumni Association luncheon.
March 1958: Fordham University Receives Lincoln Center Campus Deeds
In March 1958, Mayor Robert Wagner signed the deeds transferring the Lincoln Center campus to Fordham University.
November 18, 1961: Robert F. Kennedy Receives Honorary Degree
On November 18, 1961, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy received an honorary degree and delivered an address at the dedication of the new Fordham Law School building in Lincoln Center.
1961: Opening of Lincoln Center Campus
In 1961, the Lincoln Center campus opened as part of the Lincoln Square Renewal Project.
September 1964: Thomas More College Opens
In September 1964, the all-female Thomas More College at the Rose Hill campus began instruction for BA and BS degrees.
November 2, 1964: Robert F. Kennedy visits Fordham
On November 2, 1964, Robert F. Kennedy visited Fordham and gave an address at the Rose Hill gymnasium.
1966: Donald Trump Transfers
In 1966, Donald Trump left Fordham and transferred to the University of Pennsylvania.
1966: Penthouse Theatre Converted
In 1966, the Penthouse Theatre, located on the fourth floor of Collins Hall, was converted into office space.
1967: Creation of Bensalem College
In 1967, Fordham University created Bensalem College in response to demands for a more "liberalized" curriculum. It was an experimental college with no set requirements and no grades.
1968: Opening of "The Liberal Arts College"
In 1968, "The Liberal Arts College" for undergraduates opened.
1969: Governed independently of the church
In 1969, Fordham University became governed independently of the church, though it remained Jesuit-affiliated. This was achieved by reorganizing the board of trustees to include a majority of nonclerical members, officially making the university an independent institution.
1969: Student Activism
In 1969, Fordham became a center of political activism and countercultural activity. Students organized protests and class boycotts. Students organized a sit-in on the main road leading to Rose Hill in response to an announcement that President Richard Nixon would be speaking on campus, which led to the cancellation of his speech.
1969: Academic Programs Moved to Lincoln Center
In 1969, the academic programs at 302 Broadway were moved to the new Lincoln Center campus.
1969: Reorganization of the Board of Trustees
In 1969, the board of trustees was reorganized to include a majority of nonclerical members, officially making the university an independent institution.
1969: John N. Mitchell, Attorney General
John N. Mitchell became the Attorney General in 1969.
1970: Love Story Filmed
In 1970, the film "Love Story" was shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
1970: Football Program Revival as NCAA Division III Team
In 1970, the football program revived as an NCAA Division III team.
1971: Fordham Men's Basketball Best Season
During the 1971 season, Fordham's men's basketball program had its best campaign ever, compiling a 26–3 record and earning a No. 9 national ranking.
1972: College of Pharmacy Closed
Fordham's College of Pharmacy closed in 1972.
1972: Fordham Prep Becomes Legally Independent
In 1972, Fordham Preparatory School became legally independent when it moved to its own facilities on the northwest corner of the Rose Hill campus.
1972: Closure of the College of Pharmacy
In 1972, the College of Pharmacy closed due to declining enrollment.
1972: John N. Mitchell, Attorney General
John N. Mitchell was the Attorney General in 1972.
1973: The Exorcist and Godspell Filmed
In 1973, the films "The Exorcist" and "Godspell" were shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
1974: Fordham College at Rose Hill Became Coeducational
In 1974, Fordham College at Rose Hill became coeducational when it merged with Thomas More College.
1974: The Gambler Filmed
In 1974, the film "The Gambler" was shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
1978: Cheerleaders Beach Party Filmed
In 1978, the film "Cheerleaders Beach Party" was shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
1981: William J. Casey, Central Intelligence Director
William J. Casey became the Central Intelligence Director in 1981.
1982: The Verdict Filmed
In 1982, the film "The Verdict" was shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
1984: Shattered Vows Filmed
In 1984, the television film "Shattered Vows", starring Valerie Bertinelli, was filmed at Fordham. It portrays the true story of a young nun in the 1960s who goes to Fordham for her master's degree and falls in love with a priest.
1987: William J. Casey, Central Intelligence Director
William J. Casey was the Central Intelligence Director in 1987.
1988: Global Outreach Term Coined
In 1988, Fordham students coined the term Global Outreach to describe the service and immersion projects they were participating in during the 1970s and 1980s.
1989: Football Program as Division I Team
In 1989, the football program revived again as a Division I team.
1990: Alumni House Turned into Rodrigue's Coffee House
In 1990, Alumni House was turned into a student-run space and came to be known as Rodrigue's Coffee House. Rodrigue's is more commonly referred to as "Rod's" and is an entirely student-run coffee house and event space.
1993: Residence Hall Added to Lincoln Center Campus
In 1993, a twenty-story residence hall for 850 students was added to the Lincoln Center campus.
1993: A Bronx Tale Set
The 1993 crime drama A Bronx Tale is set in the Belmont neighborhood adjacent to the Rose Hill campus.
1994: Quiz Show Filmed
In 1994, the film "Quiz Show" was shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
1996: Name Change to "Fordham College at Lincoln Center"
In 1996, "The College at Lincoln Center" changed its name to "Fordham College at Lincoln Center."
1998: Beijing International MBA at Peking University Established
In 1998, the university provided faculty for the Beijing International MBA at Peking University.
2000: Center Stage Filmed
In 2000, the film "Center Stage" was shot on Fordham's Lincoln Center campus.
September 11, 2001: Memorial Dedicated to Fordham Students and Alumni
On September 11, 2001, a memorial was dedicated in "St. Peter's Garden" on the Lincoln Center campus to commemorate the Fordham students and alumni who perished in the attacks.
2001: A Beautiful Mind Filmed
In 2001, the film "A Beautiful Mind" was shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
July 2002: Consolidation of Marymount College into Fordham
In July 2002, Marymount College was consolidated into Fordham University.
2002: Patriot League Championship
In 2002, Fordham's football team won a Patriot League championship and corresponding NCAA Division I Football Championship appearance.
2003: Fordham Produces 168 Fulbright Scholars Since 2003
Since 2003, Fordham has produced 168 Fulbright scholars through its International and Study Abroad Programs (ISAP) Office.
2004: William D. Walsh Family Library Ranked Fifth Best Collegiate Library
In 2004, the William D. Walsh Family Library at Fordham was ranked as the fifth best collegiate library in the country.
2004: Kinsey Filmed
In 2004, the film "Kinsey" was shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
2005: Phase Out of Marymount College
In 2005, Fordham announced that its Marymount College campus would be phased out.
May 2007: Final Undergraduate Class at Marymount College
In May 2007, Marymount College awarded degrees to its final undergraduate class.
2007: Patriot League Championship
In 2007, Fordham's football team won a Patriot League championship and corresponding NCAA Division I Football Championship appearance.
2007: Awake Filmed
In 2007, the film "Awake" was shot on Fordham's Lincoln Center campus.
2007: Intention to Seek Buyers for Marymount Campus
In the autumn of 2007, Fordham announced its intention to seek buyers for the Marymount campus.
February 17, 2008: Sale of Marymount Campus
On February 17, 2008, Fordham announced the sale of the Marymount campus for $27 million to EF Schools.
2008: Westchester Campus Renovation for Sustainability
In 2008, Fordham spent over $8 million renovating the Westchester campus building to increase its sustainability, including the addition of "smart" classrooms.
2008: Worst Season Record
In 2008, the Fordham women's basketball team finished the season with a 0-29 record, which was the worst season record in the NCAA at that time.
2009: U2 Performance Filmed
In 2009, a U2 performance on Good Morning America was filmed at Fordham.
April 2010: Fordham Flip
In April 2010, a Fordham baserunner garnered national attention for somersaulting over an opposing team's catcher to score a run during a game. The play was nicknamed the "Fordham Flip."
2010: Lawsuit Against Fordham Dismissed
In 2010, the New York State Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit against Fordham brought by The Alfred Condominium, which was filed in response to the university's expansion plans at Lincoln Center.
2010: Fair Game and Wall Street 2 Filmed
In 2010, the films "Fair Game" and "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps" were shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
2011: One Million Hours of Service
As a result of the Dorothy Day Center's efforts, the university performed approximately one million hours of service in 2011, ranking it sixth among universities country-wide in terms of community outreach.
2011: The Adjustment Bureau Filmed
In 2011, the film "The Adjustment Bureau" was shot on Fordham's Rose Hill campus.
2013: Fordham Named One of the Best Colleges for Veterans
In 2013, Fordham was named one of the 25 best colleges in the country for veterans by Military History Monthly Magazine due to its Veterans Initiative.
2013: Barron's Survey Classifies Fordham as "highly competitive"
In 2013, a Barron's survey published in the New York Times classed Fordham as "highly competitive".
2013: John O. Brennan, Central Intelligence Director
John O. Brennan became the Central Intelligence Director in 2013.
2014: Completion of $500 Million Campaign
In 2014, Fordham successfully completed a five-year, $500 million campaign, raising over $540 million. The university also opened its renovated Law School and McKeon Hall.
2014: McKeon Hall and New Fordham Law School Building Open
In 2014, McKeon Hall, a new freshman residence dormitory, opened at the Lincoln Center campus, along with the new Fordham Law School building.
2014: Completion of Phase One of Lincoln Center Campus Reconfiguration and Purchase of 45 Columbus Avenue
In 2014, the first phase of the Lincoln Center campus reconfiguration was completed, including renovations of the Lowenstein Building, a new Law School building and residence hall, and Fordham University purchased a building at 45 Columbus Avenue, incorporating it as Joseph A. Martino Hall.
2014: Women's Basketball Team Wins Championship
In 2014, the women's basketball team at Fordham won the Atlantic 10 championship, which allowed them to advance to the first round of the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship.
2016: Vehicle Fleet Electrification
By 2016, the Department of Grounds Maintenance at Fordham committed to making half of its vehicle fleet electric.
2016: Gabelli School of Business Ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek
In 2016, Bloomberg Businessweek ranked the Gabelli School of Business the 27th best undergraduate business school in the nation.
2016: Fordham Acceptance Rate
In 2016, Fordham University accepted approximately 43% of all applicants across both its undergraduate and graduate programs.
2016: Fordham's Graduate Programs Ranked by U.S. News & World Report
In 2016, U.S. News & World Report ranked Fordham's graduate programs in business, education, English, history, law, psychology, and social work among the top 100 in the nation.
2016: Toward 2016 Strategic Plan
The Toward 2016 Strategic Plan prescribed a complete reconfiguration of the Lincoln Center campus, to be completed by 2032.
2017: Barron's Profiles of American Colleges Classifies Fordham as "Highly Competitive+"
In 2017, Barron's Profiles of American Colleges classified admissions selectivity to Fordham's undergraduate schools as "Highly Competitive+".
2017: Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Commitment
In 2017, Fordham University committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% as part of its sustainability efforts.
2017: Second Most-Filmed Campus
In 2017, Fordham's Rose Hill campus was named the second most-filmed campus in North America by Noodle Education.
2017: WFUV Ranked Second Best
In 2017, The Princeton Review ranked WFUV as the second best college radio station in the United States.
2017: John O. Brennan, Central Intelligence Director
John O. Brennan was the Central Intelligence Director in 2017.
October 2018: Fordham Expands Study Abroad Program to London Centre
In October 2018, Fordham expanded its study abroad program in London to its own space, the London Centre, located in the Clerkenwell area of London.
2018: Kiplinger Ranks Fordham
In 2018, Kiplinger ranked Fordham 62nd of 100 Best Values in Private Universities.
2018: Barron's Classifies Fordham as "Most Competitive"
In its 2018 edition, admissions selectivity to Fordham's undergraduate schools received a reclassification by Barron's Profiles of American Colleges to "Most Competitive".
2019: Undergraduate Class of 2019 Enrollment Statistics
For the undergraduate class of 2019, Fordham accepted 20,366 of the 42,811 applicants (47.6%) and enrolled 2,211 students.
2019: Forbes Ranks Fordham
In 2019, Forbes ranked Fordham 141st among "Top Colleges".
2020: Fordham Law School Ranked by U.S. News & World Report
In 2020, Fordham Law School was ranked 27th in U.S. News & World Report's ranking of "America's Best Law schools".
2021: Gabelli School of Business Ranked by U.S. News & World Report
For 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Gabelli School of Business tied for tenth in "Undergraduate International Business Rankings" and 63rd for undergrad business.
2021: UniRanking Lists Fordham Among Top Catholic Universities
For 2021, UniRanking listed Fordham fifth among the top Catholic Universities in the world and fourth among US schools.
2022: Jesuit Presidents
Between 1846 and 2022, every president of Fordham University was a Jesuit priest.
2022: Gabelli Business School Ranked by Poets and Quants and The Economist
For 2022, Poets and Quants ranked Gabelli #1 for Corporate, Social and Environmental Responsibility and #10 for Best EMBA programs, while The Economist listed Gabelli 94th in their list of the top 100 MBA programs in the world.
2025: Equivalent tuition cost in 2025
In 1920, the annual cost for tuition, room and board at the college was $600, equivalent to $9,643 in 2025.
2025: Fordham University Ranked by U.S. News & World Report
In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked Fordham University tied for No. 91st in "Best National Universities".
2032: Target Completion Date for Lincoln Center Campus Reconfiguration
The Toward 2016 Strategic Plan prescribed a complete reconfiguration of the Lincoln Center campus, to be completed by 2032.
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