50th Anniversaries of Obal Hall and Lodi Campus Library/Dedication Day Spring-Fall 2019
2019 marked the 50th anniversaries of the openings of Obal Hall (Main College Building until 2005) and the Lodi Campus Library building. The two buildings were dedicated on May 18, 1969, which the school deemed "Dedication Day." The new buildings were the final piece of a large-scale renovation project the school underwent during the 1960s which included changing its name to Felician College and becoming a four-year institution two years prior.
Felician Through the Years (Celebrating Our 75th Anniversary) Fall 2017
2017 marked the 75th anniversary of the school as an official institution for higher education. After beginning as part of the Immaculate Conception Normal School in 1923 and becoming the Teacher Training Institute in 1935 to serve religious women in the area wanting to become teachers, the Teacher Training Institute became the Immaculate Conception Junior College in 1942. The school first admitted lay women in 1964 and in 1967 after receiving high-demand to do so began to offer four-year Nursing and Education programs under the name Felician College. The school officially became co-educational for the first time in 1986 and the School of Business began its Bachelor's degree program in the Fall of 1989. After previously only offering undergraduate programs, Master's programs in Nursing and Religion began to be offered in 1995 and graduate programs in Education and other disciplines soon followed. Felician purchased the Rutherford Campus in the Spring of 1997, with Iviswold Castle reopening as a Campus Center in March 2013 and the Education Commons opening in Fall 2015. Soon after beginning to offer its' first Doctoral programs, Felician officially became a University in November 2015.
Thank you to Mary Mallia for allowing us to use the display inside the Obal Hall lobby, the Alumni Association for including the Rutherford display as part of Homecoming 2017, and the Special Events office for featuring the exhibit and photographs from the Archives' collection as part of the 75th Anniversary Gala.
School of Business Fall 2016
By 1978, Felician University found a growing need to offer more courses with a business concentration. As more courses were offered and the school became co-educational in 1986, Felician was well on its way to being authorized by the New Jersey Department of Higher Education to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration by 1989. At this time, the Office of Continuing Education was also restructured into a Division of Evening and Weekend Programs to accommodate adults going back for degrees. By 1990, the University expanded its offerings to include a weekend degree program in Business Administration. Early in 2006, the University received approval to offer the degree of Master of Business Administration and by 2008 a Doctor of Business Administration.
School of Education Spring 2016
The School of Education has long standing roots in Felician University’s history. Established in 1923 as the Immaculate Conception Normal School, in-service teacher training was offered for women of religious orders. The school continued to grow, becoming the Immaculate Conception Teacher Training Institute affiliated with the Catholic University of America in 1935 and the Immaculate Conception Junior College in 1942. In 1964 laywomen were accepted into education programs and in 1967 the first 4-year program in Elementary Teacher Education was offered under its new name, Felician College. This exhibit celebrates the University’s long history and passion for education programs that were a part of its evolution.
Fifty Years of the School of Nursing Fall 2015
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the School of Nursing which began at Felician College in 1965. Starting with an Associate Degree program, the School of Nursing quickly expanded, offering the education and skills needed to prepare nursing students for a fulfilling career in the field. The school established a BSN program in 1979, and continued to expand to off-campus sites, offer new program tracks, and evening and online program options. In 1995, it established an MSN program, and its Doctor of Nursing Practice program conferred its first degrees in Spring 2015.