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Mother Marie de la Roche
While never directly involved with the University, Mother Marie de La Roche (October 28, 1812 -- August 1, 1875) was the co-founder of the Sisters of Divine Providence, and is La Roche University's namesake. The sisters were already well established in the Pittsburgh area in 1958, before the first plans for La Roche College were set into motion. -
Mother Mary Kenneth Kearns Starts Process of Establishing a College
One of our first champions, Mother Kearns met the challenge of establishing La Roche head on, providing the plans needed to establish a new College within the Pittsburgh Diocese. On this date, she wrote a letter to the Bishop of Pittsburgh John J. Wright, requesting permission to establish "our own College for our Sisters". She eventually became our first Archivist in 1978. The idea for naming the school after Mother de La Roche was her idea as well. -
La Roche College is Founded!
La Roche College is founded on March 19, 1963. Sister Annunciata Sohl was named the first president of the College; she served in this position until 1968. Mother Mary Dominic, Provincial Superior of the Sisters of Divine Providence and another influential founder of the College, was Chair until 1970. -
First Opening Mass
La Roche College celebrates its Solemn Religious Opening Mass. The first enrollees were all Religious Sisters from various communities. Tuition was $1,500 for resident students and $900 for commuters. A dinner celebration was held after the Mass, with many people coming to celebrate the new College. -
The First Board of Trustees Meeting
The Board of Trustees met for the first time on December 16, 1963. Trustees included Dr. Klinefelter, Sister Annuciata Sohl, and Sister Mary Dominic. -
52 Acres Given for La Roche College
La Roche College acquired 52 acres of land from the Sisters of Divine Providence; this land eventually became the east campus. -
Lay Women Admitted to the College
The first lay women were admitted to La Roche College in June of 1965, bringing the total number of enrollees to 340 students. -
La Roche College Has Its First Graduates
These were the seven Sisters who became the first graduates of La Roche College. The graduates, from left to right, were Sister Jude Whittaker, Sister Maria Milagros Brignoni, Sister Barbara Rose Meyer, Sister Maria Fest, Sister Marilyn Bergt, Sister Helen Taddeus Peszko, and Sister Joy Kronenberger. Standing with the graduates is Bishop John J. Wright, who would eventually be the namesake of the College Library. -
Kearns Hall Becomes First Residence Hall
The construction of the Kearns Residence Hall began in Spring of 1966, and completed in December of 1967. Named for Mother Mary Kenneth Kearns, this Hall was used as the first residence hall until 1976. Today, we know it as the Kearns Spirituality Center. -
Groundbreaking for the John J. Wright Library
The groundbreaking for the John J. Wright Library took place on May 24, 1966. The library was the first structure to be built on the 52 acres of land purchased from the Sisters of Divine Providence. Many were in attendance for this historic event, including Mother Mary Dominic, Provincial Superior of the Sisters of Divine Providence, and one of the founders of La Roche College. -
First Lay Graduate of La Roche College
During the 1966 graduation, La Roche had its first lay woman graduate - Sarah Christof, who received a degree in sociology. -
First Student Newspaper Comes Into Print
The first student newspaper, titled Diffusion, started in May of 1967. There were only two issues of this paper. There were several early attempts at creating a student newspaper, but none had much success. -
The John J. Wright Library is Completed
Construction of John J. Wright Library was completed in August of 1967, officially making it the first constructed college building at La Roche College. This is one of the earliest photos of the library, taken in 1967. -
Moving Day for the Library
28,000 books were transferred from the Motherhouse Provincial House Library to the newly constructed John J. Wright Library. Over two hundred students created a "human chain" to accomplish this massive feat. -
The Library Dedication Ceremony
The John J. Wright Library was dedicated and blessed on November 26, 1967. The ceremony was officiated by John J. Wright, Bishop of Pittsburgh, who is also the library's namesake. -
Dr. Ralph Klinefelter Becomes Second College President
Dr. Ralph Klinefelter became the second president of La Roche College in 1968; he was the first and only lay president. He served as president until 1969. -
Sister De la Salle Becomes the Third College President
Sister De la Salle Mahler became the third president of La Roche College in 1969 and served until 1975. She was instrumental in keeping the College from closing during this time due to budget difficulties by enacting an austerity budget. She also oversaw the admission of men to the College, and the beginning of the athletic program. -
Becoming a Co-Ed College
La Roche College became a coeducational institution in 1970; 24% of the full-time student body that year were men. -
First Male Graduates of the College
Timothy Kirkston and Salvatore Mascarii became the first male graduates of La Roche College in 1971. -
Schneider Hall is Built
Schneider Hall was originally named the Garden Apartments. It was later renamed for Frank Schneider, the chairman of the Board of Trustees, and became the first co-ed residence hall on campus in 1973. -
The Red Devils Bounce Onto the Court
La Roche College established its first collegiate conference level Men's basketball team, the Red Devils, in the 1974-1975 season. This paved the way for future athletic teams at the college -
Sister Mary Joan Coultas Becomes the Fourth President of La Roche College
Sister Mary Joan Coultas became the fourth president of La Roche College in 1975 and served in this position until 1980. Her administration saw student enrollment grown from 710 students to 1,320 students. -
Mahler Residence Hall Opens
Mahler Hall, named for former La Roche College President Sister De la Salle Mahler, started construction in April of 1976, and was finished by September. This was the third residence hall built for the College. -
Peters Residence Hall is Constructed
Peters Hall was constructed and dedicated in 1979, and was named after Donald Peters, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at La Roche College and a member since 1967. -
A New Building for Scientific Exploration
The Science Center was dedicated in 1980, and opened in 1981. It was later renamed to the A.J. Palumbo Science Center, in honor of College benefactor Antonio J. Palumbo. -
Sister Margaret Huber Becomes the Fifth President of La Roche College
Sister Margaret Huber became the fifth president of La Roche College in 1981, and served until 1994. At the time, she was the youngest U.S. college president! -
Batter Up!
La Roche College launches its First Collegiate Conference Men’s baseball team, the Runnin' Red Devils. -
First Long Running Student Newspaper Starts Production
The Crossover, the first successful student newspaper on La Roche College's campus, started in late 1983. This was after several attempts by students to create one in the years before. This newspaper lasted until 1994, when The Courier took over as the school newspaper. -
Women Set Up Their Own Athletic Teams
La Roche College's first Collegiate level women’s volleyball team was established in 1985. Later that same year, the softball team came into existence as well. -
Long Time Library Director Retires
Sister Georgine Sieber, CDP, retired from her position as Director of the Library in August 1985. She held this position since 1968, being the first Director of the John J. Wright Library. She was a well known figure across campus, and had the reputation of being able to help anyone with their research needs. -
Creating a Center for College Life
The groundbreaking for the College Center took place in 1986, and was completed in 1987. This building created a much needed space for the La Roche College community to gather. -
Men's Soccer Kicks Into Gear
In 1989, a men's soccer team was added to the athletic roster of La Roche College. -
The Magdalen Chapel is Built
The Magdalen Chapel, built in 1990, was funded by the Bold and Fisher families; both families have ties to the Board of Trustees. -
Monsignor William A. Kerr Becomes the Sixth President of La Roche College
Monsignor William A. Kerr became the sixth president of La Roche College in 1992. He served a 12-year term. -
Pacem In Terris Institute is Created
The Pacem In Terris Institute was established by Monsignor Kerr in 1993. This Institute was created to help students living in war-torn countries all across the globe. The first students in this program were from Croatia, Bosnia, and Macedonia. -
Kerr Fitness and Sports Center Opens
The Kerr Fitness and Sports Center opened in 1993, with a dedication ceremony in October of that year. It was named for Monsignor William A. Kerr, La Roche College President. -
The Courier Starts Its Journey at La Roche
A new student newspaper came onto the scene in 1994 - The Courier. This was the first student newspaper to continue from where the last left off, rather than starting from scratch. It was also the first student newspaper to make the transition from physical to digital media in 2008. -
A Big Change for La Roche Athletics
1996 was a big year for La Roche College's Athletics, as the Men's Golf Team, Women's Tennis Team, and Women's Soccer Team were all added to the roster of athletic programs. -
Pacem In Terris Students Come from Rwanda
In 1997, the first students from Rwanda joined the Pacem In Terris program. This was the start of a long and fruitful relationship with Rwanda, in which then Rwandan president Paul Kagame visited La Roche College's campus to wish the new LRC students well. -
Bold Residence Hall I is Built
Bold Hall I was built in 1999, named for the Bold family, which were strong benefactors of La Roche College. -
Rwandan President Visits La Roche College
Rwandan president Paul Kagame visited La Roche College to help break ground for the Academic Annex of the College Center. He had a strong relationship with College President Monsignor Kerr due to the Pacem In Terris Program. -
Graduation Ceremony in Rwanda
The first Rwandan graduates of the Pacem In Terris program were able to celebrate in their home country, along with many faculty and administrative staff from La Roche College. -
Bold Residence Hall II is Built
Bold Hall II, an expansion to the first Bold Hall, is constructed in 2003 to accommodate the greater need for student housing on campus. -
Sister Candace Introcaso Becomes the Seventh President of La Roche College
Sister Candace Introcaso became the seventh president of La Roche College in 2004. Under her administration, La Roche College moved from an East and West campus to one main campus. She also oversaw La Roche College become La Roche University in 2019. -
LRX Courses Are Established
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Study Abroad/Study USA Program Arrives at La Roche
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The Library is Updated
For the first time since 1966, the first building to be built on campus was renovated in 2010, and was rededicated on this date. Not only were the technology and materials updated - the interior design and energy efficiency were changed as well. -
The Saint John's Bible is Acquired
In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of La Roche in 2013, the Saint John's Bible was acquired for the College in the summer of 2012. This Heritage Edition was the first handwritten, hand-illuminated Bible produced in more than 500 years, and is a strong testament to our Catholic identity. -
La Roche College Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary!
This date marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of La Roche College. Through all of 2013, celebrations were had, and many new and exciting plans were unveiled for the future. -
First Doctoral Graduates of La Roche
In 2017, the first five doctoral students from the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program graduated from La Roche College. This program, which was established in 2016, was the first doctoral program at La Roche. This was a huge step for the College, establishing an even stronger academic footprint than ever before. -
La Roche College Becomes La Roche University!
After a lot of hard work, determination, and academic elbow grease, La Roche College officially became the University we know it as today in 2019. This was a widely celebrated event, and opened the path to even greater achievements in the future. -
The Palumbo Science Center Gets a Makeover
The Palumbo Science Center, first built in 1980, got a well deserved update in 2019 and 2020. The state-of-the-art building represents La Roche University's commitment to continual growth. -
Center for Lifelong Learning is Established
The Center for Lifelong Learning was established in 2021 to match the educational needs and wants of the greater community surrounding La Roche. -
The Courier Becomes the Redhawk Post
La Roche's longest running student publication, the Courier newspaper, became The Redhawk post in 2021. This was to match the new demands of journalism in today's digital environment. -
Dr. Christina A. Clark Becomes Eighth President of La Roche University
Dr. Christina Clark became the eighth president of La Roche University in 2024.