D'Youville University

Marie-Marguerite d'Youville, born in Quebec in 1701, endured numerous hardships in her early life. With the death of François d’Youville, her husband, she was faced with raising her two surviving children alone. After losing four of their offspring, her father and husband, her resilience surged, sparking her profound desire to serve the needy. Exhibiting a brave defiance, Marguerite, alongside three women of similar dedication, formed the Sisters of Charity, fondly known as the Grey Nuns, in 1737. Their primary mission was to champion the cause of those marginalized in Canadian society.

As the Sisters of Charity saw their influence and numbers skyrocket after 1840, they became paramount providers of health care and social services not only in Quebec but also in Western and Northern Canada, and the northern US. Invited by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.), the Grey Nuns ultimately found their new home in Buffalo, New York, in October 1857. Initially inhabiting a six-room convent, they took on the ambitious project of establishing the Holy Angels School.

The then all-girls Roman Catholic school in Buffalo, D'Youville, was incorporated on February 13, 1865, as the Holy Angels Infirmary Academy and Industrial School for Benevolent, Charitable, and Scientific Purposes. It was in 1908 that the New York State Legislature extended a charter, accrediting it as a college under the University of the State of New York. After adopting "D'Youville College" as their official title, the institution grew to focus on education and the liberal arts, especially supporting women and immigrant students. It achieved University status only recently, in February 2022.

D'Youville's first graduating class made history on May 12, 1912. Mary Brennen, Pauline Garnett, and Elizabeth Gosselin achieved their Bachelor of Arts degrees that day, with Helena Sheehan receiving a Master of Arts. Making the ceremony even more noteworthy was an honorary Doctor of Music degree awarded to Elizabeth Cronin. Mary Brennan, part of the first graduating class, penned an eloquent description of D'Youville at the time of her graduation.

D'Youville's curriculum and extracurricular activities in the subsequent decades focused on the teaching profession and intellectual pursuits, including dance, music, drama, language, and political debate. Its growth was substantial—from an initial 37 student body in 1912 to about 400 students by the late 1940s. To meet the academic requirements during WWII, D'Youville introduced nursing programs, becoming the first college in Western New York to offer baccalaureate degree programs for women.

As America waved goodbye to the Great Depression in the 1950s, D'Youville only grew further. Its swelling enrollment necessitated the expansion of the campus, prompting a wave of construction that reflected the preferred mid-century architectural style. Sister Francis Xavier Lynch was instrumental in driving this growth, with six new buildings erected under her supervision between 1956 and 1969.

Despite a rocky start with resistance and financial difficulties, 1971 saw D'Youville opening its doors to men. They grappled with declining enrollment like other regional institutions, ultimately managing to stabilize financially in the late 70s. And then in 1984, President Ronald Reagan graced the campus with his presence, speaking at an event and further placing D’Youville in the spotlight.

A renaissance took place around the turn of the 21st century, buoyed by a surge in Canadian enrolments courtesy of a favorable currency exchange rate. Masters and professional health programs added in the 1980s signaled a shift in D'Youville's focus beyond a standalone liberal arts college. Eventually, the vision to become a university materialized in the early 2000s through the addition of several doctoral programs.

The shift to a university was a gradual process, culminated by an official recognition from the New York State Education Department in February 2022. D'Youville's physical infrastructure grew too, with six new buildings added from 1999 to 2015. Today, it is not only a flourishing university but also a recipient of prestigious awards such as the Buffalo Business First Collegiate Brick-by-Brick award and the highest design honor from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Buffalo/Western New York. This is the history of D'Youville, marked by resilience, growth, and an enduring commitment to the welfare of its students.