Cabrini University

Our story begins with the sparking vision of one John Thompson Dorrance. Now hold on, this story does bear relevance to your quest for knowledge. Dorrance was the inventive mind behind the creation of condensed soup, and he held a mighty high position as the president of Campbell Soup Company. His estate, which was lovingly termed Woodcrest, boasted a stable full of horses, a massive mansion fit for royal gatherings, and he even retained the service of personal attendants. Strange place to begin the story of a university, isn't it? But life tends to weave strange paths, you'll see.

Cue 1953, the estate of Woodcrest was acquired by a group known as the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC). They had a grand vision for the open fields and majestic mansion named it “Villa Cabrini”, as an ode to the gracious Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini. Originally, the mansion served as a safe haven for orphaned children.

The vision begins to unfold by 1957 when Sister Ursula Infante, a woman of iron determination and educational drive, put into motion the creation of a school within the Villa. The birth of the institution was modest, with a student body of just thirty-seven girls, but don't let that fool you. Alongside the students, the orphanage remained active, harmoniously merging into one community fortified by the mansion’s walls.

The march forward was unstoppable. By 1961, the first class of eager, ambitious students put on their graduation caps. Around this time, the school was graced with a full accreditation from the Middle States Association, a cherry on the top of a rapidly growing institution.

Fast-forward to the late '50s and '60s. Breathe in the castle-like atmosphere of the mansion turned college. The college was growing, bursting at the seams with students, classrooms, a library, and even a cathedral. Not to be left out, the former stable house was remodelled, injecting it with a new purpose – classrooms and dormitories under the caring name of Grace Hall.

The metamorphosis continued into the early 70s. One president after another took charge, adjusting the course of Cabrini. As the decade rolled on, Cabrini College, as it was known by then, went through its most significant hammer-stroke of change; it transitioned from a girls-only institution to a co-educational one. A partnership with Eastern University gave birth to this pivotal change, with males attending classes at Cabrini, enriching the academic environment with a new perspective.

Step into the shoes of Mary Louise Sullivan, who took the reigns of the institution from 1972 until 1982. The milestone of her presidency was the full transition of Cabrini into a coeducational institution. It was a monumental shift towards a more progressive, more inclusive way of thinking.

Her legacy continued with the presidency of Eileen Currie, and the gradual addition of political science, social work, and computer science programs. And when Cabrini made community service a requirement for all students, they carved a mark nationally as one of the pioneers in integrating service into the curriculum.

When Toni Iadarola ascended as the first lay president of Cabrini College, her period from 1992 to 2008 brought a massive wave of expansion both academically and infrastructurally. Driven by an urge to adapt in a world hit by a national economic recession, the school announced an almost 13% reduction in tuition. Who would have thought?

2014 marked the introduction of Cabrini's first male president, Don Taylor, who promptly laid down "Cabrini 2020 Roadmap to Growth". It was a promise of growth with guaranteed high-impact practices for all students before they graduated.

With change comes a new identity, and on July 1, 2016, Cabrini College was rechristened Cabrini University. But as it so happens, with progress come the unavoidable hurdles. The university faced an uphill struggle with a debt close to $5 million on a budget of $45 million and the not-so-stable student enrolment.

Despite struggles, Cabrini managed to soldier on, reshuffling staff and restructuring in an effort to rise above the challenges. And the never-dying spirit of Cabrini resonated when they announced a collaboration with Villanova University on June 23, 2023, with plans to incorporate their land into Villanova University by the 2023–24 academic year.

And so, the journey of Cabrini, a story that started as a humble estate, ended as a stepping stone for the progress of another institution. As you can see, the history of a university is never a straightforward path, but instead a rich, intricate journey charting the ups and downs of a shared vision for education.