History

Two centuries ago, at the confluence of the Ohio and Beaver Rivers in the westernmost part of Pennsylvania, the French established a trading post, where members of the Delaware, Shawnee, and Iroquois tribes bartered with European traders. The rivers were essential for travel, sustenance, and military defense, and General McIntosh of Washington’s Colonial Army built a fort at this place during the Revolutionary War.

As the area’s population expanded, McIntosh’s fort became the town of Beaver, Pa. There, in 1853, an intellectual outpost was formed—a school to teach such liberal arts as ancient history, rhetoric, and logic at a time when there were few higher education institutions open to young women.

After celebrating 40 years, Beaver College and Musical Institute’s main building is destroyed by fire. Students are housed at the nearby Beaver House Hotel, and classes, extracurricular events, and athletic contests continue, showcasing an early example of the resiliency of this institution. Ten months after the College burned to the ground, a new building was dedicated, with a new dormitory built two years later. 

In the late 19th century, male students are admitted, and the College became coeducational for the first time. In 1907, Beaver College and Musical Institute is simplified to Beaver College. Enrollment is again limited to women; it would be nearly 60 years until men are again part of the student body.

The institution made great advancements in the second half of the 20th century, constructing eight new campus buildings, establishing the Center for Education Abroad, and, in 1973, becoming coeducational for the first time since 1907.

Beaver College operates both the Jenkintown and Glenside campuses into the mid-1960s when it consolidates all campuses to Glenside. Enrollment reaches a record 1,925 students in Glenside, with the student body representing 18 countries. 

In 1985, Dr. Bette Landman is appointed president, the first female president in the institution’s history. Through her extraordinary vision for the institution and unwavering commitment to access and inclusion, Landman reinvigorated the University, doubling enrollment and leading transformative projects such as constructing seven new buildings and a nationally-recognized study abroad program. Dr. Landman’s tenure sees the dedication of the Kuch Athletic and Recreation Center, the establishment of Preview, and the College joining the NCAA Division III and becoming a charter member in 1992 of the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference.

Under her leadership, Beaver College achieved university status, and Landman led the community through the historic transition from Beaver College to Arcadia University, and the institution’s endowment grew from $269,000 in 1980 to $30 million at the end of 1999.

During the first quarter of the 21st century, the University established six academic colleges and schools, including the College of Global Studies as the first full-fledged college of a University dedicated to international education.

In 2014, Walter and Rosemary Deniken Blankley ’57, ’06H endow the first Chair for the School of Education.

Walter and Rosemary Deniken Blankley ’57, ’06H donated $1 million to create the Rosemary and Walter Blankley Endowed Chair in Education. The chair recognizes the importance of education, as evidenced by the Blankleys’ commitment to supporting education throughout their lives and while Rosemary was a student at Beaver College.

This is the first donor-designated endowed chair in the University’s history. Dr. Ellen Skilton, professor of education, was appointed The Rosemary and Walter Blankley Endowed Chair in Education during an investiture ceremony on March 6, 2014.

In 2019, Arcadia received a historical transformative gift of $8.6 million from Biocoat, a company founded in 1993 by former Board Chair Dr. Ellington Beavers. With the December 2018 acquisition of Biocoat by 1315 Capital, the University realizes its ownership of 16 percent of Biocoat, shares which Dr. Beavers gifted to Arcadia when the company was founded.

Also, in 2019 President Nair established a commission on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to conduct a comprehensive review of Arcadia’s policies, practices, and campus climate to ensure each aligns with the University’s vision and values. The following year Arcadia prioritizes combating anti-Black racism initiatives (CABR) as a university-wide collaborative effort that impacts all aspects of campus, including student life, curriculum development, and the recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff, among others.

Arcadia University continues its innovative legacy of educating undergraduate and graduate students. As a comprehensive institution dedicated to engaging in integrative, real-world learning opportunities such as internships, evidence-based research, service projects, interdisciplinary study, problem-based learning, and co-curricular experiences that expand beyond the traditional classroom. University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs retain high national rankings by U.S. News and World Report. At the same time, the Princeton Review has listed Arcadia as among the “Best in the Northeast” for eight consecutive years. The Institute for International Education’s Open Doors Report has ranked Arcadia University for study abroad participation, while U.S. News and World Report ranked the program ninth in the nation.