Through the Years

The university is officially established through an Act of Incorporation. February 15th is now known as Founder’s Day.

Dr. Henry Morton is chosen as the first President of Stevens. He served from 1870-1902. 

First day of class for students. The initial student body had 21 students led by eight faculty members. 

Robert H. Thurston is chosen as the first professor of mechanical engineering. 

Stevens participated in the Intercollegiate Football Association with Columbia University, New York University, Rutgers University, City College of New York, and others. 

The Stevens School, a preparatory high school, is established in 1872. Classes were first held in the east wing of the Institute Building, now the Edwin A. Stevens Hall building. 

Stevens graduates its first class, which consists of a single student, J. Augustus Henderson. Henderson became the first person in the United States to receive the legal degree of Mechanical Engineer. 

The club was officially recognized as a student group in 1880. 

Samuel D. Graydon, class of 1875, serves as its first president. 

The Eccentric, the first Stevens yearbook, releases its first volume. 

The Gamma Chapter of Theta Xi was the first fraternity founded at Stevens. It was granted its charter at the 10th Annual National Convention of the fraternity on February 20, 1874.

The Rumford Society, the first non-Greek student organization, is formed on campus. Named in honor of Count Rumford, the group met on Wednesday evenings to review and discuss scientific papers and related topics. Membership to the Rumford Society was extended to Stevens faculty members. 

Representatives from the classes of '74 '75 and '76 met on July 1, 1876 and proceeded to elect the association's first chairman, William Hewitt '74. Theodore F. Koezly '75 was elected as secretary. The Stevens Alumni Association remains active today with over 40,000 members across the globe. 

Beta Theta Pi fraternity established at Stevens. 

John W. Lieb graduates from Stevens and goes on to work with Thomas Edison. Lieb became the first manager and chief electrician of the Pearl Street central generating system in Lower Manhattan. By 1882, Lieb was in charge of the construction of the first central electric station in Europe. 

The first meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers is held in Edwin A. Stevens Hall. Robert H. Thurston, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, serves as its first president.

Frederick Winslow Taylor, the father of “Scientific Management” graduates from Stevens.

Henry L. Gantt, inventor of the Gantt Chart, graduates from Stevens.

The first issue of The Stevens Indicator is published as a student publication. Later, it was published by the Stevens Alumni Association as the official alumni magazine. 

The first Intercollegiate lacrosse program is started at Stevens. It is the oldest continuously running lacrosse program in the country.

The Stevens Engineering Society was the first student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). 

First Calculus Cremation ceremony, started by class of 1890. The tradition continued for decades later. 

First mention of an organized fencing team on campus, the “Class of 1889 Fencing Club.”

The cannon was uncovered by the Stevens family in 1888 as the Colonnade Hotel was being demolished to make way for Elysian Park.

The Bolt and The Eccentric agree to consolidate and form The Link, which gets its name from the “linking” of the two rival yearbooks. The Link currently serves as the yearbook for the Stevens community.

Noted businessman and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, joins the Stevens Board of Trustees. Carnegie served on the BoT until his death in 1919.

Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honorary society, establishes a chapter at Stevens.

The Gamma Delta chapter of Sigma Nu establishes on campus. 

President Henry Morton raises money for a power station to supply electricity and steam to all campus buildings.

First annual Alumni Banquet held at the Manhattan Hotel in New York City. 

Alexander C. Humphreys becomes the second President of Stevens. Humphreys served from 1902-1927.

Named after Andrew Carnegie, who later endowed the building with gifts totaling $275,000. The building's architect was William Ackerman, Stevens Class of 1891.

The Department of Business Engineers was one of the first programs in the country devoted to engineering management. 

Stevens acquires seven acres of land from the Stevens Estate. The land is the present day location of the Charles V. Schaefer Athletic Center, DeBaun Athletic Complex, Morton, Peirce, and Kidde Buildings, Walker Gymnasium, and Harvey N. Davis Hall.

First issue of the student newspaper, The Stute, is published.

The first games are played at the nearby St. George's Cricket Grounds in Hoboken.

The building was constructed with funds from former President Morton and money raised through the Alumni Building Fund.

Alan L. Hazeltine was the inventor of the Neutrodyne radio receiver (invented in 1922 at Stevens), and long-time Stevens faculty member.

Enid May Hawkins is hired as the university's first professional librarian. Under her direction, Hawkins helped change the Library’s reputation from “a dingy old den” to the “central nervous system for research and study on campus,” according to a 1948 article in The Stute.

Castle Point Field, the original athletic field on campus, consisted of a track, a grandstand and field house.

Built on a plot of land given to the chapter by Edwin A. Stevens, Jr., grandson of the founder of Stevens Institute and member of the Rho chapter of Delta Tau Delta. The architect was W. O. Ludlow, Stevens class of 1892.

Student Self-Government Constitution adopted by administration, faculty and students. Honor system now applies to all classroom work, not just examinations.

Stevens Institute purchases Castle Stevens property and four surrounding acres of land from Edwin A. Stevens. Castle is later used as a dormitory, dining hall, and campus social center.

Stevens Dramatic Society holds first meeting to elect officers.

Later in 1997, the Student Council became the Student Government Association. 

The New York Times has a cover feature on Stevens and the degree of Mechanical Engineer.

Lt. Ernest John Munby, class of 1897, becomes first Stevens man killed in action during World War I. Munby was an Englishman who volunteered for active service in 1914 and received his commission in the Royal Engineers.

Completion of William Hall Walker Gymnasium, designed by Ludlow & Peabody architectural firm. 

The council acted as the coordinating and governing body of the national fraternities on campus.

During WW1, Stevens was placed under control of the War Department. An Army Section of the Students Army Training Corps, as well as a Navy Unit for the Steam Engineering School, was established on campus. The Steam Engineering School closed on June, 1919.

Alexander Calder graduates from Stevens with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Gear and Triangle Honor Society formed as a  “Non-secret honorary society founded on the principle that Honor, Fellowship, Spirit, and Active Loyalty are essential qualities of the true Stevens man and successful engineer.”

The Stone Mill, a student-run comic/literary magazine first published.

Castle Stevens Club formed “by the men living at the old Stevens mansion, for the purpose of promoting good fellowship and fostering a spirit of congeniality and helpfulness at the ‘dorms.’”

Stevens chapter of Pi Delta Epsilon, National Honorary Collegiate Journalist Society is established.

Headed by noted psychologist Johnson O’Connor, the Human Engineering Lab was the forerunner to the Laboratory of Psychological Studies, established at Stevens in 1945 (under the direction of Frederick Gaudet).

Randolph Montrose Smith becomes the first African American to graduate from Stevens. 

Football abolished as an intercollegiate sport at Stevens by the actions of President Humphreys and the Stevens Board of Trustees. A mock funeral for the sport was held on Alumni Day, 1926.

Dr. Harvey Davis becomes the third President of Stevens Institute of Technology. During his inaugural ceremony on November 22, 1928, a replica of the Stevens (John Bull) locomotive was gifted to the school and outfitted to run on a circular track on campus during the festivities.

Hoxie House built as a residence for the school’s president, as a gift of William D. Hoxie ‘89.  Hoxie House still serves as the residence of Stevens presidents. 

Courses in Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Organic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry were offered, leading to a Master of Science degree.

The mandatory summer camp for Stevens students after freshman year, officially known as the Stevens Civil Engineering Camp, lasted from 1930 through 1955 and took place just west of Johnsonburg. 

The tradition of freshmen wearing "dinks" first started in 1931, but later abandoned in 1969. 

The John W. Lieb Memorial Collection of Leonardo da Vinci is presented to Stevens by businessman, Samuel Insull. The collection comprises a number of rare books, facsimiles, and prints on the life of Leonardo da Vinci that were collected by John W. Lieb throughout his life. 

Experimental Towing Tank #1 is completed and housed in the Navy Building as a laboratory and research center for the use of scale model experiments in the analysis of propulsion and resistance characteristics in marine vessels. The program was renamed the Davidson Laboratory in 1959 in honor of its founder, Kenneth Davidson.

Palmer Hall dormitory was completed in 1937. The dormitory accommodated 86 students.

Jacobus Hall, a social center and dormitory building, was given to the College by William Slocum Barstow in tribute to the services of his friend, Professor Jacobus. Dr. David Schenck Jacobus served in the faculty for more than twenty years and also sat on the Board of Trustees. 

For the first time, women take graduate classes at Stevens. Additionally, graduate classes are offered in the evening for the first time. 

War Industries Training School formed under direction of U.S. Office of Education. Later, it became the Industries Training School in 1945.

Women admitted into the War Industries Training School at Stevens, a federal program that provided accelerated education for those entering the fields of science and engineering

The V-12 program was a national program run by the Navy at 131 U.S. colleges and universities. Stevens’ V-12ers were sworn in to the Navy, took their regular Stevens’ courses and required Navy courses, all paid for by the Navy, and graduated in only two years and eight months. 

Emmi Fischl became the first woman professor at Stevens. Fischl taught in the Department of Physics.

Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps established at Stevens. Additionally, the Department of Air Science and Tactics establishes the same fall. It was later changed to the Department of Aerospace Studies.

Beatrice Hicks (co-founder and first president of the Society of Women Engineers), graduates from Stevens with a M.S. degree.

Dr. Jess H. Davis becomes the fourth President of Stevens. Dr. Davis served from 1951-1971.

Hayden Hall dormitory built through gift of the Charles Hayden Foundation. The dormitory housed 137 students. It was renovated in 1989 and demolished in 2019.

Burchard Memorial Science and Engineering Building completed. It housed the departments of Electrical Engineering, Metallurgy and Physics.

Inter-Dormitory Council formed, “where elected student representatives would assume responsibility for all social life in the dormitories". 

Castle Stevens demolished to make room for new Stevens Center Building (now the Wesley J. Howe Center).

WSRN (first campus radio station) first goes on the air at 730 730 kHz.

Davis Hall built as an undergraduate dormitory housing 222 students.

The Latin American Association first organized in 1961. The organization was recognized by the Student Council as an official student organization in 1962.

Humphreys Hall built as an undergraduate dormitory housing 171 students.

The 14-story Stevens Center is built. It was later renamed the Wesley J. Howe Center in 1996.

In April 1964, famed sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington presented her 3,400 pound, cast-aluminum sculpture, “The Torch Bearers” to Stevens. 

The Graduate Residence Hall is built, but later renamed Castle Point Hall. 

WSRN becomes WCPR, the current campus radio station. Initially housed in the Wesley J. Howe Center (Stevens Center).

S.S. Stevens, purchased in June 1967, is converted for use as the country’s first “floating dormitory.” The ship, formerly the luxury cruise liner, Exochorda, was converted at the Bethlehem Steel Co. shipyards in Hoboken and used as a dormitory for upperclassmen.

It was formally dedicated on Alumni Day, May 17, 1969.

The Stevens Technical Enrichment Program (STEP) was created to “expand access to engineering and science to minorities”, and thus help increase the pool of underrepresented students in these fields. It was one of the first programs of its kind in the country. 

Stevens admits the first 19 women undergraduates and officially incorporates coeducation at Stevens.

Attila the Duck officially named as mascot. 

Dr. Kenneth Rogers becomes the fifth President of Stevens. Served from 1972-1987.

The building housed the Buildings and Grounds department. It is the current site for the Stevens Physical Plant. 

Led by coach Linda Vollkommer-Lynch, fencing became the first women's varsity sport at Stevens. Linda continues to coach women's fencing today. 

Lenore Schupak became the first woman to earn an undergraduate degree from Stevens. Lenore was among the first 18 women admitted to the university in 1971 and completed her studies in just three years.

A Hoboken High School graduate, Malena Higuera '75 was the university’s first Latina graduate. 

Established in the spring of 1976 with 19 members, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) officially chartered the following fall with 30 members – almost the entire female student body. Over 40 years later, the organization continues to empowers women at Stevens to advance in the field of engineering. 

Sheila Banks becomes the first African-American woman to graduate from Stevens.

Duck Lips, a humor magazine, publishes its first issue. 

Technology Hall (later dedicated as Jonas Hall) is built. Jonas Hall continues to house students and is currently the largest residence hall on campus. 

Delta Zeta chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority is established at Stevens. It was the first sorority at Stevens. 

The “Rathskeller” in the Howe Center ceases to serve alcohol and is renamed Colonel John’s Emporium. 

The Department of Computer Science is established in Fall 1984.

Stevens was first invited to join the parade's inflation crew when the Macy’s parade studio facility was located in Hoboken. 

The university establishes the Stevens Cooperative Education Program (Co-op), a five-year program that provides engineering and science students with the opportunity to alternate between semesters of full-time work and full-time study in areas related to the their academic major and career interests. 

CIESE (Center for Improved Engineering and Science Engineering) program established to help schools integrate technology into their classrooms.

Housed in the Carnegie Building, The Design & Manufacturing Institute opens. The research and development center focuses on realizing cost-effective and high performance products and systems with cross-disciplinary research spanning knowledge-based design, advanced materials and manufacturing process sciences, and intelligent systems integration technologies. 

Harold J. Raveche becomes the sixth president of Stevens. Raveche served as university president until 2010. 

Ethnic Student Council formed “in the interest of promoting the growth of Stevens’ ethnic clubs such as the Latin American Association, Chinese Student Association, Black Student Union, Indian Undergraduate Association, and others.”

The Stevens Goals and Strategic Plan: Grand Challenges for the 21st Century is released.

The Stevens Panhellenic Council forms and serves as the governing body for sororities on campus. 

James C. Nicoll, Jr. Environmental Laboratory constructed

James C. Nicoll, Jr. Environmental Laboratory constructed.

Charles V. Schaefer Athletic and Recreation Center constructed.

The Stevens Anime Club established as student group. Since 2008, the club has produced Castle Point Anime Convention (CPAC), an annual event that attracts anime fans from across the nation. 

First annual UNITY event held by the Ethnic Student Council, in which ethnic and multicultural organizations participate  to highlight and celebrate their rich diversity and culture for the entire Stevens community. It has become an annual campus event and is now known as the UNITY Showcase and Carnival. 

Stevens alumnus, Frederick Reines (B.S. in `39, and M.S. in `41) wins the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the neutrino.

The 40 ft. spire was added to the building for the 125th anniversary of Stevens. 

The Board of Trustees creates three schools at Stevens, the Schaefer School of Engineering, the School of Technology Management, and the School of Applied Sciences and Liberal Arts.

The School of Technology Management and Marketing is renamed the Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management, dedicated in honor of Wesley J. Howe (’43, M.S. ’53, Hon. D Eng. ’81)

Opening of DeBaun Auditorium in Edwin A. Stevens Hall.

Lore-El Center for Women’s Leadership is dedicated in honor of Lore E. Feiler.

Vincent A. Rocco ’67 Technology Center is dedicated.

Stevens “WebCampus” enters the online learning space and quickly becomes a leader in distance education, winning multiple awards of excellence from the U.S. Distance Learning Association. 

The Lawrence T. Babbio Jr. Center for Technology Management opens. Dedicated in honor of Lawrence Babbio ‘66 in 2005.

The Center for Science Writing was created to draw attention to writings, from books to blogs, that shape public perceptions of science. The Center sponsors free, public events at which prominent writers such as journalists, scientists, engineers, philosophers and other scholars visit Stevens to discuss science-related issues.

School of Systems and Enterprises is established.

Schaefer School of Engineering is renamed the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science.

The Arthur E. Imperatore School of Sciences and Arts is replaced by the College of Arts and Letters. 

Stevens is named the 2008 ECAC Jostens’ Institution of the Year, an award presented annually to the ECAC institution that best exemplifies the highest standards of collegiate academics and athletic performance. 

The Davidson Lab assists with the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River. 

The Kenneth J. Altorfer Academic Complex is constructed.

Dr. Nariman Farvardin takes office as the seventh President of Stevens Institute of Technology.

Launched in 2012, the University's 10-year strategic plan, entitled, The Future. Ours to Create., charted a course for Stevens to become a premier, student-centric, technological research university.

Stevens opens a financial trading room as a classroom and laboratory to graduate and undergraduate students in Financial Engineering and Quantitative Finance courtesy of a gift from Stevens alumnus and Board of Trustees member John “Sean” J. Hanlon IV, CFP® ’80 (B.E. Mechanical Engineering). 

Virginia Ruesterholz ‘83 becomes first woman chair of the Stevens Board of Trustees. 

The honor marked the second time Stevens earned the award, adding to its 2008 Institution of the Year award. 

Maritime Security Center was designated as a National Center of Excellence by the Department of Homeland Security. 

Colonial House (formerly Wittpenn House) renovated and renamed the Ruesterholz Admissions Center. Colonial House was previously used as faculty apartments in 1933.

Formation of Student Investment Fund, a two-semester course within the undergraduate Quantitative Finance program at the School of Business that operates less like a typical class and more like a simulation of a career on Wall Street. 

Stevens wins the Solar Decathlon, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, with the entry SURE HOUSE. The storm-resistant, energy-efficient house became a permanent exhibit at the Liberty Science Center in 2019. 

School of Business earns accreditation from The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Gladys Njoku '16 places first in the high jump at the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships. The New Jersey native became the first person in Stevens’ indoor track and field history to take home a national championship

The Stevens Ducks win the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament in a 3-0 sweep over three-time defending national champion Springfield College.The victory was the first team championship in Stevens Athletics history. 

The center was created to serve as an incubator, providing space, equipment, mentorship, networking opportunities and other resources to students and recent graduates who have promising science and technology-oriented business ideas, and to faculty members whose research has commercial potential. 

The university launched a historic $150 million fundraising campaign to support student scholarships, infrastructure improvements, faculty recruitment and continued growth of a significant university research enterprise in critical areas. 

With a generous gift from John J. “Sean” Hanlon IV ’80 and his wife, Cathy, Stevens opened the Hanlon Laboratory for Financial Analytics and Data Visualization,  a state-of-the-art facility that incorporates the visualization capabilities investors need to make better, faster choices to support portfolio health and the growth of the enterprise. 

ABS Engineering Center, a teaching and research facility that features flexible-use space designed to promote collaboration across multiple engineering disciplines, from robotics and building materials to maritime craft testing and green technology, opens on campus. 

StevensOnline launched -- formally offering 17 academic programs fully online. Today the program offers over 20 graduate degree programs and is consistently ranked among the nation's best by U.S News & World Report. 

Dr. Jean Zu becomes first woman dean of the Charles V. Schafer, Jr. School of Engineering & Science. 

The three-story, 15,500-square foot building at the northern end of campus serves as an academic classroom and office building. Construction began in November 2016 and was completed in July 2017. 

With $15 Million endowment from the A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation, Stevens launched the A. James Clark Scholars Program. 

Stevens ACES (Accessing Careers in Engineering and Science) launches to provide enhanced opportunities, including financial support, for underserved students and those from underrepresented minority groups to pursue STEM degrees and careers.

Beta Upsilon chapter of Omega Phi Beta sorority is established at Stevens.

The Wellness Center, housed in the renovated Pond House, is a one-stop wellness center for students, providing health services, counseling and psychological services, and disability support services under one roof. 

The award recognizes institutions that have responded to higher education challenges in innovative and creative ways and achieved dramatic changes in a relatively brief period. 

Richard F. Harries '58 and his wife, Carol, made an extraordinarily generous bequest to Stevens that is among the largest gifts ever made by an individual to the university. The gift supports the University Center/Student Housing project, a new residence hall and student center scheduled to open in 2021-2022. 

Led by founding director K.P. "Suba" Subbalakshmi, the technology-driven collaboration of more than 50 faculty members from all academic departments debuts at Stevens. 

To preserve the gatehouse during campus construction, the iconic structure was carefully deconstructed by a historic preservation architecture firm. The Gatehouse will makes its return to campus in 2021. 

The university begins construction of the Student Housing and University Center project. The three-story, 70,000-square-foot university center will include a fitness center, game room, spaces for student groups, dining venues, convenience store and more. The two residential towers will accommodate 994 students in single, double and suite-style apartments. 

The Gateway Academic Center, a $68 million, 89,500 square-foot, state-of-the-art teaching and research facility celebrated its grand opening. 

Stevens celebrates 150 years of passion, purpose and growth with a year-long celebration that reflects on its history, community and the founding principles that continue to guide the university's direction.