The fall of 2018 marks the start of some very significant events in Wagner history.
The first classes were held on the Grymes Hill campus 100 years ago, in the fall of 1918. Wagner had been founded in 1883 in Rochester, New York. Needing space to expand, the College had purchased the 38-acre former Cunard family property in Staten Island in 1917.
We’ll mark this occasion in the fall issue of Wagner Magazine with photographs showing the campus’s evolution over the past 100 years. These photographs will also be displayed in the Horrmann Library’s Spotlight Gallery during the month of September. On September 22, the 100th anniversary Homecoming celebration will feature food and drink from Staten Island as well as the Wagner Antiques Roadshow.
Lowell Matson (fondly known as Doc) began teaching the first classes for a theater arts major 50 years ago, in the fall of 1968. Before that time, the College had extracurricular drama clubs. Today, the Department of Theatre and Speech has nine full-time professors and about 290 majors in two degree programs. It has ranked among the top college theaters in the nation for 15 years. WCT celebrated its 50 years in a Golden Jubilee Gala in May.
The first learning communities in the Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts curriculum were held 20 years ago, in the fall of 1998. Then-Provost Richard Guarasci had initiated the planning for this ambitious overhaul of Wagner’s undergraduate program when he arrived in 1996.
In the fall issue of Wagner Magazine, we’ll bring you stories from Wagner Plan graduates.
In addition, the academic year 2018–19 marks the 10th anniversaries of the Center for Intercultural Advancement and the Port Richmond Partnership. The Center for Intercultural Advancement is an office that creates opportunities for dialogue and learning about different cultures. Its staff also supports international students and students of color, and it advises all students on studying abroad. The Port Richmond Partnership is a coalition of Wagner College and organizations in Port Richmond. It is designed to extend Wagner’s commitment to learning-by-doing and help revitalize an economically distressed, politically underrepresented community.
