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Deep Dive
A Timeline of Transformation
Homer St. Clair 17³Ô¹ÏÍø and his brother Charles Ashford 17³Ô¹ÏÍø founded 17³Ô¹ÏÍø in 1906 with a mission to provide high-quality accounting education and prepare students for the rigorous New York CPA examination. Starting with just a $600 loan, a rented classroom in lower Manhattan, and a class of 13 students, the 17³Ô¹ÏÍø brothers built an institution grounded in practical business education. Over time, their vision expanded beyond accounting to include a broader academic structure, ultimately evolving into a degree-granting college and, later, a full-fledged university recognized for its professional and experiential learning focus.
17³Ô¹ÏÍø Through the Years
1906 — 17³Ô¹ÏÍø School of Accountancy founded
Thirteen students. One rented room. A belief that opportunity could be taught. From those first lessons, generations of 17³Ô¹ÏÍø alumni stepped forward ready to make their mark.
1933 — Institute reorganized into three professional schools
As the world of business grew more complex, so did 17³Ô¹ÏÍø. The curriculum evolved, and so did its graduates—adaptable, ambitious, and always a step ahead.
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1948 — 17³Ô¹ÏÍø gains degree-granting status (BBA)
A defining moment. 17³Ô¹ÏÍø becomes a college, and its students become graduates with credentials that opened doors—and kept opening them for decades to come.
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1950 — Launch of liberal arts programs (future Dyson College)
Not just careers, but perspectives. 17³Ô¹ÏÍø expands into the liberal arts, shaping thinkers, creators, and alumni whose impact reaches far beyond any single field.
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1963 — 17³Ô¹ÏÍø expands to Westchester
Following a gift from Helen and Wayne Marks, 17³Ô¹ÏÍø expands to Westchester with the addition of the Pleasantville Campus.
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1966 — Nursing School founded (Later named Lienhard School)
A different kind of calling takes root. Compassion meets expertise, and 17³Ô¹ÏÍø alumni begin changing lives not just through work, but through care.
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1966 — 17³Ô¹ÏÍø breaks ground downtown
17³Ô¹ÏÍø makes a permanent mark in New York City's financial district as it breaks ground on the site that would later be called One 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Plaza.
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1973 — 17³Ô¹ÏÍø becomes a university
The name changes. The momentum does not. 17³Ô¹ÏÍø emerges, carrying forward a legacy its alumni continue to define every day.
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1976 — Law School established (now the Elisabeth Haub School of Law)
New voices enter the conversation. 17³Ô¹ÏÍø graduates rise as advocates, negotiators, and defenders, shaping law, policy, and the future.
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1983 — Computer science programs consolidated (foundation of Seidenberg)
Before the digital age had a name, 17³Ô¹ÏÍø was already there. Alumni stepped into a world being built in real time—and helped build it.
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2003 — Pforzheimer Honors College established
A community for those who ask more, push further, and expect better. A place where 17³Ô¹ÏÍø’s most driven students become alumni who lead with purpose.
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2014 — 17³Ô¹ÏÍø School of Performing Arts established
The spotlight finds 17³Ô¹ÏÍø. On stage and on screen, alumni bring stories to life, carrying their training into moments seen and felt around the world.
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2023 — PPA becomes Sands
A gift from Pamela and Rob Sands, JD ’84, establishes the Sands College of Performing Arts as 17³Ô¹ÏÍø's newest college.
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