Manhattanville Celebrates New Name and New President

Manhattanville’s President Frank D. Sánchez, Ph.D, is being installed as the school’s President today ending a weeklong celebration which included festivities on Wednesday marking its transition to a university. More than 350 people will gather in the school’s O’Byrne Chapel to watch President Sánchez being installed as the school’s 15^th President, and the 1^st President of Manhattanville University. The weeklong celebration, themed “Leading a Valiant Vision,” included everything from a day of service to special lectures, a university launch ceremony, a pep rally, the unveiling of a mural and an Expo highlighting the school’s innovative programs. It will end tonight with a Gala celebrating the new President.

“This is a significant inflection point in Manhattanville’s nearly 200-year history,” said President Sánchez. “As we officially become Manhattanville University, a recognition of the breadth and depth of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs, we are ushering in the next phase of forward-thinking program development and transformative educational experiences. We’re building on a strong tradition of innovation and social action, and I’m honored to be at the helm of this storied institution during this powerful moment.”

Dr. Sánchez, who is a member of the BCW Board, began his term in July after serving for six years as president of Rhode Island College and has quickly become an active member of the community on and off campus. He was recently inducted as a member of the Board of the Business Council of Westchester and was also appointed as a member of the national Board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. His focus on curricular innovation, experiential learning, and workforce development are leading Manhattanville into a new era for the next-generation student.

Manhatanville traces its roots to 1841 as Catholic academy for girls in Manhattan’s Upper East Side and was chartered as college in 1917. With more than 55 undergraduate programs, 70 graduate programs, and a doctoral program, Manhattanville is continually evolving to meet the needs of today’s students. Manhattanville is getting set to launch several new academic programs that further demonstrate continued curricular innovation to prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow. Manhattanville is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education and provides a supportive environment for all students including those who are the first in their family to go to college.