University of Saint Joseph

In 1932, the Sisters of Mercy of Connecticut set out to establish the first college for women in the Hartford area. They were determined to develop a curriculum that balanced professional studies with the arts and sciences, emphasised service to others, and was rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition, whilst welcoming students of all ages, races, religions and cultures.

Psychology professor Pamela Trotman Reid became the first African-American president of the university when she was appointed in 2008; she retired in 2015.

In November 2016, the University of Saint Joseph began its comprehensive research and review of becoming a coeducational institution. Based on this review, the university began admitting male students to all full-time undergraduate programs in the fall of 2018.

Notable alumni

Barbara Favola, Virginia State Senator

Catherine Gentile, author

Jahana Hayes, United States Representative

Marilynn Malerba, Treasurer of the United States and 18th Chief of the Mohegan Tribe

Evelyn Mantilla, former United States Representative

The University of Saint Joseph has maintained a distinctive Georgian brick architecture in most of its 19 buildings, including six residence halls, a library, student life building, administration and classroom buildings, and an arts center with a theater and art gallery, among others.

The buildings are arranged around two tree-lined quadrangles on an 84-acre (340,000 m2) campus designed by the Olmsted Brothers. Approximately 73 percent of first-year students live on campus and USJ offers university sponsored off-campus housing at the Millennium in downtown Hartford.

O'Connell Athletic Center

The O'Connell Athletic Center features a newly renovated fitness center, indoor track, six-lane pool, two gymnasiums, a varsity weight room, and newly renovated locker rooms. The OC's outdoor complex includes six tennis courts, a turf soccer/lacrosse/field hockey field, turf softball field, and grass practice field.

Nursing Education and Simulation Center

This lab is a combination classroom, clinical practice area, and study space, and provides a high-quality simulation-based health care education. The unit includes an array of medical technology such as an electronic medication system, a Pyxis machine for dispensing medications, and high-fidelity manikins that enable students to practice a broad range of skills.