Philadelphia University
Encyclopedia
Philadelphia University, founded in 1884, is a private
university
located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, United States
. Philadelphia University's student body consists of about 3,500 individuals from all 50 states and over 50 countries. As an institution, Philadelphia University comprises the School of Architecture, School of Business Administration, School of Science and Health, School of Engineering and Textiles, the School of Liberal Arts, and the School of Design and Media. The institution offers bachelor's degree
s, master's degree
s and doctoral degrees within the myriad of academic disciplines from within each of the different schools. The university is located in the East Falls
neighborhood of Philadelphia.
in 1876, a group of textile manufacturers, led by Theodore Search, noticed that the quality and variety of American textile products was inferior to those displayed by European mills. To address this problem, the group established the Philadelphia Textile School in 1884 and began a formal educational program for America's textile workers and managers.
Immediately the school was recognized as a key competitive resource in American industry. And, several years later, the Pennsylvania Museum (now the Philadelphia Museum of Art
) and the School of Industrial Art invited the Philadelphia Textile School to sign an affiliation. By the mid 1890s, the School had offices located at Broad and Pine Streets in central Philadelphia. The School survived the tough years of the depression and entered a new period of growth at the onset of World War II
. In 1941, the school was granted the right to award baccalaureate degrees and to reflect this progress the institution changed its name to the Philadelphia Textile Institute.
By 1949, the School, which was no longer affiliated with the museum, began teaching classes at its present site in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. Facilities, programs and faculty continued to grow in the '50s and '60s. In 1961, the school changed its name to Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science. The student population doubled from 1954 through 1964, and doubled again by 1978. Programs in the arts and sciences and business administration were added. The institution purchased an adjoining property in 1972, doubling the size of its campus.
As Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science, the institution offered its first graduate degree, the Master's of Business Administration, in 1976. During the next ten years, the institution grew to include additional classrooms, research laboratories, student residences and athletic facilities.
The College applied for and was granted university
status by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1999. And, in a historic move, the Board of Trustees voted to change the College's name to Philadelphia University, the first private
university to be named exclusively after the City of Philadelphia. The name Philadelphia University became effective on July 13, 1999.
Philadelphia University's approach to learning is active, collaborative and connected to the real world. Its interdisciplinary curriculum in its newly developing College of Design, Engineering and Commerce is being built around achieving innovation. Further, the curriculum distinctively blends the professional studies and the liberal arts and sciences.
. Its campus consist of 52 buildings, including classrooms, laboratories, studios, a library, resident facilities, an exhibition gallery, and the latest additions, a 72000 square feet (6,689 m²) campus center for students, faculty and staff, and a new recreation center. A subsidiary campus is located in Bucks County.
In addition to its major properties, Philadelphia University runs the Philadelphia University Research Center from a restored 1864 textile mill, in the Manayunk
section of Philadelphia. The research center consists of the Engineering and Design Institute and the Laboratory for Engineered Human Protection.
Philadelphia University is known for its men's basketball program, particularly coach Herb Magee
, who achieved his 903rd win on Feb. 23 surpassing Coach Bobby Knight's all-time wins record. Now in his 43rd season, Coach Magee is celebrating 50 years at Philadelphia University as a student, player and coach. Coach Magee now holds the record for the most wins all coached in NCAA
. On Sunday, May 17, 2009, Coach Magee was a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame nominee and was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by President Stephen Spinelli Jr. at Philadelphia University's 125th Commencement. http://www.northeast10.org/sports/mbkb/mbkb/20051214granoziocolumn1
Philadelphia University is also known for a strong women's basketball program under Athletic Director and Women's Basketball Coach Tom Shirley who is just shy of 600 wins. Together Coach Herb Magee and Coach Tom Shirley combined wins are nearing 1,500, making them the 3rd winningest collegiate basketball coaching team in the country, just behind University of Connecticut and University of North Carolina.
The University is also known for its baseball program, particularly for retired coach Don Flynn.
Bob File was one of the top players in the history of Philadelphia University Men's Baseball Program.
His achievements include:
Tayron Thomas was one of the top players in the history of the Philadelphia University Men's Basketball Program. He was a consensus first-team All-America selection as a senior after leading NCAA Division II in scoring with 29.0 ppg. He concluded his four-year college basketball career with the Rams ranked first all-time in school history with 2,414 career points. He Also set a new single-season school record with 898 points during the 2005-2006 season.
Tayron Was named Basketball Times National Co-Player of the Year as well as being named National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) first-team All-America. He also Was tabbed the Daktronics Northeast Region Co-Player of the Year as well as Daktronics first-team All-America. He earned Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Player of the Year accolades as well as ECAC Division II Player of the Year honors, and was a seven-time CACC Player of the Week selection. Tayron additionally Earned All-Tournament honors at the 2005 Disney Tip-Off Classic where he set two tournament records — total points (98) and points per game (32.7).
Christian Burns was named the 2007 Daktronics Division II National Player of the Year and East MVP Honors at NABC Division II All-Star Game.
In the 2006-2007 season, Philadelphia University started a rowing program under head coach Chris O'Brien. Their inaugural season had many highlights including winning the Dad Vail Regatta
in the Women's Novice Heavy Eight.
The 2008-2009 season was also strong for the men's and women's tennis teams. Both teams won the CACC (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference). On the mens side they beat the University of the Science 5-0. In the individual tournament, the rams sweep the finals in both singles and doubles as Adrian Torroella beat teammate Manoli Sgouros. The team paired up to beat teammates Seppi Hutter and Tom McAvoy in the doubles final.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Philadelphia University's student body consists of about 3,500 individuals from all 50 states and over 50 countries. As an institution, Philadelphia University comprises the School of Architecture, School of Business Administration, School of Science and Health, School of Engineering and Textiles, the School of Liberal Arts, and the School of Design and Media. The institution offers bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
s, master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s and doctoral degrees within the myriad of academic disciplines from within each of the different schools. The university is located in the East Falls
East Falls, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
East Falls is a neighborhood in the Northwest section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. East Falls is located adjacent to Roxborough, Manayunk, and Germantown, and Fairmount Park. The neighborhood runs along a stretch of Ridge Avenue that is only a few miles long, along the banks of the...
neighborhood of Philadelphia.
History
During the U.S. Centennial celebrationCentennial Exposition
The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It was officially...
in 1876, a group of textile manufacturers, led by Theodore Search, noticed that the quality and variety of American textile products was inferior to those displayed by European mills. To address this problem, the group established the Philadelphia Textile School in 1884 and began a formal educational program for America's textile workers and managers.
Immediately the school was recognized as a key competitive resource in American industry. And, several years later, the Pennsylvania Museum (now the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
) and the School of Industrial Art invited the Philadelphia Textile School to sign an affiliation. By the mid 1890s, the School had offices located at Broad and Pine Streets in central Philadelphia. The School survived the tough years of the depression and entered a new period of growth at the onset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1941, the school was granted the right to award baccalaureate degrees and to reflect this progress the institution changed its name to the Philadelphia Textile Institute.
By 1949, the School, which was no longer affiliated with the museum, began teaching classes at its present site in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. Facilities, programs and faculty continued to grow in the '50s and '60s. In 1961, the school changed its name to Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science. The student population doubled from 1954 through 1964, and doubled again by 1978. Programs in the arts and sciences and business administration were added. The institution purchased an adjoining property in 1972, doubling the size of its campus.
As Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science, the institution offered its first graduate degree, the Master's of Business Administration, in 1976. During the next ten years, the institution grew to include additional classrooms, research laboratories, student residences and athletic facilities.
The College applied for and was granted university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
status by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1999. And, in a historic move, the Board of Trustees voted to change the College's name to Philadelphia University, the first private
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
university to be named exclusively after the City of Philadelphia. The name Philadelphia University became effective on July 13, 1999.
Undergraduate programs
Philadelphia University has three undergraduate colleges:- College of Architecture and the Built Environment
- College of Design, Engineering, and Commerce
- College of Science, Health, and the Liberal Arts
Philadelphia University's approach to learning is active, collaborative and connected to the real world. Its interdisciplinary curriculum in its newly developing College of Design, Engineering and Commerce is being built around achieving innovation. Further, the curriculum distinctively blends the professional studies and the liberal arts and sciences.
Campus
Philadelphia University, a 100 acre (0.404686 km²) park-esque campus, is located fifteen minutes northwest of Center City, PhiladelphiaCenter City, Philadelphia
Center City, or Downtown Philadelphia includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2005, its population of over 88,000 made it the third most populous downtown in the United States, after New York City's and Chicago's...
. Its campus consist of 52 buildings, including classrooms, laboratories, studios, a library, resident facilities, an exhibition gallery, and the latest additions, a 72000 square feet (6,689 m²) campus center for students, faculty and staff, and a new recreation center. A subsidiary campus is located in Bucks County.
In addition to its major properties, Philadelphia University runs the Philadelphia University Research Center from a restored 1864 textile mill, in the Manayunk
Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Manayunk is a neighborhood in the northwestern section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. Located on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it contains the first canal begun in the United States . The area's name comes from the language of the Lenape Indians...
section of Philadelphia. The research center consists of the Engineering and Design Institute and the Laboratory for Engineered Human Protection.
Athletics
Philadelphia University's sports teams are known as the Rams and the Lady Rams.Philadelphia University is known for its men's basketball program, particularly coach Herb Magee
Herb Magee
Herb Magee , commonly referred to as the Shot Doctor, is a Division II men's college basketball coach at his alma mater, Philadelphia University, known as Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science until 1999. He will be entering his 45th year as head coach and 52nd year as both a player and a...
, who achieved his 903rd win on Feb. 23 surpassing Coach Bobby Knight's all-time wins record. Now in his 43rd season, Coach Magee is celebrating 50 years at Philadelphia University as a student, player and coach. Coach Magee now holds the record for the most wins all coached in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
. On Sunday, May 17, 2009, Coach Magee was a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame nominee and was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by President Stephen Spinelli Jr. at Philadelphia University's 125th Commencement. http://www.northeast10.org/sports/mbkb/mbkb/20051214granoziocolumn1
Philadelphia University is also known for a strong women's basketball program under Athletic Director and Women's Basketball Coach Tom Shirley who is just shy of 600 wins. Together Coach Herb Magee and Coach Tom Shirley combined wins are nearing 1,500, making them the 3rd winningest collegiate basketball coaching team in the country, just behind University of Connecticut and University of North Carolina.
The University is also known for its baseball program, particularly for retired coach Don Flynn.
Bob File was one of the top players in the history of Philadelphia University Men's Baseball Program.
His achievements include:
- Earned ABCA/Rawlings first-team All-American honors as a senior in 1998.
- Was a three-time NYCAC All-Conference selection, earning Player of the Year honors in 1998.
- Set several school hitting records as a senior in 1998, including a .542 batting average.
- Also set single season records with 90 hits, 63 runs, 68 RBI, 19 home runs, and 167 total bases in 1998.
- Is the University's all-time leader in nearly every career hitting category including runs (181), hits (296), triples (17) and home runs (37).
- Player for the Toronto Blue Jays, where he led the American League rookies in pitching appearances, with 60 in 2001, finishing with a 5-3 record with a 3.27 ERA.
- Recently signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as a pitcher.
Tayron Thomas was one of the top players in the history of the Philadelphia University Men's Basketball Program. He was a consensus first-team All-America selection as a senior after leading NCAA Division II in scoring with 29.0 ppg. He concluded his four-year college basketball career with the Rams ranked first all-time in school history with 2,414 career points. He Also set a new single-season school record with 898 points during the 2005-2006 season.
Tayron Was named Basketball Times National Co-Player of the Year as well as being named National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) first-team All-America. He also Was tabbed the Daktronics Northeast Region Co-Player of the Year as well as Daktronics first-team All-America. He earned Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Player of the Year accolades as well as ECAC Division II Player of the Year honors, and was a seven-time CACC Player of the Week selection. Tayron additionally Earned All-Tournament honors at the 2005 Disney Tip-Off Classic where he set two tournament records — total points (98) and points per game (32.7).
Christian Burns was named the 2007 Daktronics Division II National Player of the Year and East MVP Honors at NABC Division II All-Star Game.
In the 2006-2007 season, Philadelphia University started a rowing program under head coach Chris O'Brien. Their inaugural season had many highlights including winning the Dad Vail Regatta
Dad Vail Regatta
The Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta is the largest regular intercollegiate rowing event in the USA, drawing over a hundred colleges and universities from North America. The event has been held annually on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, since 1953. Briefly in late 2009, it was planned...
in the Women's Novice Heavy Eight.
The 2008-2009 season was also strong for the men's and women's tennis teams. Both teams won the CACC (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference). On the mens side they beat the University of the Science 5-0. In the individual tournament, the rams sweep the finals in both singles and doubles as Adrian Torroella beat teammate Manoli Sgouros. The team paired up to beat teammates Seppi Hutter and Tom McAvoy in the doubles final.
Nickname
Philadelphia University is often referred to by the faculty, staff, students and alumni as "Phila U".Notable alumni
- Maurice KanbarMaurice KanbarMaurice Kanbar is an American entrepreneur and inventor who lives in San Francisco, California. He is particularly well-known for his creation of SKYY vodka, and is also noted for his extensive real estate investments.-Biography:...
('52), inventor. - Jay McCarrollJay McCarrollJay McCarroll is a fashion designer who gained fame after winning the debut season of the competitive reality show Project Runway in 2005.-Career:...
, winner of Bravo's inaugural season of Project Runway. - Curtis KingCurtis KingCurtis Albert King is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals.-External links:...
, ex-Major League Baseball player, St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. - Bob FileBob FileRobert Michael File is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball. File spent three plus seasons as a reliever with the Toronto Blue Jays from to . Signed with the St...
, ex-Major League Baseball player, Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. - Herb MageeHerb MageeHerb Magee , commonly referred to as the Shot Doctor, is a Division II men's college basketball coach at his alma mater, Philadelphia University, known as Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science until 1999. He will be entering his 45th year as head coach and 52nd year as both a player and a...
, #1 NCAA Division II basketball coach with all wins in the NCAA. - Adrian BrooksAdrian BrooksAdrian Brooks is a retired English-American soccer midfielder who spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League and at least one in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
('78), former professional soccer player - Pat Chambers, Penn State University men's basketball coach
- William Calvert '91 http://www.williamcalvert.com , New York Haute Couture designer
- Dr. Thomas Edman developed DACRON and the first bifurcated aortal graft
- Allen Sirkin President and Chief Operating Officer, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
- Andrew Vecchione President, Polartec
- Mo Meidar ('70) Chairman and CEO, MAG Industrial Automation Systems
- Jeffrey Bogatin Chairman and Founder, TurboChef Technologies
- Joseph Gorga President and CEO, International Textile Group
- Rasheed Clark '98 Award-Winning Educator, Bestselling Author