History of the College

In 1858, a group of Franciscan Brothers from Ireland came to Brooklyn to educate the large numbers of immigrants arriving in America, opening St. Francis Academy in 1859. It was the first private school in the diocese of Brooklyn. The school, which was opened to educate the boys of the diocese, started in a building on Baltic Street and grew quickly. In 1884, just 25 years later, the trustees of St. Francis received permission from the state legislature to "establish a literary college" under its current name and giving it the power to confer diplomas, honors, and degrees. In June 1885, St. Francis College conferred its first Bachelor of Arts degree, and seven years later the first Bachelor of Science degree was granted.

The College continued its meteoric growth and built a new facility on Butler Street in 1926. In 1957, the Regents of the University of the State of New York granted an absolute Charter to the Trustees of the College. In 1960, St. Francis embarked on an expansion program. It moved to Remsen Street, where it had purchased two office buildings from Brooklyn Union Gas Company, allowing it to double its enrollment. Shortly thereafter, it became a co-educational institution, and additional property was purchased on both Remsen and Joralemon Streets. The College expanded its facilities with the construction of a science building, athletics complex and housing to accommodate the Franciscan Brothers and provide more space for faculty. 

For more than 60 years, the College’s Remsen Street campus in Brooklyn Heights served the College and its community well, but to remain competitive and meet the demands and expectations of today’s students, the College recognized that it needed a modern, state-of-the-art campus. In May 2021, SFC executed a lease for a new, custom-built, campus at 179 Livingston Street in Brooklyn (“New Campus”). 

After a $60 million custom buildout that includes modern, state-of-the-art, hi-tech educational amenities, the College successfully relocated to the New Campus in September 2022. The award-winning New Campus is comprised of over 255,000 sq. feet with a dedicated street level welcome center. The New Campus has been designed to specifically meet the modern and functional needs of the SFC community, with key features:

  • Several high-tech science labs, including but not limited to a Nursing Simulation and Skills Lab, a FinTech Lab, a Maker Space, a Psychology Lab, Tech Center, and three multi-use computer labs
  • Over 35 classrooms with built-in technology that accommodates a range of teaching styles 
  • A 260-seat cafeteria with servery and kitchen
  • A 38-seat chapel and an expandable multifaith room
  • A 325-seat auditorium
  • A multipurpose expandable room 
  • Dance & Mobility Center
  • A 32-seat tiered screening room
  • TV& Digital Content Production Studio
  • Radio Station
  • Yoga Studio 
  • Center for Inclusion and Excellence
  • A 6,300-square-foot library with space for study and research
  • A private outdoor terrace and access to a roof deck 
  • Two art galleries
  • Gathering spaces for students to work together, study, receive advisement and support, and relax

The New Campus location is even more convenient via public transit for commuter students and provides access to opportunities in NYC beyond the campus, in the heart of the cultural, financial and educational capital of the world (e.g., two subway stops from Wall Street).  The New Campus provides fully ADA compliant accessibility to all persons of varying abilities, usability and sustainability. Our doors are open to the community, as the College is a major anchor in the economic development of the Fulton Market neighborhood, the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the NYC Department of Education, among others. 

Today, St. Francis has more than 4,000 students and 20,000 alumni. Students come primarily from the five boroughs of New York City, although their diverse backgrounds represent over 70 countries with over 40 languages spoken. SFC has a majority-minority undergraduate population:

  • Over 50% of SFC’s students identify as Black/African American or Hispanic
  • Over 50% of SFC’s students identify as female
  • More than 50% of SFC’s students are first-generation college attendees
  • Approximately 45% of SFC’s students are Pell eligible
  • Virtually all SFC students receive some form of financial aid, making SFC one of the most affordable private colleges in New York City

In 2021, the U.S. Department of Education (“USDOE”) recognized SFC as a Hispanic Serving Institution (“HSI”). Based on its success in enrolling and graduating economically disadvantaged students, U.S. News & World Report included the College as #7 on its list of colleges that are Top Performers on Social Mobility. The Chronicle of Higher Education included the College as #3 on its list of private colleges with highest social mobility. 

The College’s mission of providing a first-class, attainable, high-quality education to individuals of all racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds with a special focus on working class New Yorkers; firmly planted in our Franciscan values of community, collaboration, and connection continues today, just as the Franciscan Brothers envisaged more than 165 years ago.