St. Norbert College - History

History

St. Norbert College was established when Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Dutch immigrant priest from the Premonstratensian abbey of Bern (Netherlands), founded the college to train young men for the priesthood. Frances I. Van Dyke, a seminarian, was the first and, at the time, the only student. St. Norbert is the first and only institution of higher learning in the world sponsored by the Premonstratensian order. Abbot Pennings later started a commerce program at the college for lay students before retiring in 1955.

St. Norbert's second president, Father Dennis Burke, expanded the college, anticipating the student population would eventually reach 2000. Dr. Robert Christin, who became president in 1968, implemented the current course system and the academic divisional structure. In 1973, Neil Webb, a former faculty member and vice president, became president. With his strong fiscal management abilities, Dr. Webb established the first substantial permanent endowment for the school.

Serving as the college's president from 1983 to 2000, Thomas Manion brought national recognition to the institution and led the expansion of facilities and the development of additional academic programs. Under his leadership, the enrollment topped 2000, and extensive renovations and construction activities expanded the college's physical facilities.

Mr. Thomas Kunkel, former Dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park, became the seventh president of the college on July 1, 2008.