1860
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1860
February 6, 1860 – St. Francis Solanus College begins classes in building at 8th and Maine Street.
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1871
1871: After being held in three different locations, classes move to new building which is currently the eastmost wing of Francis Hall.
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1873
1873: College granted charter by the State of Illinois to grant degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts.
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1878
1878: Father Augustus Tolton, who would become the first black priest in the United States, enters college as student.
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1895
1895: Quincy College Baseball team begins play.
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1911
1911: Bowling alleys are built under the study hall.
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1912
1912: QU Chapel is completed and dedicated.
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1915
1915: Varsity Basketball program begins play.
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1916
1916: Varsity Football program begins play.
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1917
1917– College name changed from St. Francis Solanus College to Quincy College and Seminary.
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1926
1926: City renames Vine Street as College Avenue.
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1929
1929: QU’s student newspaper, The Falcon, begins publication.
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1932
1932: Women first admitted as full-time day students.
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1941
1941-1945: World War II greatly reduces the male enrollment; Quincy survives by training naval cadets and army reservists.
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1948
1948 – Quincy College Foundation created, the beginning of the College Endowment.
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1950
1950: Memorial Gym (now Pepsi Arena) completed.
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1954
1954 – College achieves first accreditation by the North Central Association (now Higher Learning Commission).
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1957
1957-58: Augustine Hall and Woods Hall are constructed.
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1958
1958: Men’s Varsity Golf program started
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1958
1958: Men’s Varsity Cross Country and Track Programs started
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1958
1958: Men’s Varsity Tennis program started
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1959
1959: Enrollment reaches 1,000 for the first time.
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1960
1960: Centennial Hall (now Helein Hall) opens on University’s centennial year
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1963
1963: Garner Hall completed
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1964
1964: Men’s Soccer is introduced to the college.
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1965
1965: The opening performance at Machugh Theatre, The Taming of the Shrew, occurs.
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1965
1965: Women’s Varsity programs in Basketball, Tennis and Volleyball started
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1966
1966: Soccer wins its first of 11 NAIA National Championships.
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1966
1966: Padua Hall opens.
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1967
1967: Brenner Library is constructed.
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1969
1969: University purchases its first computer
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1971
1971 – Franciscan Province Cedes Control of College
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1972
1972: Women’s Softball started at QU.
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1974
1974: Sports Hall of Fame induction of first 10 members
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1978
1978: New soccer field, now Legends Stadium, built at North Campus.
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1983
1983: Women’s Soccer team begins play.
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1984
1984: Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program begins.
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1985
1985: Softball wins NAIA National Championship.
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1985
1985: Men’s Varsity Volleyball started
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1986
1986 — QU Football returns after 33-year hiatus
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1991
1991: Master of Science in Education Degree approved.
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1993
1993: College is renamed to Quincy University.
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1994
1994: Windows to the Future sculpture dedicated.
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1994
1994 — Quincy University opens its first-ever Internet-accessible computer lab
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1996
1996 — Quincy University launches its first website
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1997
1997: College adopts policy allowing fraternities and sororities on campus once again
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1998
1998: Women’s Varsity Tennis and Golf programs started
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2000
2000 — Quincy dedicates statue of St. Francis in Francis Hall courtyard
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2001
2001: Health and Fitness Center Opens
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2005
2005: Mart Heinen Softball Complex opens at North Campus
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2006
2006: Wireless Internet is offered all throughout campus
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2010
2010 — Quincy University Marching Band returns after 60+ year hiatus
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2010
2010– QU celebrates its 150th anniversary.
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2011
2011 — Student Living Center opens becoming the campus’ first new residence hall since 1970
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2011
2011 — Rich Niemann ’53 and the Niemann Foods Foundation gift $1,000,000 to establish the Connie Niemann Center for Music. The gift is the largest in University history by a living donor.
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2012
2012 — An anonymous donor gifts $2,000,000 to renovate the QU Center for Science
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2014
2014 — Student Success Center opens under Brenner Library
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2014
2014 — Quincy University dedicates St. Clare statue
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2015
2015: QU Announced $4 million renovation to QU Stadium to bring football back to campus.
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2019
2019: QU receives nearly $3 million gift from anonymous donor to establish the John Mahoney Scholarship.
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2021
2021: The Oakley Family presents Quincy University with the largest gift in the university’s history. The School of Business is renamed the “Oakley School of Business.”