Founded as St. John’s College by Bishop John Hughes, Fordham opened in 1841 to serve the immigrant Church of New York. At the invitation of Bishop Hughes, the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) assumed responsibility for the College in 1846. In 1907 the institution achieved university status. Its name was officially changed to Fordham University. During the 20th century, the University grew to encompass eleven schools, with campuses in the Bronx, Manhattan and Westchester County.
