Growth and Change
As college attendance rates rose throughout the United States and the college experience became both coveted and necessary, the college adapted and evolved to meet these needs. In 1937, the school’s name was changed to the New Jersey State Teachers College at Glassboro (www.rowan.edu). Then, in 1946, following World War II, the college's second president, Dr. Edgar Bunce, developed a junior college program to provide education to veterans taking advantage of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Servicemen's Readjustment Act, or the G.I. Bill, which included covering costs of attending college for veterans (www.ourdocumets.gov).
By 1959, the school’s program was expanded to include secondary-school teacher training, in addition to elementary-school training. Moreover, it’s name was changed again, to Glassboro State College, to better reflect the school’s goals as it came to include programs in special education (www.rowan.edu).
Then, under the 4th president, Dr. Mark Chamberlain, enrollment doubled and the school became a multi-purpose institution, including new majors. Following this, Dr. Herman James, the 5th president, created the first doctoral program and the colleges of Communication and Engineering at the college. And finally, in 1992, after the famous "Rowan Gift," in which Henry and Betty Rowan donated $100 million to Glassboro State College to expand the curriculum of the College of Engineering, Dr. James changed the school's name to Rowan State College, and then Rowan University in 1997, after the school achieved University status (www.rowan.edu).
During this time, several more residence halls were built to house the growing number of enrolled students as the school expanded. Traditional residence halls Evergreen, Mullica Hill, and Mimosa were opened in 1962, 1963, and 1967 respectively. Then, apartments Edgewood and Triad were opened in 1973 and 1982. Soon after, residence halls Chestnut, Willow, and Magnolia began housing students in 1984. Finally, Rowan's Townhouse Apartments, Rowan Boulevard Apartments, and Whitney Center Apartments opened in 2004, 2010, and 2011, followed by the most recently-built residence building, Holly Pointe Commons in 2016 (www.rowan.edu).
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