1. Suffolk University
www.suffolk.edu
A Brief Look at the
People and
Traditions at
Suffolk University.

2. Making Suffolk the School with a Heart:
Gleason L. Archer, Sr.-
President and Founder (42 years)
Coach Jim Nelson-
Athletic Director (45 years)
Jeanne Hession- 1956
SULS Alumna and 1st
Female Trustee 1973
Dottie “Mac” McNamara- Bursar
and Alumni Director (47 years)

3. Athletics
Hiram the Ram:
1950 – Hiram the “Ram” is celebrated as the
new mascot, previous mascots included the
“Royals” and the “Judges” To highlight the
new mascot, the Suffolk Journal is renamed
the “Rambler” for a year.
1938 – Men’s Tennis becomes the University’s
first athletics team.

4. Prominent Alumni Paul Benedict- 1960
Actor: ‘The Jeffersons’, ‘The Man with
Two brains’, ‘Spinal Tap’
Joe Moakley- 1956
US Congressman 1973-2001

5. From Humble Beginnings
6 Alpine Street: Archer Building
1906 – Suffolk University is founded when
Gleason Archer opens a law school in his living
room.

6. Campus Expansion
1960s-1980s
Donahue Building: 1966
Ridgeway Lane:
Construction, 1977
Sawyer Building: 1981

7. Campus Expansion
1990s-2000s
Ridgeway Building: 1991
150 Tremont Street:
1st residence hall for 435
students, 1996
NESAD: Joins Suffolk University, 1996
Sargent Hall: 1999

8. Science Classrooms: Then and Now
Left: Chemistry Lab, 1941
Below: Chemistry Lab, c. 1980s
Left: Friedman Field Station at
Cobscook Bay (ME), 1976

9. Student Life and Traditions
Suffolk Journal and Suffolk Players
1936 – The Suffolk Journal and Suffolk Players are established;
shaping the beginning of student life at the new College of
Liberal Arts.
1948 – The first issue of the
Beacon Yearbook is published.

10. Student Life and A women’s lounge
Traditions
Formal attire

11. Student Life and Traditions
Hobo Dance:
Miss Suffolk: 1949
1966
Commencement: 1995

12. Student Life and Traditions
Beanie: Incoming freshman
receive and wear a beanie

13. Other Highlights
• 1913 – Suffolk graduates its first African-American student Thaddeus Kitchner.
• 1933 – Suffolk enrolls its first female, Marian Archer MacDonald, who graduates in 1937.
• 1934 – Suffolk College of Liberal Arts, now the College of Arts and Sciences is founded.
• 1937 – College of Business Administration, now the Sawyer Business School is founded.
• 1937 – The College Debating Society becomes the University’s first recognized student organization.
• 1946 – Student Government for the Colleges is recognized.
• 1952 – Suffolk University charters its first academic honorary society Phi Beta Chi (science).
• 1961 – Suffolk University institutes an “activities period” to encourage student involvement.
• 1974 – WSUB begins producing and broadcasting student productions; residence halls get a
channel in 2003.
• 1976 – WSFR is established as a closed circuit radio station; it expands to internet broadcasting in
2001.
• 1980 – SGA established Program Council to concentrate on planning campus social events.
• 1989 – David J. Sargent is appointed Suffolk’s 8th President and its first alumni to hold that position.
• 1995 – University’s first international campus opens in Madrid, Spain.
• 2006 – Suffolk University celebrates its Centennial and opens the Sawyer Library at the Stahl Center