History of Penn State Abington
The Abington College of the Pennsylvania State University was formerly the site of The Ogontz School and Junior College. Chartered in 1850 as the Chestnut Street Female Seminary, the girls’ school moved to Jay Cooke’s estate, “Ogontz,” in Elkins Park in 1883 and became The Ogontz School for Young Ladies. Continued growth eventually resulted in a search for new quarters, and in 1917 the Ogontz School moved to the estate along Woodland Road in the Rydal area of Abington Township, Montgomery County.
In 1950, when the historic girls’ school had concluded its 100th academic year, the grounds, original buildings and library were given to The Pennsylvania State University by the late Abby A. Sutherland, owner and principal.
The new Ogontz Center of Penn State opened in September 1950 with 225 students. An equal number of students continued at the previously established Swarthmore Center, which was discontinued in 1951. In order to better reflect its position in the community, Penn State Ogontz was renamed Penn State Abington-Ogontz in 1995.
Beginning July 1, 1997, upon completion of its 46th academic year, the Abington-Ogontz Campus became Penn State’s Abington College. As a degree-granting college, it continues its commitment to the land-grant concept of providing practical and liberal education in response to the needs of the citizens of the Commonwealth.
The first new construction undertaken at Abington was Lares Building, dedicated in the fall of 1967. The Lares student center took the name of Abby Sutherland’s former home. “Lares” were ancient Roman household gods, ancestral spirits who guarded the households of their descendents, and the symbolism is a continuing reminder of the campus heritage. The Woodland Building, a library-laboratory-classroom building, was completed in 1973. The Physical Education Building was occupied in January 1974. In 2001, renovations and a major addition to Lares Student Union Building were completed.
Penn State Abington currently enrolls in credit courses approximately 3,400 students, principally from Philadelphia, Montgomery and Bucks Counties, who are served by about 110 full-time and 50 part-time faculty members. Both baccalaureate and associate degree programs now can be completed at Abington College.
Penn State Abington currently offers 15 baccalaureate degrees in the disciplines of Administration of Justice; American Studies; Art; Biology; Business; Corporate Communication; English; History; Integrative Arts; Letters, Arts, and Sciences; Information Sciences and Technology; Organizational Leadership; Psychological and Social Sciences; Science; and Science Education–Biological Sciences Teaching Option. In addition, it offers Associate degrees in Business and Letters, Arts, and Sciences. Abington students may also complete the first two years of over 160 Penn State degrees.
