Molloy University is a private Roman Catholic university in Rockville Centre, New York. Initially founded as a school for women, it is now co-educational. It provides more than 50 academic undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs for over 5,000 students.

History 

In 1955 the Dominican Sisters of Amityville founded Molloy Catholic College or Women on 25 acres in Rockville Centre, Long Island, which was purchased by the Sisters of St. Dominic. When the college opened, Mother Anselma Ruth was its first president and the school offered two degrees, education and nursing. A year after it opened, the first institutional building named Quealy Hall opened. Soon after, Mother Bernadette de Lourdes, O.P., was appointed as the second president followed by the opening of Kellenberg Hall. In 1959 the first commencement ceremony took place celebrating the first graduating class. 

In 1971, the decision was made to drop “for Women” from the school name. In 1972 Molloy began accepting men into the nursing program and in 1982 became fully coeducational. 

In 2011, Fitzgerald Hall, the first of three student residence halls opened, as well as the school’s Public Square and Madison Theatre. In 2013, the Molloy Clinic opened in the Village of Rockville Centre. In 2013, the school’s Maria Regina Hall underwent renovation and was converted into a residence hall that opened in the fall of 2014. Before the renovation, the hall was used by the nursing faculty and the college’s Public Safety offices. The top floor of the hall served as a convent for the Sisters of Saint Dominic. The few sisters who still lived in the convent moved back to the Dominican priory in Amityville before the renovation.

In 2019, the university’s Residence Quad, McGovern Plaza, was dedicated, and the Drew and Karen Bogner Hall, a new dorm, opened.

In 2020, Molloy announced Dr. James Lentini as president.

In March 2022, the New York State Board of Regents approved the change from Molloy College to Molloy University. The name change was effective June 1, 2022 and the university adopted a new logo.

Student life 
Molloy University offers over 60 clubs and organizations. Some are founded on academics but others are centered around a cultural theme.

Molloy has three residence halls that house nearly 350 students (about 9% of undergrads), Maria Regina, Fitzgerald, and Bogner Hall. 
Dorms are co-ed but the halls and wings are separated by gender. Students living on campus have a choice of three different meal plans, and the school provides daily shuttle service for dining, shopping, or the train.

Student services 
Molloy’s student services include nonremedial tutoring, a women’s center, placement services, international student advisors, career services, health service, personal/psychological counseling, and health insurance.

Public Square 
Molloy’s Public Square is a 24-hour campus center that opened in 2011. It includes a cafe, lounges, study rooms, student club space, a bookstore, an art gallery, rehearsal and office spaces for the music department, and the Madison Theatre, a 550-seat theater.

Academics
Molloy University employs 190 full-time faculty, with 87% holding terminal degrees in their field. Molloy's student-faculty ratio is 10 to 1. The university accepts around 75% of its applicants. There are four schools: School of Arts & Sciences, School of Business, School of Education & Human Services, and the Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing & Health Sciences.

School of Arts & Sciences 
The School of Arts and Sciences offers majors in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. The School offers 17 undergraduate degree majors and 2 graduate programs, including the Molloy/CAP21 B.F.A. in Theatre Arts.

School of Business 
The School of Business at Molloy University is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) and offers undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees, including the M.B.A.

School of Education & Human Services 
The School of Education and Human Services offers undergraduate and graduate degrees including bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in Education, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and Social Work. The Ed.D. program in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities is part of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate. The Education undergraduate and graduate programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing & Health Sciences 
The Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing & Health Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing, allied health sciences and communication sciences and disorders. Almost half of Molloy’s undergraduates (based on pre-2023 data) major in nursing. The nursing program is built around a humanistic approach. The university’s master’s of science program in clinical mental health counseling is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Theatre Program and Molloy-CAP21 
In 2004, the College announced plans for the Public Square Building. It is now home to the Madison Theatre at Molloy College, a 550+ seat theater and professional performance space. Madison Theatre's Artistic Director is Angelo Fraboni, a Broadway performer who has produced and managed a range of Off-Broadway productions and tours. 

In 2014, Collaborative Arts Project 21, America’s Musical Theatre Conservatory and Theatre Company (CAP21) joined forces with Molloy University. The two institutions developed a four year BFA Theatre Arts Degree Program to help “sustain the theatre for the next generation of artists.” Students take classes at Molloy and at the conservatory, with many members of the faculty working in the theater industry, and have the opportunity to perform with Broadway professionals. The musical theater training focuses on singing, voice, dance, and music theory. All seniors complete a Senior Showcase. 

In 2018, Molloy opened the Manhattan Center in downtown Manhattan to serve as the new home for the Molloy/Cap21 program. It occupies the entire fourth floor of a historic building at 50 Broadway.

Research and Partnerships

The Energeia Partnership 
This partnership is a forum for Long Island-based ethicists working in the public, private, and charity sectors. Participants search for solutions to the area’s problems, while studying a two-year curriculum that focuses on topics that include education, institutional racism, poverty and the working poor, criminal justice, government and taxation, transportation, land use, energy, health care, resiliency, and media and social networking. In 2009, Molloy started Energeia for Teens to help develop leadership skills and promote character development in Long Island high school students.

Catholic Health Services 
Molloy and Catholic Health Services work together to improve healthcare in Long Island and provide training opportunities for faculty, students, and others in the community.

Athletics 
Molloy athletic teams are the Lions. The school’s colors are maroon and white. The college is a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the East Coast Conference.

Molloy has 19 intercollegiate varsity sports: men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.

The Molloy College softball team made it to the NCAA Division II World Series in 2013. A number of volleyball athletes have been named All-American.

Notable alumni
 Shea Spitzbarth - professional baseball player
 Jaylen Morris - professional basketball player

References

External links
 
 Official athletics website

 
Universities and colleges on Long Island
Universities and colleges established in 1955
Dominican universities and colleges in the United States
Universities and colleges in Nassau County, New York
1955 establishments in New York (state)
Catholic universities and colleges in New York (state)
East Coast Conference schools