Canisius College Canisius College ( ) is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo , New York , United States . The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus ( Jesuits ) from Germany and is named after St . Peter Canisius . The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities . The campus sprawls across over a mile of city blocks and includes dedicated NCAA Division I athletic facilities along with various academic and residence buildings . History . The Canisius College of Buffalo , commonly referred to as Canisius , has a long and proud history in the city of Buffalo . The first campus was on Ellicott St . in the city and was created in response to a growing need for higher education in the area . Buffalo was composed of many ethnic groups and one of the larger populations was German in origin . As Europe experienced political turmoil , more and more people left for America especially after the failed revolutions of 1848 . By 1866 , Prussia had exerted considerable pressure on its Germanic neighbors which cause many more people to leave . One of the places where many Germans settled was Buffalo , NY . Part of the immigrant population included German Jesuits . The college formed with Canisius High School as a natural response to the needs of the Catholic community . The college archives has an extensive collection pertaining to the history of the college and its founding . Schools . Canisius College has three schools . They are : College of Arts and Sciences Wehle School of Business School of Education and Human Services . Campaign for Canisius . In the fall of 2007 , the college announced plans to raise $ 90 million by the year 2012 for capital improvements and to enhance the college ’ s endowment . It is the largest fund - raising initiative in the college ’ s history . Of the $ 90 million goal , $ 47 million will fund the creation of an interdisciplinary science center at the college . This impressive undertaking creates a vital physical and visual connection between various parts of the campus through 1901 Main Street . Included in this program was the full acquisition of a 1 , 500 space parking ramp which will provide room for additional commuter students . The college announced on November 20 , 2008 the acquisition of the building from The Uniland Partnership of Delaware LP . Rankings . " U . S . News and World Report " ranked Canisius as 20th among regional schools in its " North Region . " Canisius was included in Kaplan ' s list of " America ' s 367 Most Interesting Schools . " Academics . Canisius offers more than 125 majors , minors and special programs . The college is accredited by the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education , the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education ( NCATE ) , and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business ( AACSB ) . Links to all of the departments can be found here In fall 2009 , Canisius College introduced a new major in Animal Behavior , Ecology and Conservation . Other new majors recently announced include Creative Writing , Health and Wellness , and Journalism . Student life . More than 130 clubs and organizations are located on - campus . All student clubs and organizations must be approved by the Undergraduate Student Association and its Senators . Student programs offered include the Best of Buffalo series , the annual Fall Semi - Formal , the annual Mr . Canisius competition , the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit with Fall BBQ , Springfest and Oktoberfest . Athletics . The Canisius College Golden Griffins are composed of 16 teams including men and women ' s basketball , cross country , track , lacrosse , soccer , and swimming and diving . Men ' s sports include baseball , ice hockey , and golf . Women ' s sports include volleyball , synchronized swimming , and softball . The Golden Griffins compete in the NCAA Division I and are members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference ( MAAC ) for most sports , except for the men ' s ice hockey team , which competes in the Atlantic Hockey . In , Canisius men ' s lacrosse won the MAAC tournament and earned its first ever bid to the NCAA Men ' s Lacrosse Championship tournament . The 2008 Baseball team won the regular season MAAC championship for the first time in its history with a 41 - 13 record breaking the school record for wins in a season . One season later , the team advanced to its first MAAC Championship game in program history . The Canisius College softball team recently won the 2009 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament , its 3rd consecutive title win , marking the team ' s 11th trip to the NCAA tournament in the last 15 years . The softball team is consistently the winner of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament . Canisius won the Canal Cup in 2008 and 2009 . The cup commemorates the athletic rivalry between Canisius College and Niagara University . Canisius has won the trophy two times in the Canal Cup ' s three year existence . The Canisius synchronized swim team has been the 3rd place team in the nation since 2008 , fielding several national champions in several categories each year . The team has been ECAC champions since 1996 . Intramural sports are also offered to students , faculty and staff . Canisius ' mascot is the Golden Griffin . The college adopted it in 1932 , after Charles A . Brady ( ' 33 ) wrote a story in a Canisius publication honoring Buffalo ' s centennial year as a city . Brady wrote about Rene - Robert LaSalle ' s Le Griffon , the first European ship to sail the upper Great Lakes , built here in Buffalo . The name stuck , and Canisius ' mascot was born . According to GoGriffs . com , the griffin is a " mythical creature of supposed gigantic size that has the head , forelegs and wings of an eagle and the hindquarters , tail and ears of a lion . " It represents values such as strength , vigilance , and intelligence , all of which befit a college and qualities that one would look for in students and athletes alike . Pro Football Venue . The College was also the home field of the Buffalo All - Americans of the early National Football League . Around 1917 , Buffalo manager , Barney Lepper , signed a lease for the team to play their home games at Canisius College . The All - Americans played several of their games at Canisius before relocating to Bison Stadium in 1924 . Greek life . All of Canisius College ' s fraternities and sororities are approved by the Canisius College Office of Campus Programing and Leadership Development and each has strict policies against hazing . A list of organizations approved by the college can be found here : Canisius Greek Life ROTC . Canisius College is the Reserve Officer Training Corps hub for Western New York . The Golden Griffin Battalion is composed of students from Canisius , University at Buffalo ( UB ) , Hilbert College , D ' Youville College , Daemen College , Medaille College and Erie Community College . In 2008 , the ROTC battalion won the MacArthur Award as the top battalion in the east region . Accessibility . Canisius is served by two strategically placed stations on the Buffalo Metro Rail , the Humboldt - Hospital Station near Sisters Hospital and the Delavan Canisius College Station near the Koessler Athletic Center . These two stations are on opposite ends of the campus . In addition , Canisius is accessible via Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority bus and by car . All undergraduate students receive an all zone Metro Pass that started as a pilot program but became so wildly successful that all students will continue to receive the pass . Shuttle Services . The college also utilizes shuttles for students to and from various places on campus . For more information see Canisius Shuttle Bus Service Student Run Media . " The Griffin " . The student newspaper is " The Griffin . " The paper started in 1933 , replacing " The Canisian " , and is published every week while classes are in session . The paper also produces a parody issue on the last day of classes each year . " The Quadrangle " . An annual literary and artwork magazine . The " Quadrangle " is primarily built on selected writings , artwork , and photographs constructed by enrolled Canisius students . CCTV . public - access television cable TV , broadcasting to Canisius College televisions from the fourth floor studio at Lyons Hall . " The Azuwur " . The Canisius College yearbook , published once a year . ( Pronounced " as - you - were " ) The WIRE . The WIRE is the college ' s radio station , which broadcasts over the campus television system . The WIRE replaced WCCG , and is currently available online through the Canisius College website . " The Courier " . Canisius College ' s magazine - style opinion orientated publication . Created as a magazine in 2006 , the publication has been known to be at times controversial but it served as a publication to where students , no matter what their opinions may be , could freely voice and express their opinions . Notable alumni . Canisius has approximately 40 , 000 living alumni worldwide and are achieving considerable success in business , journalism , government , law , medicine and sports .