Saint Anselm College

Saint Anselm College is a private Catholic, Benedictine liberal arts college located primarily in Goffstown, New Hampshire, with a mailing address in Manchester. Founded in 1889 by the Order of Saint Benedict, the college offers undergraduate programs rooted in the liberal arts tradition, along with select graduate offerings. Saint Anselm College is known for its emphasis on small class sizes, close faculty-student engagement, and a curriculum shaped by Benedictine values. The campus includes the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, which hosts national political figures and events. Students drawn to Saint Anselm College often seek a residential academic experience that integrates intellectual inquiry, community life, and service.

Saint Anselm College was founded in 1889 by Benedictine monks from St. Mary’s Abbey in Newark, New Jersey, at the invitation of Bishop Denis M. Bradley of Manchester, New Hampshire. The Order of Saint Benedict of New Hampshire was incorporated on August 1, 1889, marking the official founding of Saint Anselm College. Under the leadership of its founding president, Abbot Hilary Pfraengle, O.S.B., the college opened to students in 1893 after a fire delayed construction of its first building, Alumni Hall. In 1895, the State of New Hampshire authorized the college to grant academic degrees. Originally serving male students in a classical curriculum, Saint Anselm College became coeducational in 1973. Over the twentieth century, the institution expanded its academic programs, campus facilities, and civic engagement initiatives, including the establishment of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, shaping its modern identity in Goffstown and Manchester.