Founding of Villa Julie College
Villa Julie was founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur at “Seven Oaks,” the 80-acre former estate of the George Carrell Jenkins family in Greenspring Valley, Baltimore County. The School opened on October 1, 1947, which is now recognized as Founders Day. Official approval as a two-year college was granted by the Maryland State Department of Education in 1954, and a new classroom facility, Founders Hall, was opened. The School was incorporated in 1958 in the State of Maryland.
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools awarded Villa Julie regional accreditation in 1962. In 1967, the College became an independent institution with control vested in a newly formed Board of Trustees comprised of business, civic, and professional leaders. By the late 1960s, enrollment had increased to full capacity. In 1970–71, the College erected a multi-million dollar complex, consisting of a Library/Learning Resources Center and Administrative Wing, Art Center, and Student Center. Evening and summer sessions were inaugurated, and the number of degree programs increased. In 1972, the College became coeducational. Accreditation was reaffirmed by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in 1972 and again in 1982.