Editing Chatham University (section)

==History==
[[File:Pennsylvania College for Women Freshman Class 1914-1915.jpg|thumb|left|Freshman class, 1914–15]]
Founded as the "Pennsylvania Female College" on December 11, 1869, by Reverend William Trimble Beatty (the father of renowned operatic [[contralto]] [[Louise Homer]]), it was located in the Berry mansion on Woodland Road off Fifth Avenue in the neighborhood of Shadyside. Shadyside Campus today is composed of buildings and grounds from a number of former private mansions. The college was renamed "Pennsylvania College for Women" in 1890, and "Chatham College" in 1955. The latter name was to honor [[William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham]], after whom the city of Pittsburgh is [[Namesake|named]].<ref>[http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=ascead;cc=ascead;q1=chatham%20university;rgn=main;view=text;didno=US-PPiU-dar192508 William Pitt Family Papers, 1757-1804], DAR.1925.08, [[The Darlington Collection]], Special Collections Department, University of Pittsburgh</ref>

The school gained [[university]] status from the [[Pennsylvania Department of Education]] on April 23, 2007, and publicly announced its new status on May 1, 2007, changing its name to Chatham University.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07121/782468-100.stm|access-date=2009-08-16|date=2007-05-01|first=Tim|last=Grant|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|title=Chatham gains university status}}</ref>

With elements designed for the original Andrew Mellon estate by the [[Olmsted Brothers]], the {{convert|39|acre|ha|adj=on}} Shadyside Campus was designated an [[arboretum]] in 1998 by the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta.

In 2005 the university expanded its programs to include online advanced degree programs (bachelors, masters, doctoral) through the School of Continuing Education, later the School for Continuing and Professional Studies. Two years later, Chatham's MFA in Creative Writing program was named one of the top five Innovative/Unique Programs by ''[[The Atlantic Monthly]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200708/mfa-programs|access-date=2009-08-16|year=2007|magazine=The Atlantic Monthly|title=The Best of the Best|first=Edward J.|last=Delaney}}</ref>

Chatham received some national attention in 2014 when it announced that it was engaging in a period of study "considering admitting men for the first time in that college's history,"<ref>{{cite web|last=Schackner |first=Bill |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/local/breaking/2014/02/18/Chatham-U-trustees-approve-resolution-to-study-going-all-coed/stories/201402180194 |title=Chatham University considers enrolling men as undergraduate students &#124; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |website=Post-gazette.com |date=2014-02-18 |access-date=2017-03-13}}</ref> resulting in "reactions of surprise and anger" from its alumnae.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schackner |first=Bill |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2014/02/19/Chatham-graduates-express-shock-at-possible-co-ed-move-wage-fight-to-keep-undergraduate-college-single-sex/stories/201402190157 |title=Coed possibility concerns Chatham alumnae &#124; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |website=Post-gazette.com |date=2014-02-19 |access-date=2017-03-13}}</ref> Undergraduate men began attending in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last=Perrine |first=Shannon |url=https://www.wtae.com/article/first-male-undergrads-arrive-at-historically-all-female-chatham-university-1/7473236 |title=First male undergrads arrive at historically all-female Chatham University |website=WTAE.com |date=2015-08-26 |access-date=2020-07-06}}</ref> The president of Chatham University is [[Rhonda Phillips]]. Phillips is the 10th woman to serve as the university's president across its 154-year history.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2023/04/18/chatham-university-pittsburgh-president-rhonda-phillips/stories/202304180083 | title=Chatham University names Rhonda Phillips its new president }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wesa.fm/education/2023-04-18/chatham-university-president-rhonda-phillips | title=Chatham University selects economic development and sustainability expert as 10th female president | date=18 April 2023 }}</ref>

Chatham maintains a connection to its roots as a women's college with the Women's Institute, which celebrated 10 years in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=10 Years of the Chatham Women's Institute |url=https://www.pulse.chatham.edu/blog-stories/chatham-womens-institute-10-year-anniversary-pcwp-jessie-ramey |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=Pulse @ ChathamU |language=en-US}}</ref>