Sir George Williams University History

The history of Sir George Williams University began with the establishment of the Young Men's Christian Association in Montreal in 1851. Part of the YMCA's mandate was to meet the needs of its members and to serve the Montreal community. So when members of the community, working individuals and local business leaders voiced the need for education "obtained from no text book ... [but] from original sources," the Montreal YMCA stepped in. In 1873, the association inaugurated evening courses in vocational and general education. This system was known as the Educational Program and, later, the Montreal YMCA Schools.

In 1926, the Montreal YMCA Schools changed its name to Sir George Williams College in honour of the founder of the YMCA (London, England, 1844).

The college was intended to expand formal education opportunities for both young men and women employed in Montreal. Student guidance counselling and student-faculty interaction were particularly encouraged within the tightly knit college community. The Depression and the subsequent economic boom in the 1930s both led to steady enrolment increases. The college grew from a two-year program in the 1920s to a four-year program in 1934.

In 1948, Sir George Williams College officially obtained it