History

Rivier University is named in honor of Saint Marie Rivier, Foundress of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary. Established in 1933 in Hudson, New Hampshire, the University moved in 1941 to the present campus site in Nashua. The University was incorporated in 1935 under the laws of the State of New Hampshire, and through two separate charters was invested with the power to confer both graduate and undergraduate degrees. Rivier is recognized for both on-campus and online programs that serve the needs of traditional-aged students as well as adult learners.

In conjunction with the bicentennial of the founding of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary in 1796, the University formally recommitted to Saint Marie Rivier’s mission of teaching and serving the poor by making social justice and service to others a special focus of its work. The University’s core curriculum, Journeys of Transformation, educates students for lives as servant-leaders in an increasingly interdependent global community, where understanding and engaging with others is essential not only to individual success but also to a stable and sustainable world.

Rivier Today

Accredited since 1948, Rivier enrolls more than 2,500 students in Undergraduate, Professional Studies, Graduate, and Doctoral degree programs. With a focus on liberal arts and professional preparation, we offer academic excellence in a learning environment that seeks to educate the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. A Rivier education provides a unique combination of theory, experiential learning, and professional development through on-campus and online degree programs.