Bronx Community College was established in 1957 after a decade of effort by civic-minded groups in Bronx County to meet the growing need for increased higher education facilities in the “Borough of Universities and Progress.” Classes began with 125 students on February 2, 1959, at the former site of the Bronx High School of Science at Creston Avenue and 184th Street. With Dr. Morris Meister as its first president, the College soon developed into a much-acclaimed comprehensive community college offering a broad range of academic programs.