The college is named after Colette Hilbert[2] of the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Joseph,[3] who founded the school in 1957 to train teachers.

Bogel Hall and McGrath Library were the first buildings to open when the college moved from the FSSJ Motherhouse to the new Hamburg campus in 1969.

In 2021, the most common undergraduate programmes were Forensic Science &Technology, Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Administration, and Digital Communication & Multimedia.

[14] Men's sports include: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, lacrosse, soccer, track & field and volleyball.

Women's sports include: basketball, bowling, cross country, ice hockey, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball.

The baseball, basketball, women’s bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, softball and volleyball compete in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

[15] The Hafner Recreation Center features a gymnasium that serves as the home court for the Hawks basketball and volleyball programs.