This is due to the fact that Manchester was heavily populated with French Canadian and Irish immigrant mill workers, and Bradley was unable to find a suitable religious community that would not stir up ethnic tensions.

[6] The Saint Anselm Abbey's shield was designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose of Harvard University.

Bonaventure Ostendarp founded the Studio of Christian Art in 1893 in order to sell paintings to local Catholic churches throughout the region.

[8] Since the 1950s, the college has played a role in the New Hampshire presidential primary, and has served as a stage for many future presidents, candidates, and supporters.

Despite the backlash against the US military on college campuses nationwide, the presence of a National Guard armory did not result in any major problems.

Students, faculty and members of the monastic community held prayer services and rallies throughout campus after the Kent State shootings.

[14] The lawsuit was settled the following year with an agreement that gave the monks responsibility for the college's mission and vision, with the board in charge of routine operations.

Alumni Hall was constructed by the Benedictine monks and local contractors from 1891 through the winter of 1892; the building was designed by Patrick W. Ford, an Irish-American architect from Boston.

The monks were forced to rebuild the college, spending considerably less money on the construction, as they had received only $55,000 from the Insurance Commissioner of the State of New Hampshire.

In 1912, the bell tower and ivy were added to the building; in 1923, the college's second chapel (the first being located on the second floor at the present-day business office) was constructed as a connecting wing.

[23] Male students frequently dine in the monastery as guests, experiencing the monastic practice of silence while eating, which allows for greater contemplation.

Hugo Paff from Saint Mary's Abbey in Newark, New Jersey; these books are still in the library and date back to the mid-19th century.

The Abbey Players offer students the opportunity to develop their artistic talents both on and off the stage, stressing the importance of self-esteem, teamwork, and leadership.

The campus underwent a substantial facelift in 2009, as new faculty offices and instructional spaces were created within the newly renovated Saint Joan of Arc Convent, which is now known as Joseph Hall.

The addition to the Carr Center is a three-story glass fitness space, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the baseball and football fields, constructed on the south side of the building.

In 2012, the college spent $1.3 million by installing a synthetic turf field at Grappone Stadium, and added lights for nighttime practice and games.

In 2012, a new parking lot was constructed on college-owned land between Sullivan Arena and privately owned Clarke Farm, located in Bedford.

The quadrangle, referred to as the "JOA Quad" or the "Campus Green", has lights and walkways and is lined with trees; the centerpiece is a brick patio with a large, granite seal of the college.The college offers a one-year "Conversatio" lecture series with a focus on the pursuit of the "good life".

[citation needed] Because of this, and the pursuant increase in grade point averages among the student body, the requirements for Latin honors have been raised.

[41] The Dean's List of Scholars is an internal honor society accepting students that fulfill its requirements of a 3.4 semester GPA in at least four classes.

The selection process is composed of a comprehensive review of the applicant's high school transcript, personal recommendations from teachers and guidance counselor, an essay, and extracurricular involvement.

Delta Epsilon Sigma, the Catholic equivalent to Phi Beta Kappa, is the oldest honor society at the college.

[50] Saint Anselm is a member of the Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities, as Father Jonathan DeFelice was a co-founder of this organization in 1993.

"[54] U.S. News & World Report also ranked the college as the single, most popular location in New Hampshire for presidential candidates to visit.

[55] For over the past forty years, the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP) has played host to hundreds of presidential aspirants who have delivered policy speeches at Saint Anselm College.

[59] Saint Anselm College competes at the NCAA Division II level in 23 men's and women's varsity sports.

On October 24, 2024, the Saint Anselm College Women's Field Hockey team won the NCAA Division II National Championship.

In the past, CAB organized musical acts including Howie Day, Third Eye Blind, Jason Derulo and Matt Nathanson to perform there.

This was done to separate student opinion from official college news released by Saint Anselm's public relations department.

It publishes all forms of creative content online including art, music, photography, literature, poetry, philosophy, commentary, and video from students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the college.