STEUBENVILLE - It was the worst of times at the College of Steubenville in 1974.

Faculty layoffs were imminent, enrollment numbers declining, a for sale sign was posted in front of a dormitory and a search was under way for a new president to preside over the closing of the private Catholic college.

Twenty-eight years after the college was established in downtown Steubenville with borrowed money and supplies loaned to the Rev. Dan Egan, TOR, the school was on the list of colleges projected to close.

Biology professor Edwin Bessler was among 17 faculty members who had been notified in their jobs were finished at the school.

"Morale among the faculty and staff was very low at that point and the moral fabric among students was deteriorating," Bessler remembered.

"The school was financially strapped. I had been offered a job at Moorehead State in Kentucky but was ready to accept a position with the Ohio University Zanesville campus, and that's when I heard Father Mike was coming to the college and I agreed to stay. People thought I was crazy for not leaving, but Father Mike had a vision and several of us supported that vision," recounted Bessler.

The school's board of trustees had scheduled interviews with three candidates, but the Franciscan provincial at Loretto, Pa., asked the Rev. Michael Scanlan to join the list of presidential candidates to replace the Rev. Kevin R. Keelan.

"My provincial told me he had no plans to move me but he just needed someone for the interview. And I had served as chief academic officer at the college from 1964 until 1969 and was familiar with the campus, faculty and community," recalled Scanlan.

Of the four candidates, Scanlan was the only candidate who talked about ideas for keeping the college open

If selected as the school's fourth president, Scanlan told the trustees he would "bring major changes to the campus."

And the changes he brought to the college resulted in growing enrollment figures, a growing campus and a reputation as a religious and faith based Catholic university.

Thirty-five years after he was named president of the College of Steubenville, Scanlan will be honored Oct. 17 for his 50 years as a professed Franciscan during a celebration that will include an afternoon conference, a Mass of Thanksgiving and a gala reception and dinner.

"When I came here I knew drawing from a local base of prospective students was no longer viable. There were several state supported schools starting up in the region. So I proposed creating a national image for the college. I also proposed building our image as a vibrant, spiritual campus emphasizing theology. I was part of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and could spread the word about the college at various events throughout the country," explained Scanlan.

He also said he established the concept of households at a time when students were asking for open visitation in the dormitories.

"Very early on when I came to the campus I saw loneliness among the students. I had belonged to fraternities during my years of attending prep school and college, so I took the best of that system and created the household family based support program for the students," cited Scanlan.

Other changes instituted by Scanlan included withdrawing from NCAA athletics and encouraging intramural sports to include more students and restoring fiscal stability to the school.

"He followed the Franciscan approach by moving forward slowly and we saw students start coming to our school and in many cases electing to stay in the community after graduation. Without Father Mike I believe the school would have gone down the tubes," Bessler commented.

Scanlan also said he was "always very attracted to the people of Steubenville," during his initial work at the college and then again when he was named president.

"I grew up in mid-town Manhattan but I found the people of Steubenville much more personal. There was an equality across the board in this community that amazed me at the time. I was so impressed with the ease in dealing with the people of Steubenville. There wasn't the coldness I found when living in New York, Boston or Washington, D.C.," observed Scanlan.

And while Scanlan was working to restore the financial stability of the school he also was recruiting faculty and staff.

"When I came here as president in 1974 I never questioned if we would make it. I did question in what form we would survive. We prayed a lot in those days and I will be eternally grateful for God's blessings. We now see more and more men and women coming to Franciscan University because they believe this school is their best choice. They choose us over so many other schools because of the faith commitment here," noted Scanlan.

And according to him, the university also has maintained its local attraction for commuter students.

From a 1974 enrollment of 1,000 students, Franciscan University of Steubenville has grown to a current student population of nearly 2,500 students.

And Scanlan remains at the university he is credited with saving.

He stepped down from the president's job in 1999 but agreed to remain at the school as chancellor.