Westfield State University (commonly known as Westfield State) is a public university in Westfield, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded in 1839 by Horace Mann as the first public coeducational college in America.
Contents
History
In 1839, Horace Mann founded a state normal school in Barre, Massachusetts. It offered entry regardless of race, gender, or economic class. Samuel P. Newman, a professor and administrator at Bowdoin College, was the school's first principal. It was the second normal school in Massachusetts after the Lexington Normal School, which was founded earlier in the year. The Barre Normal School was suspended following Newman's death and moved to Westfield in 1844, where it became the Westfield Normal School. Rev. Emerson Davis, head of the Westfield Academy was placed in charge of the new school. The Westfield Normal School was later known as Westfield State Teachers College. In 1960, Governor Foster Furcolo signed a bill that would transition the state's nine teachers colleges, including Westfield State, into general state colleges and Westfield State Teachers College became Westfield State College the following year. The institution adopted its current name in 2010 as part of a statewide change.
Rankings
In 2013, WSU was ranked fourth nationally by US News in their Best Online Programs Honor Roll. WSU was also ranked first in the country for "Faculty Credentials & Training" and eleventh in "Student Services & Technology".
Athletics
Westfield State athletics teams are nicknamed the Owls. The university competes in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference of NCAA Division III.
Notable alumni
George B. Cortelyou (1882): U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
Nettie Stevens (1883): discoverer of the X and Y chromosomes
Eduardo C. Robreno (1967): federal court judge
Marsha Bemko (1977): television producer
Peter Laviolette (1986): ice hockey player and coach
Christopher Donelan (1987): Sheriff of Franklin County
Domenic Sarno (1993): Mayor of Springfield
Chris Caputo (2002): basketball coach
Todd M. Smola (2004): representative from Palmer
John J. O'Connor: artist
Garreth Lynch: politician
Alice Mary Dowd: educator, author
Geraldo Alicea: representative in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
William D. Mullins: member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and baseball player