Westfield State University#Westfield Normal School
{{Short description|Public university in Westfield, Massachusetts, US}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Westfield State University
| former_names = {{collapsible list|
- Barre Normal School (1839–1844)
- Westfield Normal School (1844–1932)
- Westfield State Teachers College (1932–1960)
- Massachusetts State College at Westfield (1960–1967)
- Westfield State College (1967–2010){{cite web |title=Catalog: About the University |url=https://catalog.westfield.ma.edu/content.php?catoid=24&navoid=1059#:~:text=In%201844%20the%20institution%20relocated,and%202010%20Westfield%20State%20University. |website=catalog.westfield.ma.edu |publisher=Westfield State University |access-date=24 December 2023}}
}}
| image_name = Seal of Westfield State University.svg
| image_size = 150
| caption =
| established = {{start date and age|1839|09|04}}
| type = Public university
| accreditation = NECHE
| staff =
| faculty =
| provost =
| principal =
| rector =
| chancellor =
| vice_chancellor =
| dean =
| head_label =
| head =
| endowment = $20,002,999 (2020){{cite web| url=https://www.westfield.ma.edu/images/uploads/administration-finance/6-30-20_Financial_Statements_WSU.pdf | access-date=2023-10-28 | title=FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS}}
| students = 4,702{{cite web | title = College Navigator - Westfield State University | language = en | access-date = 2024-07-24 | publisher = National Center for Education Statistics | url = https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?s=MA&id=168263}} (fall 2022)
| undergrad = 4,630 (2020){{cite web|url=https://www.westfield.ma.edu/documents/cds2020-2021pdf |title=GENERAL INFORMATION | access-date=2023-10-28}}
| doctoral =
| academic_staff =
| city = Westfield
| state = Massachusetts
| country = United States
| coor = {{Coord|42.131392|-72.796005|display=inline,title}}
| campus = Residential
| campus_size = {{Convert|256|acre}}
| free_label =
| free =
| colors = Blue, White and Gold
{{color box|#00247d}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} {{color box|#8e774d}}
| mascot = Nestor
| nickname = Owls
| footnotes =
| affiliations = Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield
| website = {{URL|https://westfield.ma.edu/| westfield.ma.edu}}
| logo = Logo of Westfield State University.svg
| logo_size = 200
}}
Westfield State University (commonly known as Westfield State) is a public university in Westfield, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1839 by Horace Mann as the first public coeducational college in America.
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.{{cite book |last1=Hewett |first1=Beth |title=A Scholarly Edition of Samuel P. Newman’s A Practical System of Rhetoric |date=2020 |publisher=Brill |page=7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jWULEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA7&dq |access-date=1 April 2025}} It was the second normal school in Massachusetts after the Lexington Normal School, which was founded earlier in the year.{{cite book |last1=Pugach |first1=Marleen |title=Because Teaching Matters: An Introduction to the Profession |date=2009 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |page=68 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VTVxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA68&dq |access-date=1 April 2025}} 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.{{cite journal |title=Literary Intelligence |journal=Christian Examiner and Theological Review |date=September 1844 |page=288 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=guwWAQAAIAAJ&pg=PT29&dq |access-date=1 April 2025}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Forman |first1=Ian |title=State to Drop Name Of 'Teacher College' |work=The Boston Globe |date=April 10, 1960}} The institution adopted its current name in 2010 as part of a statewide change.{{cite web |title=A Brief History of Westfield State University |url=https://lib.westfield.ma.edu/c.php?g=353918&p=2387004 |website=Westfield State University |publisher=Westfield State University |access-date=1 April 2025}}
=Principals/presidents=
- Samuel P. Newman (1839–1842)
- Emerson Davis (1844–1846)
- David S. Rowe (1846–1854)
- William H. Wells (1854–1856)
- John W. Dickinson (1856–1877)
- Joseph G. Scott (1877–1887)
- James C. Greenough (1887–1896)
- Charles S. Chapin (1896–1901)
- Charles Branch Wilson interim (1901)
- Clarence A. Brodeur (1901–1925)
- Charles Russell (1925–1938)
- Edward Scanlon (1938–1961)
- Frederick S. Conlin acting (1961)
- Leonard J. Savignano (1961–1972)
- Robert L. Randolph (1973–1978)
- Francis J. Pilecki (1978–1986)
- John Nevins interim (1986–1987)
- Irving H. Buchen (1987–1988)
- Randolph William Bromery interim (1988–1990)
- Ronald Lee Applbaum (1990–1996)
- William H. Lopes acting (1996–1997)
- Frederick W. Woodward (1997–2003)
- Vicky L. Carwein (2004–2006)
- Barry Maloney interim (2006–2007)
- Evan Dobelle (2007–2013)
- Elizabeth Hall Preston interim (2013–2016)
- Ramon S. Torrecilha (2016–2020)
- Roy Saigo interim (2020–2022)
- Linda Thompson (2022–present)
Rankings
{{Infobox US university ranking
| USNWR_REG = 94
}}
In 2013, WSU was ranked fourth nationally by US News in their Best Online Programs Honor Roll.{{cite web |year=2012 |title=Best Online Bachelor's Programs |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/bachelors/rankings?int=b88eac |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404001914/http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/bachelors/rankings?sort=v_faculty_and_credentials_score&sortdir=desc |archive-date=April 4, 2013 |work=U.S.News Education |publisher=U.S. News & World Report LP}} 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
=Varsity teams=
| class="wikitable"; style= "text-align: "
! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Westfield State Owls|border=1|color= white }}"| Men's sports ! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Westfield State Owls|border=1|color= white }}"| Women's sports | |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross country | Field hockey |
| Football | Golf |
| Golf | Lacrosse |
| Ice hockey | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Track and field | Swimming |
| Track and field | |
| Volleyball |
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
- 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{{Cite news |last=Cooney |first=Beth |last2=Mooney |first2=Jeanne |date=1986-03-03 |title=Mullins honored by many |pages=1, 8 |work=Holyoke Transcript-Telegram |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113796070/mullins-honored-by-many/ |access-date=2023-01-03}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{ccat}}
- {{oweb}}
- [https://www.westfieldstateowls.com/ Athletics website]
{{Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield}}
{{Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference navbox}}
{{Little East Conference navbox}}
{{Massachusetts Higher Education}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Schools in Westfield, Massachusetts
Category:Universities and colleges established in 1838
Category:Public universities and colleges in Massachusetts
Category:Universities and colleges in Hampden County, Massachusetts