Type Private President Mary-Beth A. Cooper Postgraduates 1,441 Mascot Spirit Endowment 64.4 million USD Colors White, Maroon | Established 1885 Undergraduates 3,621 Acceptance rate 64% (2015) Undergraduate tuition and fees 36,020 USD (2017) Phone +1 413-748-3000 | |
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Location Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. Address 263 Alden Street, Springfield, MA 01109, United States Notable alumni James Naismith, John Cena, William G Morgan, Erin Pac, Don Ho Similar Western New England, Clark University, Westfield State University, American International College, Elms College Profiles | ||
Springfield College is a private, coeducational college located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The institution confers undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral degrees. Known as the birthplace of basketball, the sport was invented at Springfield College in 1891 by graduate student James Naismith.
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The college's philosophy of "humanics" "calls for the education of the whole person—in spirit, mind, and body—for leadership in service to others." It is symbolized by a triangle.
History
Founded in 1885, as the Young Men's Christian Association department of the School for Christian Workers in Springfield, the school originally specialized in preparing young men to become General Secretaries of YMCA organizations in a two-year program. In 1887, it added a Physical (i.e. physical education) department. In 1890, it separated from the School for Christian Workers and became the YMCA Training School and in 1891, the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School.
In 1905, the school became a degree-granting institution.
In 1912, it took the name International YMCA College and in 1954, Springfield College.
Springfield College has had 13 leaders since its inception in 1885.
Academics
Springfield College offers bachelor's degrees in more than 40 majors, master’s degrees in a variety of different fields, and doctoral program in counseling psychology, physical therapy, and physical education. The student-to-faculty member ratio is 13 to 1. The College is split into five schools: the School of Arts, Sciences, and Professional Studies; the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; the School of Health Sciences and Rehabilitation; the School of Professional and Continuing Studies; and the School of Social Work.
The School of Professional and Continuing Studies has eight satellite campuses located throughout the country, as well as representation on the main College campus in Springfield, Massachusetts. The School of Professional and Continuing Studies' campuses are located in Boston, Mass.; Charleston, South Carolina; Houston, Texas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; St. Johnsbury, Vermont; Tampa, Florida; Southern California; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Wilmington, Delaware.
The College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
Campuses
Springfield College consists of one main campus, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and eight campuses for its School of Professional and Continuing Studies in Boston, Massachusetts; Charleston, South Carolina; Houston, Texas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; St. Johnsbury, Vermont; Tustin, California; Tampa, Florida; and Wilmington, Delaware.
The main campus spans 100 acres (40 ha) and contains ten residence halls, recreational and fitness facilities, expanded and renovated science and academic facilities, a renovated performing arts center, and the Richard B. Flynn Campus Union, which is complete with a food court, activity and lounge space, and College bookstore.
Springfield College's East Campus, which encompasses 82 acres (33 ha) of forest ecosystem, is located about one mile from the main campus. This location provides rustic facilities for conferences and meetings, and space for outdoor research and recreation. East Campus is also home to the Springfield College Child Development Center, which provides quality early education services for children of members of the faculty and staff, students, and families in the community.
Athletics
Springfield College's athletic teams are known as the "Pride", are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III and most compete in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Its football team will join the NEWMAC when it begins sponsoring football in 2017. The men's soccer, men's golf, cross country and gymnastics teams are affiliate members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The men's volleyball team competes as an independent.
Springfield College is known as the "Birthplace of Basketball", a game created by alumnus and faculty member James Naismith under the founding head of the Physical Education department Luther Gulick Jr. in 1891. Gulick is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which is named for Naismith.
Alumnus William G. Morgan, invented of the game of volleyball.
On January 14, 2017, the Springfield Wrestling team achieved their 1000th victory. Springfield College joined Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and Oregon State as the only schools to have achieved this milestone.
Stagg Field serves as the College's main athletic field; it was named after former coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg who briefly coached Springfield and went on to play a pivotal role in the development of modern football. The baseball team plays at Berry-Allen Field.
The Springfield softball team appeared in one Women's College World Series in 1977.
The Springfield College women's gymnastics team won the first intercollegiate national championship in 1969 and three of the first four (1971 and 1972).
In 1940 Springfield was one of eight teams to make the 1940 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
In 2006 and 2007, the school hosted the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Final Four.
The men's volleyball team has six non-NCAA national titles in the now-defunct Molten Invitational championship, an event for NCAA Division III schools that ran from 1997 through 2011, and also won the first three NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championships in 2012 through 2014. All nine championships were won under Head Coach Charlie Sullivan.
The Springfield College Women's Basketball team of 2004–2005, made the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III basketball tournament.
Women's basketball, coached by Noami Graves, has won several conference tournament championships, including the season of 2006.
Springfield College graduates Rusty Jones G '86 and Jon Torine '95 participated in Super Bowl XLI as the Head Strength and Conditioning coaches of the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts, respectively.
The Springfield College Women's Field Hockey Team has won the NEWMAC (New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference) title for five consecutive years (2004–2008).
The men's lacrosse team won six straight titles (2008–2013) in the now-defunct Pilgrim Lacrosse League, which has since been absorbed by the NEWMAC.
Springfield's Women's Swimming and Diving Team has won the NEWMAC Conference title for ten consecutive years (2001–2010) in the Division III Conference.
Springfield's Men's soccer team were voted National College Champions by the Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association in 1946, 1947 and 1957. This was before the NCAA championship soccer tournament in 1959.
Rankings
U.S.News & World Report ranked Springfield College #27 for Best Regional Universities – North Region for 2017. This marks the sixth-consecutive year that Springfield College has moved up in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. This year’s ranking of the College is up two spots from last year and 40 spots from 2011.
U.S.News & World Report ranked Springfield College no. 12 in a listing of Best Value Schools for Regional Universities—North. This ranking takes into account the College’s academic quality and net cost of attendance.
Springfield College is the recipient of the 2016 Presidential Award in the education category of the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This honor is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.
Since 2009, Diverse Issues in Higher Education has ranked Springfield College's School of Professional and Continuing Studies, formerly the School of Human Services, among the top three U.S. institutions for the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans in public administration and social services.
The Carnegie Foundation recognized Springfield College as one of a select group of colleges and universities throughout the U.S. that have earned the foundation's Community Engagement Classification in 2015.
Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s (ACCGS) awarded Springfield College a 2014 Super 60 Award for revenue for the 10th consecutive year.
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) named Springfield a finalist for the President’s Award for Community Service in 2014.
Springfield College was named a 2016-17 College of Distinction for providing an innovative, teacher-centered undergraduate education with a strong record of preparing its graduates for real-world success.
U.S.News & World Report ranked Springfield College #8 for schools with the highest percentages of alumni enrolling in a graduate school in 2013.