Assumption College is a private, 4-year, Catholic, Liberal Arts college located on 175 acres (708,000 m²) in Worcester, Massachusetts. Currently Assumption has an enrollment of approximately 2100 students. The college confers Bachelor of Arts degrees in its Undergraduate program, Master of Arts and Masters of Business Administration degrees in its Graduate program, and Associate's degree degrees through its Continuing Education program.

College history

Undergraduate Day College

Assumption was founded in the year 1904 by the Augustinians of the Assumption, a Catholic order dedicated service through teaching and the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. The original campus was located in the Greendale section of Worcester, on a tract of hillside land. In these early years, enrollment was exclusively male, primarily of French-Canadien heritage. Most courses were taught in French, though a very few were taught in English.

In June of 1953, a tornado cut a path of destruction through several Western and Central Massachusetts communities, including the city of Worcester. Several campus buildings were destroyed or severely damaged by this tornado. Although the Assumption Preparatory School stayed on the rebuilt campus until circa 1970, the College relocated to a new campus off Salisbury St, in the West side of the city, officially opening in 1956.

In 1969, Assumption became a coeducational institution, allowing both laymen and -women into the faculty and female students into its programs of study.

Centennial festivities began early in January 2004, celebrating the College's 100th year.

Continuing education

Assumption's first effort at continuing education began in 1954 with the founding of the Evening College, later known as the St. Augustine Institute. Non-credit courses were offered two years later with the founding of The Adult Education Center. Both facilities were coeducational and open to the public. Assumption phased out both facilities in the late 1960s.

In 1979, Assumption launched a second effort at continuing adult education with the Center for Continuing and Professional Education. This new facility combines the credited courses of the old Evening College and the non-credit work of the Adult Education Center into one office. The Center is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the same year as the undergraduate College's Centennial.

College Institutes

The French Insitute, founded in 1979, serves as a specialized research center for students studying French history, culture, and language.

The Aaron T. Beck Institute for Cognitive Studies, a 1996 addition to the College, serves as the research center for students in the BA and Master's counseling psychology programs.

In 1993, Assumption began sponsoring a specialized continuing education program, called the Worcester Institute for Senior Education (W.I.S.E.). This program offers non-credit courses in most major academic disciplines to older learners in the community. Currently W.I.S.E. enrolls 450 elder students in 35 courses each semester.

External links

• Assumption College Homepage
  • Assumption Centennial Website
  • Assumption Magazine
  • Student-run newspaper, Le Provocateur
• Colleges of Worcester Consortium Homepage