Anna Maria College is a private Roman Catholic college in Paxton, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1946 as a women's college, but has been coeducational since 1973. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Anna Maria College
Motto
Lux et Veritas
Motto in English
Light and Truth
TypePrivate college
EstablishedSeptember 17, 1946 (September 17, 1946)
AccreditationNECHE
Religious affiliation
Roman Catholic
Academic affiliation
HECCMA
Endowment$7.2 million (2022)[1]
PresidentMary Lou Retelle
Academic staff
42 full-time
145 part-time[2]
Undergraduates1,104 (2019)
Postgraduates333 (2019)
Location, ,
42°19′46″N 71°55′10″W / 42.3294°N 71.9194°W / 42.3294; -71.9194
CampusRural, 190 acres
Colors   Cardinal and white
NicknameAMCATS
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division III
GNAC
ECFC
Websiteannamaria.edu

History

edit
 
View of Socquet Hall, the location of the Office of the President, in 2016.

Anna Maria College was founded in 1946 as a women's college by the Sisters of Saint Anne, after receiving formal approval from Richard Cushing, the Archbishop of Boston. The original campus was in Marlborough, Massachusetts. In 1951, the college moved to its present location in Paxton.[3] Four years later, accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges was issued.

In 1973, Anna Maria College became coeducational, and a year later, began graduate degree programs.[4] On April 3, 1980, the Sisters of Saint Anne parted ways from running the school, and a Board of Trustees was established.

In 2004, the college established the Molly Bish Center for the Protection of Children and the Elderly.[5]

Academics

edit

Anna Maria College has an average annual enrollment of around 1,500 students, which consist of mostly undergraduate and graduate students, as well as some continuing education learners.[6] Rooted in the traditions of Catholic education, the college combines liberal arts and sciences education with career preparation.

The college is divided among six academic schools: the School of Business; the School of Education; the School of Justice and Social Sciences; the School of Fire and Health Sciences; the School of Visual and Performing Arts; and the School of Humanities.[7]

Athletics

edit

Anna Maria College has thirteen Division III athletic teams, known as the AMCATS (Anna Maria College Athletic Team Sports), in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), including men's baseball, basketball, cross country, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and soccer; and women's basketball, cross country, field hockey, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. The school is a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). Football is played in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC). Anna Maria was also a charter member of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), which it competed in from 1984 to 2011 before joining the GNAC.

Notable faculty

edit
 
View of the Madonna Hall residences in 2016.

Notable alumni

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Worcester area college endowments. Holy Cross pushes past $1 billion". Worcester Telegram. March 21, 2022. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "College Navigator - Anna Maria College". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  3. ^ O'Connell, Scott (January 6, 2021). "College Town: Anna Maria College marking 75th anniversary". Worcester Telegram. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  4. ^ "About". Archived from the original on 2022-05-20. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  5. ^ "Molly Bish Center". Archived from the original on 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  6. ^ "Enrollment Dashboard". Archived from the original on 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  7. ^ "Home". Anna Maria College. Archived from the original on 2007-05-27. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
edit