Assumption University (Worcester)

Assumption University is a private, Roman Catholic university in Worcester, Massachusetts. Assumption was founded in 1904 by the Augustinians of the Assumption. It enrolls about 2,000 undergraduate students[7] and offers 35 majors and 49 minors. The university confers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in its undergraduate program, and Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees as well as graduate study certificates.

Assumption University
Former name
Assumption College (1904–2020)
MottoUntil Christ be Formed in You
TypePrivate university
EstablishedOctober 1, 1904; 120 years ago (October 1, 1904)[1]
FounderCongregation of the Augustinians of the Assumption
Religious affiliation
Roman Catholic (Assumptionist)
Academic affiliations
NAICU, ACCU, IFCU, HECCMA
Endowment$93.9 million (2016)[2]
PresidentGregory S. Weiner[3]
Academic staff
139 Full-time
Students2,349
Undergraduates1,955[4]
Postgraduates394[4]
Location, ,
United States

42°17′26″N 71°49′46″W / 42.2905°N 71.8295°W / 42.2905; -71.8295
CampusSuburban, 185 acres (74.9 ha)
ColorsBlue   and   White[5]
NicknameGreyhounds[6]
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IINortheast-10 Conference
MascotPierre the Greyhound
Websitewww.assumption.edu

With the transition from Assumption College to Assumption University in 2020, Assumption reorganized into five schools: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Grenon School of Business, Froelich School of Nursing, School of Health Professions, and School of Graduate Studies.

History

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Undergraduate day college

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Assumption was founded in 1904 by the Augustinians of the Assumption, a Catholic order under the Augustinian Rule dedicated to service through teaching and the hastening of the Kingdom of God, as reflected in their motto "Until Christ be Formed in You." The original campus was in the Greendale section of Worcester, on a tract of hillside land. In these early years, enrollment was exclusively male, primarily of French-Canadian heritage. Most courses were taught in French, with only a small number taught in English. On March 24, 1923, an arson fire destroyed the Greendale building that held both the college classrooms and the student dormitories.[8]

 
Tornado damage

On June 9, 1953, a violent F4 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. Although the previously co-located Assumption Preparatory School stayed on the rebuilt campus until 1970, the then-College relocated to a new campus off Salisbury Street, on the west side of the city, officially opening in 1956. The old Assumption campus complex was sold to the state after the prep school closed and is today the home of Quinsigamond Community College.

On October 17, 2022, then Interim President Greg Weiner, Ph.D. was appointed as the 17th president of Assumption University. President Weiner was formally installed as president at his inauguration held on March 23, 2023.

Athletics

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Assumption University teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division II. The Greyhounds are a member of the Northeast-10 Conference (NE10). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and track & field; women's sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.

Notable alumni

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Assumption Preparatory School graduates are included in this list of notable Assumption University alumni:[9]

References

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  1. ^ Assumption College: A Centennial History 1904 - 2004, Kenneth J. Moynihan. Pp. 40.
  2. ^ "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2016 Endowment Market Value and Change* in Endowment Market Value from FY2015 to FY2016" (PDF). NACUBO. February 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  3. ^ "Assumption University Names Interim President Greg Weiner, Ph.D., as 17th President | Assumption University". Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "College Navigator - Assumption College". nces.ed.gov. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  5. ^ "Assumption College Publication Standards-Assumption College". Assumption College. Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  6. ^ "Assumption University Greyhounds Athletics News". Assumption. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "Profile: Assumption College" Archived January 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. News & World Report, College Rankings
  8. ^ "College Burns Down, Incendiary Suspected— Students of Catholic Institution in Greendale, Mass., Escape in Their Night Clothes, The New York Times, March 25, 1923, p. 1
  9. ^ "History of Assumption Preparatory School". Assumption College. Archived from the original on July 12, 2010. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  10. ^ "Senado de Puerto Rico". senado.pr.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2023.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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