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Worcester State College
A Tradition of Excellence since 1874
Worcester Normal School
Worcester State College was founded as the Worcester Normal School in 1874, the fifth state-funded normal school in Massachusetts and one of dozens of teacher-training schools established during the 19th century.
As support for free universal education increased, well-trained teachers were needed to staff the rising number of public schools. Normal schools developed professional norms for teacher training – hence the term “normal school.”
Established during an era of growing support for social reform, Worcester Normal School leaders and students embraced a vision of building a better world through the uplifting power of public education.
Worcester’s need for skilled teachers rose dramatically during the second half of the 19th century, when the city emerged as an industrial leader. Its population more than tripled between 1866 and 1894 – from 30,000 to 100,000 - and the school population grew from 6,750 to 17,073 pupils.
Worcester Normal School graduates faced the challenges of crowded classrooms and ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity.
From the beginning, Worcester Normal School was distinguished by its progressive curriculum, established under the leadership of its first principal, E. Harlow Russell (1874 – 1909), and first apprentice supervisor, Rebecca Jones (1874-1912). Proponents of the Child Study Movement, Russell and Jones implemented the innovative practice of placing apprentice teachers in public school classrooms.
Initially offering two- and three-year programs of study, Worcester Normal School’s curriculum evolved to meet the changing demands of the teaching profession. In 1921, the school awarded its first Bachelor of Science in education, under the leadership of its third and last principal, Dr. William B. Aspinwall (1912-1939).
Worcester State Teachers College
In 1932, all of the state’s normal schools were re-christened “teachers colleges” and the old Normal School became Worcester State Teachers College. That same year, the College moved to its present location on Chandler Street.
The large, colonial-style building now known as the Administration Building was constructed on the site of Willow Farm, owned by Worcester inventor and philanthropist George I. Rockwood. In 1942, Rockwood donated an additional thirty-five acres, paving the way for campus expansion.
The College’s fifth president, Dr. Eugene A. Sullivan (1947-1970),
presided over a period of unprecedented growth. From 1947 to 1970, enrollment grew from 150 students (all pursuing education degrees) to nearly 2,800 students pursuing a variety of degrees. In 1952, the College introduced its first graduate degree, a master of science in education.
Campus expansion included construction of the Gymnasium and Classroom Building in 1958, the Science Building in 1965 (rechristened the Dr. Eugene A. Sullivan Building in 1980), and the Learning Resource Center in 1970. Dr. Sullivan also laid the groundwork for construction of Chandler Village, the first student residence hall on campus.
Worcester State College
By 1963, the former teachers college had evolved into a liberal arts and sciences college, a transition acknowledged by the Board of Education in 1963 when it voted to drop the word “teachers” from the College’s name.
In 1974, the curriculum was expanded to include a B.S. in business administration and a B.S. in nursing, the first Bachelor of Science
program for registered nurses in New England and the first to be accredited by the National League of Nurses.
That same year, the College established The Graduate School, which offered several new master’s degree programs. During the 1980s, the College expanded its programs to include the area’s first Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and the first bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy in the state college system.
During the presidency of Dr. Kalyan K. Ghosh (1992-2002), the College incorporated the widespread use of technology, from computer-based learning to a campus-wide network.
In 2000, the College opened the 110,000-square-foot Kalyan K. Ghosh Center for Science and Technology, with instructional laboratory facilities for twelve academic programs and a 196-seat multimedia lecture hall.
The College welcomed its first female president, Dr. Janelle C. Ashley, in 2002. Under her leadership the campus has undertaken major renovation and building projects, including construction of Wasylean Hall, a 348-bed residence hall that opened its doors in 2004, bringing to 1,000 the number of students living on campus.
Each year, more than 5,500 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students enroll in classes at Worcester State College.
Despite many changes over its long history, the College’s mission remains the same as it was in 1874: to enrich the lives of its students and strengthen communities through the benefits of accessible, quality higher education.