Assumption College, Worcester, MA assuredly is not the top rated Catholic College in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Many students who want a private Catholic College experience aim high and try to gain admission to the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester or Boston College in Chestnut Hill. Both of these schools are highly competitive and Holy Cross is a very small. But those still looking for a Catholic College experience close to home in Massachusetts or the greater New England area can find help at Assumption College, Worcester, MA.
A Long Catholic Tradition. Assumption College, Worcester,MA was founded more than a century ago in 1904. Unlike many other American Catholic colleges, Assumption College, Worcester, MA , is not directed by priests of the Jesuit religious order. At Assumption, the Catholic faith was instilled in the college by members of the Augustinians,a French order . Many of the first students at Assumption College were French Canadian immigrants trying to make their way in the U. S.
Many small private American colleges suffered greatly during the days of the Depression and World War II as many students were first financially unable to attend and then were lost as soldiers to the American war effort. As a result Assumption College found the going tough for several decades but then rebounded in the fifties The school has gone through a variety of changes during the last half century. Women have been admitted and now account for more than 60% of the student body. The school itself was moved to the west side of Worcester and has undergone considerable campus expansion and building. Assumption even passed its presidency to a lay person.
Throughout its more than one hundred years in existence, Assumption College has maintained two signature traditions. It has stayed a small college with a student body of about 2,000 students and it has stayed Catholic. Of course non-Catholic students attend Assumption but Assumption College in Worcester still exists in part as a place where Catholic students can feel a faith comfort zone while pursuing an academic career.
An Education of the Total Human Being. There are to be found many colleges that are satisfied with providing students with many academic choices and lots of majors from which to choose. As a Liberal Arts College, Assumption College too offers a fine diversity of college degree programs. In addition Assumption leadership has always believed that education should look to the full preparation of the human being,not just the intellectual aspects of his or her existence.
To this end, Assumption College offers a strong complement of spiritual teaching through which students can learn more fully the history, theology and reality of the Christian lifestyle. Wishing to include all aspects of spiritual development, Assumption College shows a continued interest in maintaining an interest in and support for ecumenical programs that allow students to pursue their spiritual development.
Campus Life at Assumption College. Assumption College staff puts its best efforts into providing a living arrangement and appropriate extra curricular activities to make life at Assumption College, outside of the classroom, something to enjoy and to learn from .
The small student body at Assumption College makes it possible for the college to guarantee on campus living accommodations for all students for all four years, something that is practically unheard of on many college campuses today. Students who decide to stay on campus can choose from among traditional dormitory arrangements, town houses, suites and even a substance free residence .The goal of all of these living situations is to provide a comfort zone for students but also to allow for the mutual respect of all on campus residents. There is also a listing of off campus housing units for those who prefer that option.
For a small college Assumption College does offer a wide selection of student activities that help young people to productively and enjoyably fill the day when classes are out. These include , service groups, professional and academic organizations, personal interest organizations of many kinds, and spiritual groups. There is here a healthy diversity of activity types and specific organizations as well. No one coming to Assumption should think that it will be difficult to find sufficient activities of their choosing just because the school is relatively small.
Athletics. Assumption College also presents a commendable program of intercollegiate and intramural athletic activities. A full 19 sports are offered at the Division II level for men and women . The Plourde Recreational Sports Center makes a point of offering safe equipment and space for athletic development and competition. Students here can do everything from learning to swim to playing your favorite club sport on campus.
In its effort to provide students with opportunities for their full development and maturation Assumption College can proudly point to the Plourde Center as one of its most frequented sites and one where young people grow physically, socially and emotionally.
Assumption College is an excellent small college choice for students who are also seeking an education that will allow them to continue to grow in all aspects of their life., spiritual, academic, social and athletic.
