View source for Western New England University

{{Short description|Private university in Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=June 2023}}
{{Promotional|date=June 2023}}
}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = Western New England University
 | image                  = Seal of Western New England University.svg
 | image_size             = 150 
 | caption                = [[Seal (emblem)|Seal]] of Western New England University
 | motto                  = [[Latin]]: ''Scientia Integritas Servitium''
 | mottoeng               = Knowledge Integrity Service
 | established            = {{start date and age|1919}}{{efn|Then still part of [[Northeastern University]]. Separated 1951.}}
 | closed                 = 
 | type                   = [[Private university]]
 | affiliation            = 
 | accreditation          = [[New England Commission of Higher Education|NECHE]]
 | endowment              = $71.33 million (2022)<ref>As of June 30, 2022. {{cite report |url=https://issuu.com/westernnewenglanduniversity/docs/facts_booklet_11.18 |title=Facts 2021-22 |publisher=Western New England University |date=July 1, 2022 |access-date=October 3, 2022}}</ref>
 | officer_in_charge      = 
 | president              = Robert E. Johnson
 | students               = 3,674 (fall 2021)<ref name="Facts 2021-22">{{cite web | url=https://issuu.com/westernnewenglanduniversity/docs/facts_booklet_11.18 | title=Facts by Western New England University - Issuu }}</ref>
 | undergrad              = 2,613 (fall 2021)<ref name="Facts 2021-22">{{cite web | url=https://issuu.com/westernnewenglanduniversity/docs/facts_booklet_11.18 | title=Facts by Western New England University - Issuu }}</ref>
 | postgrad               = 1,064 (fall 2021)<ref name="Facts 2021-22">{{cite web | url=https://issuu.com/westernnewenglanduniversity/docs/facts_booklet_11.18 | title=Facts by Western New England University - Issuu }}</ref>
 | city                   = [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]
 | country                = U.S.
 | coor                   = {{Coord|42.1155|-72.5197|type:edu_region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
 | campus                 = Suburban
 | campus_size            = {{Convert|215|acre}}
 | former_names           = {{collapsible list|
* Northeastern College, Springfield Division (1919–1922)
* [[Northeastern University]] of the Boston YMCA, Springfield Division (1922–1935)
* [[Northeastern University]], Springfield Division (1935–1951)
* Western New England College (1951–2011)
}}
 | colors                 = {{color box|#003082}} {{color box|#E6B012}} Blue & gold
 | sports_nickname        = Golden Bears
 | mascot                 = Spirit
 | athletics_affiliations = [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] [[Division III (NCAA)|Division III]]
 | academic_affiliations  = [[Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield]]
 | website                = {{URL|https://wne.edu/| wne.edu}}
 | logo                   = Logo of Western New England University.svg
| logo_size = 250
 | footnotes              = 
}}

'''Western New England University''' is a [[private university]] in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]. Academic programs are provided through its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Engineering, [[Western New England University School of Law|School of Law]], and College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

In recognition of its master's and doctoral programs, the institution officially changed its name from Western New England College to Western New England University on July 1, 2011. This marked the return of "university" to the school's name, exactly 60 years after separating from [[Northeastern University]].  It had long been [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education|classified]] as a university.

==History==
The Springfield Division of Northeastern College, known as Springfield-Northeastern, was established in 1919. Evening classes, held in the YMCA building on Chestnut Street in Springfield for students studying part-time, were offered in law, business, and accounting. In 1922, the school's
first 13 students were awarded the degree of Bachelor of Commercial Science. The first seven law graduates were recognized in 1923.

In 1951 the Springfield Division of Northeastern University became Western New England College. The college was chartered on July 17, 1951. On April 26, 1956, {{convert|34|acre|m2}} for the current Wilbraham Road campus were purchased. In that same year the first day program was started; it was in engineering, with 53 students enrolled. The first building, originally known as East Building and later renamed Emerson Hall in recognition of the college's first trustee chairman, opened in 1959.

The college's charter was expanded in 1959 to permit the college to grant the bachelor's degree in any field of business administration, science, engineering, education, and law, and certain master's degrees. The charter was expanded in 2005 to include the LL.M. in Estate Planning and Elder Law, and again in 2008 with the inclusion of the Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis.

The School of Arts and Sciences was established in 1967, and the college received accreditation as a general purpose institution in 1972.

The 1960s through the 1990s saw the college's academic programs expanding, its student body growing, and the addition of a number of buildings, including the D’Amour Library, the Blake Law Center, the St. Germain Campus Center, the Alumni Healthful Living Center, and the LaRiviere Living and Learning Center. In 2001, the Evergreen Village townhouses opened for seniors. The Kevin S. Delbridge Welcome Center, which houses the admissions offices, opened in 2002. In 2003, Commonwealth Hall and the Golden Bear Stadium opened. The George Trelease Memorial Baseball Park was completed in 2004. In 2006, the $1.9 million expansion to the D’Amour Library was completed. In 2008 and 2009, respectively, the college expanded and renovated the Blake Law Center and built Southwood Hall. In 2010, the $40 million Center for the Sciences and Pharmacy was completed. Herman Hall underwent an $8 million renovation in 2012.
[[File:Western New England College campus 07.jpg|thumb|Western New England University campus]]
The university's {{convert|215|acre|km2|adj=on}} campus serves as home to undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, pharmaceutical, and law students from throughout the United States and abroad. Undergraduate and graduate programs are offered in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, Pharmacy, and at the School of Law. In 2010, the College of Pharmacy was established, and the institution was granted a change to its charter that permits it to offer the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy. Western New England University has 45,000 alumni around the world.<ref>College History from Commencement program</ref>

On July 1, 2011, Western New England College officially became Western New England University. The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education approved the name change in March 2011. The Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy became the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy. The School of Law retained its name.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www1.wne.edu/news/index.cfm?selection=doc.2507&DCIid=14327 |title=Publications |publisher=Western New England College |access-date=2011-04-18 }}</ref>

==Affiliations==
Western New England University is [[Higher education accreditation in the United States|accredited]] by the [[New England Commission of Higher Education]].<ref>{{Citation|title=Massachusetts Institutions – NECHE|publisher=[[New England Commission of Higher Education]]|url=https://www.neche.org/institutions/ma/|access-date=May 26, 2021}}</ref> Business programs are accredited by the [[Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business]], engineering programs are accredited by the [[Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology]], and social work programs are accredited by the [[Council on Social Work Education]]. The School of Law is accredited by the [[American Bar Association]] and is a member of the [[Association of American Law Schools]]. Teacher education programs have been approved by the [[Massachusetts Board of Education]] and are part of the Interstate Certification Compact. Western New England University is also a member of the [[Association of American Colleges]], the [[National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities]], and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Massachusetts.

==Rankings==
{{Infobox US university ranking
| USNWR_NU= 273 (tie)
}}
In 2025, ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' ranked Western New England University tied for No.273 out of 436 National Universities, tied for No.94 out of 286 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs at schools where a doctorate is not offered, and tied for No.352 out of 433 Top Performers on Social Mobility.<ref>{{cite web |title=Western New England University  |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/western-new-england-university-2226  |website=usnews.com |publisher=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=2 January 2024}}</ref>

==Undergraduate admissions==
In 2024, Western New England University accepted 88% of undergraduate applicants, with admission standards considered challenging, applicant competition considered very low, and with those enrolled having an average 3.49 high school [[Academic grading in the United States#Grade conversion|GPA]]. The college does not require, but will consider, submission of standardized test scores,  Western New University being a test optional school. Those enrolled that submitted test scores had an average 1190 [[SAT]] score (22% submitting scores) or an average 26 [[ACT (test)|ACT]] score (1% submitting scores).<ref>{{cite web |title= Western New England University Admission Requirements |url=https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/massachusetts/western-new-england-university/admission/ |website=collegesimply.com |publisher=CollegeSimply {{!}} U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics |access-date=2 January 2025}}</ref>

==Student life==
For the 2021–2022 academic year, enrollment at Western New England University was 3,674 students. Full-time undergraduate enrollment totaled 2,522 students; approximately 58 percent are male students and 42 percent female. Law enrollment was 395 students, and part-time undergraduate, graduate studies and adult learners, pharmacy, and occupational therapy enrollment totaled 731.<ref name="wnec">2009-2010 Western New England College Facts brochure</ref>

===Athletics===
{{main|Western New England Golden Bears football}}
[[File:Wne goldenbears wmark.png|thumb|WNE Golden Bears wordmark]]
WNEU athletics teams (nicknamed the ''Bears'') participate in 14 sports programs, competing in the [[Conference of New England]] of [[NCAA Division III]]. Western New England's teams include men's and women's basketball, cross country, lacrosse, ice hockey, outdoor track and field, soccer, tennis, and wrestling.

Men's sports include baseball and football while women's sports include field hockey, softball, swimming, and volleyball.

==Notable persons==<!--- paragraph format per WP:UNIGUIDE --->

===Alumni===
Western New England University has 43,000 alumni. The Western New England University School of Law has more than 7,000 alumni, while the MBA and MSA programs have nearly 6,000 alumni. The general University alumni magazine used to be called ''The Communicator''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www1.wnec.edu/alumni/index.cfm?selection=doc.1496&dropmenu=alumni |title=Alumni Publications |publisher=Western New England College|access-date=2011-03-17 }}</ref> The School of Law alumni magazine is called ''Perspectives''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www1.law.wnec.edu/alumni/index.cfm?selection=doc.186 |title=Publications |publisher=Western New England College |access-date=2011-03-17 }}</ref> A new magazine launched in 2019 called ''WNE: The Magazine of Western New England University''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www1.wne.edu/news/2018/12/new-magazine.cfm |title=University launches new magazine|publisher=Western New England College|access-date=2019-06-25 }}</ref>

===Notable alumni===
* [[John Bell (Virginia politician)|John Joseph Bell]], Air Force officer and member of the [[Virginia House of Delegates]]
* [[Nicholas Boldyga]] - member of the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] (served 2011–present)
* [[Thomas G. Bowman]] JD - American political aide and retired Marine Corps Colonel who served as the [[United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs]] from August 10, 2017, to June 15, 2018
* [[Stephen Buoniconti]] JD'95 - former member of the [[Massachusetts Senate]] (served 2005–2011) and former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 2001 – 2004).
* [[Lawrence F. Cafero]] JD'81 - member of [[Connecticut House of Representatives]] and Republican House Leader.
* [[Gale D. Candaras]]  JD'82 - member of the Massachusetts Senate (served 2007–present) and former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1996 – 2006).
* [[Michael A. Christ]] JD'02 - former Deputy Majority Leader of Connecticut House of Representatives.
* [[Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera]] JD'95, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1999–present).
* [[Michael Charles Green]] JD'86 - District Attorney for [[Monroe County, New York]]
* [[Curt Hawkins]] - WWE Wrestler (Did not graduate)
* [[Anthony Katagas]] - Academy Award-winning producer of [[12 Years A Slave (film)|''12 Years A Slave'']].
* [[Daniel F. Keenan]] JD - former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1995–2007)
* [[John Kissel (Connecticut politician)|John Kissel]] JD'84 - member of the [[Connecticut State Senate]].
* [[Michael Mori]] JD'94 - [[U.S. Marine Corps]] lawyer.
* [[Thomas S. Moorman Jr.]] MBA'72 - served as Vice Chief of Staff of the [[United States Air Force]].
* [[Tim Murray]] JD'94 - former [[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts]] and former Mayor of [[Worcester, Massachusetts]].
* [[Larry O'Brien]] '42 - Chairman of the [[Democratic National Committee]] during the [[Watergate scandal|Watergate]] break-in, former [[National Basketball Association]] Commissioner, and former [[U.S. Postmaster General]] (then a [[Cabinet of the United States|Cabinet]] position). O'Brien was campaign manager for [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Robert F. Kennedy]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], [[Hubert Humphrey]], [[George McGovern]], and [[Foster Furcolo]].  Namesake of the [[Smithsonian Institution|Smithsonian Institution's]] O'Brien Gallery in [[Washington, DC]] and the [[Lawrence O'Brien Award]].
* [[Thomas Petrolati]] - member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1987–present)
* [[Angelo Puppolo]] JD'01 - member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 2007–present) and former City Councilor in the city of [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]
* [[Joseph Rallo]] JD'76 - president of [[Angelo State University]].
*[[Regina Rush-Kittle]] MS'97 - past deputy commissioner, Connecticut State Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security
* [[Rodney Smith (wrestler)|Rodney Smith]] - [[bronze medal]] winner in the 68-kg division of the [[Greco-Roman wrestling]] competition at the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Olympic Games]] and also competed in the [[1996 Olympic Games]]
* [[Thomas L. Stevenson]] JD'77 - former member of the [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives]] (served 1997–2006)
* [[John E. Sweeney]] JD'91 - former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from upstate New York and noted conservative legislator
* [[Tommy Tallarico]] - video game music composer and musician
* [[Joseph Wagner (Massachusetts politician)|Joseph Wagner]] - former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1991 – 2023)

===Notable faculty and staff===
* [[Pearl Abraham]] - assistant professor of English and an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer who has written four novels: ''The Romance Reader'', ''Giving Up America'', ''The Seventh Beggar'', and ''American Taliban''
* [[Anthony S. Caprio]] - president emeritus of Western New England University and a French language scholar
* [[Charles Clason]] - former dean of the School of Law, former member of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts from 1937 to 1949, and namesake of the School of Law's Clason Speaker Series
* [[Julie Croteau]] - former baseball assistant coach after she was the first woman to play men's NCAA baseball at [[St. Mary's College of Maryland]]
* [[Stephen Danbusky]] - former men's soccer assistant coach and former professional soccer player
* [[Jean Marie Higiro]] - associate professor of communication and former director of the Rwandan Information Office (ORINFOR), a government corporation that run [[Radio Rwanda]], Rwandan Television and state controlled media in the [[Republic of Rwanda]]
* [[Tom Hull (mathematician)|Tom Hull]] - associate professor of mathematics and expert in the mathematics of paper folding
* [[Chris Iijima]] - former professor and [[Asian American]] folksinger, educator and legal scholar
*[[Linda Jones (chemical engineer)|Linda Jones]] - professor of materials science and engineering
* [[Barbara Lenk]] - trustee and associate justice of the [[Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court]]
* [[Joan Mahoney]] - former dean of the School of Law and former dean of [[Wayne State University Law School]]
* [[Michael Meeropol]] - former economics professor, eldest son of [[Ethel and Julius Rosenberg]], and the author of ''SURRENDER: How the Clinton Administration Completed the Reagan Revolution''
* [[Robert Meeropol]] former anthropology professor from 1971 to 1973 and son of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Founder of the [[Rosenberg Fund for Children]]
* [[Richard Muhlberger]] - former professor of art history, former vice-director of New York's [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]], and an [[Visual art of the United States|American art]] critic.  Also author of numerous art titles including:  ''What makes a Rembrandt a Rembrandt?'', ''What makes a Raphael a Raphael?'', ''What makes a Bruegel a Bruegel?'', ''What makes a Degas a Degas?'','' Bible in Art: The Old Testament'', ''Bible in Art: The New Testament'', and'' Charles Webster Hawthorne: Paintings and Watercolors''.
* [[Anibál Nieves]] - former head wrestling coach and wrestler representing [[Puerto Rico]] in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and two-time silver medalist at the Pan American Games

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{ccat}}
* {{oweb}}
* [https://wnegoldenbears.com/ Athletics website]

{{navboxes
|title = Articles related to Western New England University
|titlestyle = background:#004B8E; color:white; border:2px solid #FDB913
|list     =
{{Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield}}
{{Law schools in New England}}
{{AICUM}}
{{The Commonwealth Coast Conference navbox}}
{{Commonwealth Coast Football navbox}}
{{Little East Conference navbox}}
{{Great Northeast Athletic Conference navbox}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Western New England University| ]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Springfield, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1919]]
[[Category:1919 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Northeastern University]]
[[Category:Private universities and colleges in Massachusetts]]