As we celebrate our 175th anniversary, we think of how proud our founder would be today. Called the “Father of American Public Education,” Horace Mann accomplished much in his lifetime, but his prime legacy was to convince people that public education was a public good that should be publicly funded. He truly believed that education was the birth-right of every child and he, along with the State Board of Education, founded Westfield State in 1838 as the first public institution of higher learning in America without barrier to race, gender or economic class.

What growth and success our school has had, since our first class of eight men and twelve women began their studies at the Normal School at Barre, the forerunner to Westfield State. Now the university boasts an enrollment of over 6,400 undergraduate and graduate students doing coursework in 31 undergraduate academic majors and 8 graduate degree options.

As Westfield State grows and connects with its community, we have chosen to look holistically as we plan strategically - assessing where we are, where we have been and where we need to be in relation to an exciting future. As we provide community forums for discussion of these plans, we are fostering a culture of inclusion that inspires trust and creativity. We are finding ways to make education more accessible to folks for whom higher education may have been out of reach. We have made engagement with our community a priority. It’s a process that is transforming our university.

Happy 175th anniversary, Westfield State! May our future be illuminated by our past, inspired by our present and responsive to the needs of a future we can only imagine.