University of Massachusetts Amherst

The University of Massachusetts Amherst traces its origins back more than a century and a half. Throughout that time, it has steadily and dramatically evolved and expanded. Even so, UMass Amherst has always been marked by a deep dedication to the public good—or, as old term had it, the “common weal.” At first, that approach had one narrow target, scientific agriculture. The Massachusetts Agricultural College (MAC) was founded in 1863 under the national Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act. Set on 310 rural acres, it offered its first classes in 1867. It then had four faculty members, four wooden buildings, 56 students, and a curriculum combining modern farming, science, technical courses, and a smattering of the liberal arts. In 1892 the first female student enrolled and graduate degrees were authorized. Over time, the college’s curriculum, facilities, and student body outgrew its original mission. In 1931, to reflect its ever-broadening curriculum, “Mass Aggie” became Massachusetts State College. In 1947, “Mass State” in turn became the University of Massachusetts. Immediately after World War II, the university experienced rapid growth in facilities, programs, and enrollment, with 4,000 students in 1954. By 1964, with the earliest Baby Boomers coming of age, undergraduate enrollment jumped to 10,500. The turbulent political environment of the time brought a sit-in to the newly constructed Whitmore Administration Building. By the end of the decade, the completion of Southwest Residential Complex and the Alumni Stadium, and the establishment of many new academic departments, gave the campus much of its modern look.