# Wentworth Institute of Technology

Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) is a private university in Boston, Massachusetts. Wentworth was founded in 1904 and offers career-focused education through 22 bachelor's degree programs as well as 11 master's degrees.

## History

In 1903, Boston businessman Arioch Wentworth donated the majority of his estate, estimated at $7 million, to found an industrial school within Boston. A board of seven directors incorporated Wentworth Institute on April 5, 1904, as a school "to furnish education in the mechanical arts". The directors spent several years investigating the educational needs of the community, increased the endowment, and reached a settlement with Wentworth's daughter, who had contested his will. Frederick Atherton was Trustee Secretary. The campus was established in Boston's Back Bay Fens and Arthur L. Williston was the first principal of the college.
On September 25, 1911, Wentworth opened as a technical school to 242 students. By 1919 the school had 1,800 students and 45 teachers. Wentworth became a degree-granting institution in 1957 and awarded its first baccalaureate-level degrees in 1970.
In 1972, the institute admitted its first female students. In 1973, Wentworth instructors unionized to join the American Federation of Teachers and on October 28, 1977, the teachers of Wentworth went on strike. In 1977, the college's lower and upper divisions merged as the Wentworth Institute of Technology. Wentworth acquired the former Ira Allen School building from the city of Boston in 1980 and the former Boston Trade High School in 1983.
In November 2009, Wentworth became a master's degree-granting institution, with the creation and accreditation of its master of architecture program. Wentworth received approval for university status from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in July 2017.
Zorica Pantic was the first female engineer to head an institute of technology in higher education in the United States. She was president from 2005 to 2019.
As of January 2024, Wentworth offers bachelor's degrees in 22 engineering, technology, design, and management disciplines. Wentworth also offers 11 master's degrees, seven of which have an online option. In 2024, Wentworth was ranked #33 amongst Regional Universities North by U.S. News & World Report.

## Campus

The Wentworth campus is located in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston. It consists of 15 buildings for administrative and faculty offices, classrooms, laboratories, library, and athletic facilities. Students enrolled for full-time study may live in one of seven residence halls near the main campus buildings.
The institute's collaborating neighbors include the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Northeastern University, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the Museum of Fine Arts.
Wentworth is a member of the Colleges of the Fenway consortium, and shares many facilities and activities with nearby institutions. With this membership, Wentworth students are entitled to register for course with participating neighboring institutions at no additional cost.

## Student life
### Enrollment

Total enrollment (2022): 3,920 total (3,713 undergraduate and 207 graduate students)
* Men: 77%
* Women: 23%

### Athletics

Wentworth Institute of Technology's athletic teams are nicknamed the Leopards. Wentworth is a member of the NCAA Division III and participates in the Conference of New England as a non-football member. In 2023, Jared M. Pierce made history at Wentworth by become the first two-time All American, in Track & Field, from the university. He finished 8th place in the shot-put at both the Indoor and Outdoor NCAA Division III National Championships.

## Notable alumni

* Vahe Aghabegians, technology adviser to the Armenian government
* Luther Blount (MC&TD '37), entrepreneur, prolific inventor
* George Chamillard (IE '58), former chairman and CEO of Teradyne, Inc.
* Russell Colley (MC&TD '18), prolific inventor, NASA engineer, inventor of silver nylon space suit used in first crewed space flight
* John B. Kennedy, city manager, politician
* Joe Lauzon (BCOS '06), professional mixed martial artist, competing in the UFC's Lightweight Division
* Matt LeBlanc, American actor in the show "Friends"
* David Lovering (EET '82), musician, drummer for the Pixies
* Stephen F. Lynch (CMW '88), United States Representative from Massachusetts
* Cindy Stumpo, American entrepreneur and residential contractor numerous national publications
* John A. Volpe (AC '30), Governor of Massachusetts, United States Secretary of Transportation, namesake of the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center