Wheaton College ( Massachusetts ) Wheaton College is a four - year , private liberal arts college with an approximate student body of 1 , 600 . Wheaton ' s residential campus is located in Norton , Massachusetts , between Boston , Massachusetts , and Providence , Rhode Island . Founded in 1834 as a female seminary , it is one of the oldest institutions of higher education for women in the United States . Wheaton became a women ' s college in 1912 . The school began admitting men in 1988 , after more than 150 years as a female - only institution . Most classes are relatively small : the student - faculty ratio is 10 : 1 and the average class size is between 15 and 20 . History . In 1834 , Eliza Wheaton Strong , the daughter of Judge Laban Wheaton , died at the age of thirty - nine . Eliza Baylies Chapin Wheaton , the judge ' s daughter - in - law , persuaded him to memorialize his daughter by founding a female seminary . The family called upon noted women ' s educator Mary Lyon for assistance in establishing the seminary . Miss Lyon created the first curriculum with the goal that it be equal in quality to those of men ' s colleges . She also provided the first principal , Eunice Caldwell . Wheaton Female Seminary opened in Norton , Massachusetts on 22 April 1835 , with 50 students and three teachers . Mary Lyon and Eunice Caldwell left Wheaton to open " Mount Holyoke Female Seminary " in 1837 ( now Mount Holyoke College ) . Following their departure , Wheaton endured a period of fluctuating enrollment and frequent changes in leadership until 1850 , when Caroline Cutler Metcalf was recruited as the new principal . Mrs . Metcalf made the hiring of outstanding faculty her top priority , bringing in educators who encouraged students to discuss ideas rather than to memorize facts . The most notable additions to the faculty were Lucy Larcom , who introduced the study of English Literature and founded the student literary magazine " The Rushlight ; " and Mary Jane Cragin , who used innovative techniques to teach geometry and made mathematics the favorite study of many students . Mrs . Metcalf retired in 1876 . A . Ellen Stanton , a teacher of French since 1871 , served as principal from 1880 to 1897 . She led the Seminary during a difficult time , when it faced competition from increasing numbers of public high schools and colleges granting bachelor ' s degrees to women . In 1897 , at the suggestion of Eliza Baylies Wheaton , the Trustees hired the Reverend Samuel Valentine Cole as the Seminary ' s first male president . Preparing to seek a charter as a four - year college , Cole began a program of revitalization that included expanding and strengthening the curriculum , increasing the number and quality of the faculty , and adding six new buildings . The Commonwealth of Massachusetts granted Wheaton a college charter in 1912 . The Student Government Association was organized to represent the " consensus of opinion of the whole student body " , and to encourage individual responsibility , integrity , and self - government . Wheaton received authorization to establish a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 1932 , twenty years after achieving college status . President Samuel Valentine Cole died suddenly , following a brief illness , in 1925 . During his career as Wheaton President , Cole oversaw the expansion of the campus from three to twenty - seven buildings , the growth of enrollment from 50 to 414 , and the establishment of an endowment . On the campus , Cole Memorial Chapel is named after him . Its approximate geographical coordinates are : 41° 58 ' 2 . 01 " N , 71° 11 ' 3 . 51 " W . The Reverend John Edgar Park , who became president in 1926 , continued Cole ' s building program , and saw the College through the Great Depression , the celebration of its centennial in 1935 , and World War II . He retired in 1944 , and was succeeded by Dartmouth College Professor of History Alexander Howard Meneely . During his tenure , the Trustees voted to expand the size of the college from 525 to 800 - 1000 students , and construction of " new campus " began in 1957 . President Meneely died in 1961 , following a long illness , and was succeeded in 1962 by William C . H . Prentice , a psychology professor and administrator at Swarthmore College . In the early 1960s , Wheaton successfully completed its first endowment campaign . The development of new campus continued , and student enrollment grew to 1 , 200 . Wheaton students and faculty joined in nationwide campus protests against United States actions in Indochina in 1970 . In 1975 , Wheaton inaugurated its first woman president , Alice Frey Emerson , Dean of Students at the University of Pennsylvania . During her tenure , Wheaton achieved national recognition as a pioneer in the development of a gender - balanced curriculum . Emerson would go on to receive the Valeria Knapp Award from The College Club of Boston in 1987 for establishing the Global Awareness Program at Wheaton College . Wheaton celebrated its Sesquicentennial in 1984 / 85 with a year - long series of symposia , concerts , dance performances , art and history exhibits , and an endowment and capital campaign . In 1987 , the Trustees voted to admit men to Wheaton . The first coeducational class was enrolled in September 1988 . Dale Rogers Marshall , Academic Dean at Wellesley College , was inaugurated as Wheaton ' s sixth president in 1992 . She led the college in " The Campaign for Wheaton " , to build endowed and current funds for faculty development , student scholarships , and academic programs and facilities . Enrollment growth encouraged the construction of the first new residence halls since 1964 ( Gebbie , Keefe and Beard residence halls ) , the improvement of classroom buildings and the renovation and expansion of the college ' s arts ' facilities . Wheaton ' s Board of Trustees appointed Ronald A . Crutcher at the seventh president of Wheaton College on March 23 , 2004 . President Crutcher came to Wheaton from Miami University in Oxford , Ohio , where he served as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and professor of music . Presidents . The following is a list of Wheaton College presidents with the years of their presidential tenures . Curriculum . Wheaton offers a liberal arts education leading to a bachelor of arts degree in more than 36 majors and 50 minors . Students are permitted to work with faculty members to design self - declared majors , if they wish . Students choose from over 600 courses in subjects from physics to philosophy , political science to computer science , art history to theater , English to economics . The course selection is extended further through the college ' s cross - registration programs with Brown University and nine local colleges involved in SACHEM ( Southeastern Association for Cooperation in Higher Education in Massachusetts ) . Wheaton also offers dual - degree programs , enabling its undergraduates to begin graduate - level study in studio art , communications , engineering , business , theology and optometry . A unique part of the Wheaton curriculum requires students to complete " connections " which approach a variety of topics from the perspectives of different disciplines . During their Wheaton career , students must take either three linked courses or two sets of two - course connections . These courses are intended to encourage students to explore and think beyond their primary academic interests . For instance , the Connection entitled " Communication through Art and Mathematics " links Arts 298 ( Graphic Design I ) with Math 127 ( Advertising Math ) . Although students may complete one of the numerous pre - designed connections , students are encouraged to consider finding and declaring their own . Foundations courses focus on writing , quantitative analysis , foreign language study and non - Western perspectives . In their first semester at Wheaton , all freshmen take a First Year Seminar in which they explore contemporary issues and gain academic skills needed for college - level study . The Major concentration and elective courses are also central to the Wheaton Curriculum , which culminates in a senior capstone experience — a thesis , research project , seminar or creative project . Honor code . Wheaton uses an honor code system originally instituted in 1921 and is one of a select number of schools to use it in both academic and social settings . Incoming freshmen learn about the code and discuss it during Orientation , before signing the matriculation book . The current Wheaton Honor Code reads : " As members of the Wheaton Community , we commit ourselves to act honestly , responsibly , and above all , with honor and integrity in all areas of campus life . We are accountable for all that we say and write . We are responsible for the academic integrity of our work . We pledge that we will not misrepresent our work nor give or receive unauthorized aid . We commit ourselves to behave in a manner which demonstrates concern for the personal dignity , rights and freedoms of all members of the community . We are respectful of college property and the property of others . We will not tolerate a lack of respect for these values . " As part of the honor code , most tests and exams are not proctored by professors and students are often allowed to leave the testing location to complete the exam elsewhere . In 2003 , through student and faculty cooperation , it was decided that students would write " I have abided by the Wheaton Honor Code in this work " and sign their name on all work handed in . Students in violation of the honor code are expected to report themselves to either a professor , the Dean of Students , or the Chair of the College Hearing Board . Students who witness and / or are aware of violations , are expected to confront the violator and encourage them to report themselves , before they report the violation . The majority of minor violations are handled by the Residential Life Office , however certain , more serious and / or chronic violations are heard by the College Hearing Board , the judicial branch of the Student Government Association , which comprises four elected students and two appointed faculty members . Students found responsible face sanctions ranging from probation to expulsion . Arts . The renovation and expansion of Wheaton ' s arts facilities ( Watson and Mars Arts and Humanities ) in 2000 set the stage for the Evelyn Danzig Haas ' 39 Visiting Artists Program . Launched in 2003 , the program brings distinguished writers , musicians , actors , directors , dancers and artists to campus for short - term residencies to share their work through lectures , master classes , concerts and exhibitions . Arts in the City complements the visiting artists program by taking students and faculty members on trips to Boston , Providence and elsewhere to explore the arts and cultural offerings of the region . Wheaton was also home to several popular regional bands that made names for themselves in the college ' s music scene around Norton and in the Providence / Boston areas . Cavity Sam , Shag , Out of the Basement , Juiceman , 722 , Suspect , the infamous Cartman ' s Pig ( which later became Curious Electric ) , and the legendary Polar Java , all formed at Wheaton . Athletics . Wheaton fields 21 varsity intercollegiate teams , 9 for men and 12 for women , in addition to 14 club sports programs and a variety of intramural activities . Varsity programs include baseball , men ' s and women ' s basketball , men ' s and women ' s cross country , field hockey , men ' s and women ' s lacrosse , men ' s and women ' s soccer , softball , men ' s and women ' s swimming and diving , synchronized swimming , men ' s and women ' s tennis , men ' s and women ' s indoor track and field , men ' s and women ' s outdoor track and field and women ' s volleyball . The school ' s teams play within the NCAA Division III and in the New England Women ' s and Men ' s Athletic Conference ( NEWMAC ) . Men ' s Lacrosse competes in the Pilgrim League and Synchronized Swimming competes in the Eastern College Athletic Conference ( ECAC ) . Wheaton ' s mascot is a Lyon , named after founding principal Mary Lyon . Wheaton has found success in a number of its athletic programs , starting in 1983 , when field hockey became the first Wheaton team to make an NCAA tournament . In 1986 , women ' s lacrosse became the first Wheaton team to advance to an NCAA " final four . " Eight years later , women ' s basketball made its first final four , followed by the 1997 softball team finishing 3rd at the national tournament in Eau Claire , Wisc . The following fall , men ' s soccer became the first men ' s team to make the NCAA tournament , followed by volleyball advancing to the NCAA " sweet sixteen . " Wheaton ' s greatest athletic success has been on the track , as the women ' s track and field program has claimed 8 NCAA Division III National Championships and finished in the top 3 at the NCAA championships 6 other times ( twice in indoor and four times in outdoor ) . Starting in 1999 , the women ' s indoor team won five consecutive titles , while the outdoor team won three straight times from 2001 - 2003 . Men ' s track and field also has been successful , finishing in the top 10 of the NCAA indoor championship seven times , in addition to four top - 10 outdoor championship finishes . The last varsity team established at Wheaton in 1997 , has also achieved great success . Baseball is the only team sport at Wheaton to advance to a national championship game , which it has done twice ( 2006 and 2012 ) . Baseball has also won 11 of the 13 NEWMAC championships in conference history . Women ' s soccer has advanced to 12 consecutive NCAA tournaments ( 2000 - present ) , which is the longest active streak in the New England region of Division III women ' s soccer . During that stretch , the women advanced to one national semifinal ( 2004 ) and 3 national quarterfinals ( 2002 , 2003 and 2004 ) . Softball has been to 3 NCAA championship rounds , finishing 3rd twice ( 1997 , 2001 ) and 5th once ( 2004 ) . Men ' s soccer has been to one national semifinal ( 2003 ) and two national quarterfinals ( 2001 , 2003 ) . In addition , men ' s and women ' s cross - country , women ' s lacrosse , men ' s and women ' s swimming and diving and women ' s tennis all have competed in the NCAA post - season . Overall , Wheaton has won 8 NCAA National Championships , 14 ECAC championships and 88 combined NEWMAC regular season and tournament titles . Individually , Wheaton has over 375 all - American performances and 62 individual national championship accolades in school history . Highlighting that list is Amber James ' 04 , who was pivotal during Wheaton ' s run of winning six consecutive NCAA indoor and outdoor national championships from 2001 - 03 . James , a 17 - time national champion and 24 - time all - American , was recognized by the NCAA as the greatest female athlete in the 25 - year history of the Division III indoor track & field championship in 2009 . In addition , she was selected to the U . S . Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association ( USTFCCCA ) Division III Silver Anniversary Team , which commemorated the 25th anniversary of women competing in NCAA outdoor track & field championships . She served as the event representative for the 400 - meter dash . The first championship performance was Deborah Simourian , who won a share of the AIAW individual collegiate golf championship in 1975 . Wheaton has also had two synchronized swimmers named collegiate swimmer of the year . Gina Lighthall ' 99 in 1999 and Christiana Butera ' 12 in 2012 . Butera was also member of the U . S . National Synchronized Swimming Team during the summer of 2011 . Two alums have been drafted by professional sport leagues . Jim Maganello ' 99 was a second round pick of the NY / NJ Metrostars in the 1999 Major League Soccer draft , while Chris Denorfia ' 02 was a 19th round pick in the 2002 Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Cincinnati Reds . Denorfia is currently an outfielder with the San Diego Padres . Reputation . Wheaton College is consistently ranked amongst the top liberal arts colleges by various publications . For 2011 , a national collective of guidance counselors ranked Wheaton among the top 50 liberal arts colleges in the country , while U . S . News & World Report ranked it 59th in Best Liberal Arts Colleges . The Princeton Review also recognizes Wheaton as a standout Northeastern college and as one of the 373 best colleges in the United States , while College Prowler ranks Wheaton as one of the top 114 schools in academics . Since 2000 , over 130 prestigious scholarships have gone to Wheaton students , including 3 Rhodes Scholarships . In 2011 Newsweek / The Daily Beast placed Wheaton at number 19 of 25 in their " Braniacs " schools ranking . Wheaton has an equally impressive reputation for athletics . It is ranked as one of the top 50 NCAA Division III institutions in the final United States Sports Academy ( USSA ) Directors ' Cup standings . Of 420 schools competing in Division III , Wheaton ranks seventh in New England for an annual program that recognizes the best overall collegiate athletics programs in the country . Among 312 scoring institutions , the Wheaton Lyons tallied 338 . 5 points , placing them at 48th place nationally . Films . The following films have been filmed , at least in part , on the Wheaton campus or feature Wheaton students .