Springfield College
Springfield College is a private college in Springfield, Massachusetts. It confers undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is known as the birthplace of basketball because the sport was invented there in 1891 by Canadian-American instructor James Naismith. The college's philosophy of "humanics... calls for the education of the whole person—in spirit, mind, and body—for leadership in service to others." History. Founded in 1885, as the Young Men's Christian Association department of the School for Christian Workers in Springfield, the school originally specialized in preparing young men to become General Secretaries of YMCA organizations in  a two-year program. In 1887, it added a Physical ("i.e.", physical education) department. In 1890, it separated from the School for Christian Workers and became the YMCA Training School and in 1891, the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School. In 1905, the school became a degree-granting institution. In 1912, it took the name International YMCA College and in 1954, Springfield College. Archives. Since 1999, the college archives have included archival material from the Society of Health and Physical Educators, various of its affiliates, and the papers of their leaders. Presidents. Springfield College has had 13 leaders : Academics. Springfield College offers bachelor's degrees in more than 40 majors, master's degrees in a variety of different fields, and doctoral programs in counseling psychology, physical therapy, and physical education. The student-to-faculty member ratio is 11 to 1. The college comprises four schools. The School of Arts and Sciences grants degrees in the liberal arts, science, business, and education, including 59 undergraduate majors and concentrations and eight graduate programs. The School of Physical Education, Performance, and Sport Leadership offers undergraduate and graduate programs in health and wellness occupations, including applied exercise science, nutritional science, athletic training , physical education and health education, recreation management, and sport management. It is a member of the American Kinesiology Association. It incorporates the Springfield College East Campus outdoor learning center. Organized in 2005, the School of Health Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, communication sciences and disorders, and health science, in addition to related certification programs. The school is a member of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professionals. The School of Social Work and Behavioral Sciences offers undergraduate degrees in psychology, rehabilitation and disability studies, and human services and professional graduate  programs in social work, psychology, counseling, and student affairs administration. Springfield College offers bachelor's degree completion programs and master's degrees in human services, business, education, and counseling that are geared toward working adult students at its four regional campuses, its main campus, and online. The college is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Campuses. Springfield College consists of one main campus, located in Springfield, Mass., and four regional campuses in Boston, Houston, Milwaukee, and Wilmington (Delaware). The main campus spans and contains ten residence halls, recreational and fitness facilities, science and academic facilities, a  performing arts center, and the Richard B. Flynn Campus Union, which includes a food court, activity and lounge space, and College bookstore. Springfield College's East Campus, which encompasses of forest ecosystem, is located about one mile from the main campus. This location provides rustic facilities for conferences and meetings, and space for outdoor research and recreation. East Campus is also home to the Springfield College Child Development Center, which provides early education services for children of members of the faculty and staff, students, and families in the community. Athletics. Springfield College's athletic teams have been known since 1995  as the Pride; the teams were nicknamed the Chiefs from 1968 through 1994, and prior to that were known as the Gymnasts or Maroons. The college is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III and most teams compete in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Springfield's football team joined the NEWMAC when it began sponsoring football in 2017. The men's soccer, men's golf, cross country and gymnastics teams are affiliate members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The men's volleyball team competes as an independent. Springfield College  is known as the "Birthplace of Basketball", a game created by alumnus and faculty member James Naismith under the founding head of the Physical Education department Luther Gulick Jr. in 1891. Gulick is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which is named for Naismith. Alumnus William G. Morgan invented the game of volleyball. Stagg Field serves as the college's main athletic field; it was named after former coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg who briefly coached Springfield and went on to play a pivotal role in the development of modern football. The baseball team plays at Berry-Allen Field . The Springfield softball team appeared in one Women's College World Series in 1977. The Springfield College women's gymnastics team won the first intercollegiate national championship in 1969 and three of the first four (1971 and 1972). In 1940 Springfield was one of eight teams to make the 1940 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. In 2006 and 2007, the school hosted the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Final Four. The men's volleyball team has six non-NCAA national titles in the now-defunct Molten Invitational championship, an event for NCAA Division III schools that ran  from 1997 through 2011, and also won the first three NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championships in 2012 through 2014. All nine championships were won under Head Coach Charlie Sullivan. The Springfield College Women's Basketball team of 2004–2005, made the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III basketball tournament. Women's basketball has won several conference tournament championships, including the season of 2006. Springfield College graduates Rusty Jones G '86 and Jon Torine '95 participated in Super Bowl XLI as the Head Strength and Conditioning coaches of the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts, respectively. The Springfield College Women 's Field Hockey Team has won the NEWMAC (New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference) title for five consecutive years (2004–2008). The men's lacrosse team won six straight titles (2008–2013) in the now-defunct Pilgrim Lacrosse League, which has since been absorbed by the NEWMAC. Springfield's Women's Swimming and Diving Team has won the NEWMAC Conference title for ten consecutive years (2001–2010) in the Division III Conference. Springfield's Men's soccer team were voted National College Champions by the Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association in 1946, 1947 and 1957. This was before the NCAA championship  soccer tournament in 1959. Rankings. "U.S. News & World Report" ranked Springfield College #26 for Best Regional Universities—North Region for 2021, the sixth consecutive year that it has been in the top 30. "U.S. News" also ranked Springfield College #18 among Best Value Schools for Regional Universities—North, the school's fifth consecutive year on the list. This ranking takes into account a college's academic quality and net cost of attendance. Springfield College is the recipient of the 2016 Presidential Award in the education category of the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This honor is the  highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement. Since 2009, "Diverse Issues in Higher Education" has ranked Springfield College's School of Professional and Continuing Studies, formerly the School of Human Services, among the top three U.S. institutions for the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans in public administration and social services. The Carnegie Foundation recognized Springfield College as one of a select group of colleges and universities throughout the U.S. that have earned the foundation's Community Engagement Classification in 2015. Affiliated Chambers of Commerce  of Greater Springfield's (ACCGS) awarded Springfield College a 2014 Super 60 Award for revenue for the tenth consecutive year. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) named Springfield a finalist for the President's Award for Community Service in 2014. Springfield College was named a 2016–17 College of Distinction for providing an innovative, teacher-centered undergraduate education with a strong record of preparing its graduates for real-world success. "U.S. News" ranked Springfield College #8 for schools with the highest percentages of alumni enrolling in a graduate school in 2013.