A message from President Helen Drinan.
I write to you today with one of the most exciting announcements to date. We all have reason to celebrate as Simmons takes its rightful place in the landscape of higher education as Simmons University.
Becoming Simmons University is a key strategy in the redesign of our academic structure to inspire today’s students. It signals to the world that Simmons is a force in today’s competitive higher education landscape, further elevating the stature of our distinctive undergraduate program for women and our nationally-recognized graduate programs. We are capitalizing on Simmons’ strengths to foster interdisciplinary and inter-professional study and collaboration—fertile ground for innovation and impact. The renowned schools and programs you are familiar with are now organized in four new colleges:
- The Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities
- The College of Natural, Behavioral, and Health Sciences (including the School of Nursing)
- The College of Organizational, Computational, and Information Sciences (including the School of Library and Information Science and the School of Business)
- The College of Social Sciences, Policy, and Practice (including the School of Social Work)
Simmons today reflects a decade of progress resulting from bold planning and action, including the launch of our internationally-reaching online graduate programs. We successfully navigated the Great Recession and other economic headwinds to grow stronger academically and financially. In the past ten years, we’ve increased revenues 71 percent, doubled financial aid to $44 million, strengthened undergraduate enrollments, and doubled graduate enrollments. Now we’re poised to further enhance our commitment to a student-centered culture while sustaining our financial vitality by maximizing the value of Simmons’ real estate assets and campus opportunities.
Since John Simmons had his revolutionary idea over 100 years ago to found a college that would enable women to earn independent livelihoods and lead meaningful lives, Simmons has evolved to meet the changing needs of students and the world. Yet every step of the way, we have actively remained true to our founding mission, which continues to guide me and all of my Simmons University colleagues today.
This is a thrilling moment in our history. I’m honored and proud to be a part of it, and hope you are, too. I invite you to join me as, together, we embrace the exciting journey ahead.
Sincerely,
Helen G. Drinan, ’75LS, ’78SM
President