Wentworth Institute of Technology

Infobox University
name = Wentworth Institute of Technology


motto = Honesty, Energy, Economy, System
established = 1904
type = Private
president = Zorica Pantic
city = Boston
state = Mass.
country = USA
endowment = $80 Million
undergrad = 3,000
postgrad =
postgrad_label =
faculty = 125
campus = Urban
mascot = Leopard
free_label = Athletics
free = Division III
website = [http://www.wit.edu/ www.wit.edu] |

Wentworth Institute of Technology is a design and engineering college located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1904, it offers fifteen bachelor's degree programs in such areas as architecture, computer science, and engineering.

Wentworth's educational philosophy consists of a three-part experiential learning model: theory-based classes, practical labs and studios for examining theory, and a co-op program in which students obtain internships in a field relating to their major. Wentworth is also a founding member of the Colleges of the Fenway.

History

On April 5, 1904, Arioch Wentworth and his seven directors incorporated "Wentworth Institute" as a school "to furnish education in the mechanical arts." (Charter) During the next seven years the directors accomplished four important tasks: nurturing the endowment, establishing the campus location in Boston's Back Bay Fens, and hiring an experienced educator for a principal, Arthur L. Williston.

September 25, 1911, Wentworth opened its doors as a technical school to 242 students. Quickly the school gained enrollment, tripling in 12 years. During the next three decades Wentworth sculpted itself into one of the finest technical institutes in the country. In 1953 Wentworth named its first president, H. Russell Beatty. Wentworth became a degree-granting institution in 1957, awarding its first associate's degrees, and offered baccalaureate-level degrees starting in 1970. Wentworth changed from an all-commuter college to a residential campus in the 1960s with the addition of several residence halls. The addition of a satellite campus in Plainville, Massachusetts allowed for a 155-acre laboratory; this land was sold in 1999 to developers.

In 1972 the Institute admitted its first women students, with an initial male-female ratio of 353 to 1. As of 2005, women represent 21% of the academic population. In 1975 cooperative education was introduced at Wentworth with 28 mechanical engineering technology students, class of 1977, testing the program for the Institute. Wentworth instructors unionized in 1973 to become part of AFT Local 2403; on October 28, 1977, the teachers of Wentworth went on strike. [http://www.mfteducator.org/NewHistoryMFT.htm] Before 1977, the lower and upper divisions operated as two separate schools; in that year these two schools merged and "Wentworth Institute of Technology" was born. With admissions numbers getting higher, Wentworth expanded, acquiring the Ira Allen School building from the city of Boston in 1980 and the former Boston Trade High School in 1983.

Major renovation to the third floor of Annex Hall was done in 1989, spending a million dollars adding studios. Along with this renovation came NAAB accreditation (1991). In 1993, Wentworth introduced a pair of five-year engineering programs (as opposed to engineering technology) into the curriculum: electromechanical engineering and environmental engineering. In 2002, these programs received initial accreditation from the Engineering Accreditation Commission.

Sweeney Field opened in 1996, a gift from Myles Sweeney '28 and his wife, Eugenia. Since 1996, the men's and women's soccer teams have enjoyed a combined home record of 81-27-2 (75% wins). In 2001 Wentworth opened 610 Huntington Ave, a 473-bed residence hall which officially ended Wentworth's run as predominantly a commuter school.

On June 8th, 2005 Zorica Pantic was announced as Wentworth's fourth president. She formally took office August 1, 2005 to be the first female engineer to head an institute of technology. [http://www.wit.edu/Inauguration The Inaugural Ceremony] was held on April 5, 2006.

In Fall 2005 the new residence hall, 555 Huntington Ave, was completed, adding an additional 360 beds in apartment-style suites to the campus' housing opportunities.

Notable alumni

* Matt LeBlanc (international film and television star) He left shortly after starting his second semester.
* Luther Blount (entrepreneur)
* David Lovering (musician)
* Stephen F. Lynch (politician)
* John A. Volpe (politician)

Academics

Wentworth has six departments: Department of Architecture, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environment, Department of Computer Science and Systems, Department of Design and Facilities, Department of Electronics and Mechanical and the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Management.In total, Wentworth offers bachelor's degrees in fifteen design and engineering majors. Wentworth will start a four-year undergraduate Biomedical Engineering program in Fall 2009.In addition, the Institute's co-op program starting in the junior year completes a learning model based on theory classes, practical laboratory and studio work and real work experience with the goal of assuring the student the knowledge and hands-on experience to enter the work force.

Wentworth is a technology-oriented college; all of the residence hall rooms and suites have hard-wired high speed internet access, and all incoming freshman receive a laptop as part of the institute's Laptop initiative which aims to provide all students with the right tools and skills to succeed in their learning experience. Depending on the student's major, a student will receive an appropriately equipped Apple MacBook Pro or an IBM ThinkPad T61p to work in and out of class. The program, started in 2004, guarantees that all students have the adequate software for all courses and are capable of accomplishing all projects assigned.

Wentworth Institute of Technology is a National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium´s Training Center.

Departments and Majors

- Department of Architecture

*Bachelor of Science in Architecture (pre-professional degree)
*Bachelor of Architecture (first professional degree)

- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environment:

*Civil Engineering Technology
*Construction Management
*Environmental Science

- Department of Computer Science and Systems:

*Computer Science
*Computer Network and Information Systems

- Department of Design and Facilities:

*Industrial Design
*Interior Design
*Facilities Planning & Management

- Department of Electronics and Mechanical:

*Mechanical Engineering Technology
*Computer Engineering Technology
*Electronic Engineering Technology
*Electromechanical Engineering
*Biomedical Engineering

- Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Management:

*Management

Cooperative education

As a fundamental part of Wentworth education, the Institute requires students to complete at least two cooperative education semesters in work placements. These can take place anywhere in the world and are always related to the career major of the student with the idea that the practical application of theory taught and experimented with in classes and studios or labs will augment the college education and prepare students for postgraduate work or further study.

By the end of the two mandatory co-op semesters, the student can now be competitive in a job application due to the months of experience prior to graduation. This combined with laboratory and class work should form students capable of achieving interesting projects once they have graduated.

The Center for Community and Learning Partnerships

Central to the Center for Community and Learning Partnerships' operation is the philosophy of focusing on assets that both the community and the institute have to offer. While the center exists to promote volunteerism and civic engagement, their philosophy is not focused on simply "doing good." Rather, the focus of their activities and programs is to create rewarding academic and professional experiences that matter in the real world. To that end, the CLP brings together students, faculty, and community as a think tank where energetic ideas meet established principles and practice.

The CLP has partnered with many Boston-area organizations such as Mission Hill Main Streets, Action for Boston Community Development, and the Boston Redevelopment Authority. They have also created educational and meaningful student experiences through an Alternative break program, Community Work Study, Student Leaders in Service (an AmeriCorps-based program), and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (AMP).

Campus

The Wentworth campus spreads over 35 acres in the Fenway, an urban neighborhood of Boston. It consists primarily of 15 buildings for administrative and faculty offices, classrooms, laboratories, a library, and athletic facilities. The main buildings are on Huntington Avenue.

The MBTA Green Line provides light-rail mass transit service at two stations: Longwood Medical Area and Museum of Fine Arts. The institute's neighbors include Massachusetts College of Art, Northeastern University, several other institutions of higher learning, and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Students enrolled for full-time study live in one of eight dormitories located near the main buildings. Baker Hall is the home of the First-Year Experience (FYE), where incoming students have the chance to socialize in a more extensive way due to the closeness among rooms. Other residences include Evans Way/Tudbury halls, 610 Huntington Avenue, 555 Huntington Avenue, Louis Prang/Vancouver Street apartments and Edwards/Rogers halls for upperclassmen.

A multi-purpose athletic field, Sweeney Field, is located in front of the main building of the institute.

Student body

The majority of Wentworth students are US residents and/or citizens. However, Wentworth also attracts a good portion of international students from a number of countries in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Most of them are likely to opt for on-campus housing, creating a large community of students in a single area.

Due to the historic predominance of males in fields of engineering and architecture a larger portion of the whole student body is made up of male students. [ [http://www.archvoices.org/pg.cfm?nid=home&IssueID=1564 Women in Architecture: Leveling the Playing Field] ] To counter this, the Institute has a greater appreciation for women applicants and has in their organization, a number of programs and areas dedicated to women only. The resources for women include the Women's Center, a designated lounge area where women can go and relax, have dinner and study, the Woman to Woman Program and the Society of Women Engineers. More women entering fields such as architecture and engineering is also naturally leading to more female applicants. As a result, over the past two years, a significant number of female applicants has been seen, making the way to a 50-50 gender student body.

Enrollment

Total enrollment: 3,597 (all undergraduates)

*Men: 76.4%
*Women: 23.6%

Ethnicity:

*Non-resident alien: 3.0%
*Black non-Hispanic: 4.1%
*American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.1%
*Asian or Pacific Islander: 4.7%
*Hispanic: 3.4%
*White non-Hispanic: 75.5%
*Unknown: 9.2%

tudent life

A strong sense of community is created among the students attending Wentworth due to the nearness of classes and campus housing. In addition, students have access to the other nearby institutions of the Colleges of the Fenway consortium, offering many possibilities for after-class activities and friendships.

At the start of a term, students tend to remain close to the campus in class, in the library, or in their suites or rooms. The available on-campus facilities also include a bookstore, a gym, offices for student services, and the other residence halls.

During weekends and vacations, the student can explore city life. The campus' location at the edge of Boston and Roxbury gives students many options for leisure, evening, and free-time activity.

Athletics

As part of their academic learning experience, Wentworth Institute of Technology implements athletics as a philosophy that places good value to sports in a learning environment. Wentworth's athletics programs include 15 varsity, two club and six intramural sports, making enphasis in both men's and women's sports.

Wentworth's athletic program competes as a Division III member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), as well as holding memberships in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

Since 1989 the Leopards have captured 16 conference championships in the sports of baseball, men's basketball, hockey, golf, men's soccer, and men's tennis. In addition, Wentworth has earned an invitation to the NCAA Division III Tournament six times (1997, 2007 men's basketball; 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 ice hockey) in the last 10 years, as well as earning ECAC Tournament bids in baseball, men¹s basketball, hockey, lacrosse, men¹s soccer, and women¹s soccer over the course of the last 12 years.

Individual student-athletes have garnered numerous all-league, rookie of the year, and player of the year honors throughout Wentworth's history, with four student-athletes earning five Verizon/CoSIDA Academic honors within the last 11 years.

Student clubs and organizations

* [http://www.wit.edu/leopardprint The Leopard Print] (Student Newspaper)
* [http://wsg.wit.edu Wentworth Student Government] (WSG)
* [http://wire.wit.edu Wentworth Internet Radio Experience] (WIRE)
* [http://events.wit.edu Wentworth Events Board] (WEB)
* [http://myweb.wit.edu/witarch American Insitute of Architecture Students WIT Chapter and Wentworth Architecture Club] (AIAS+WAC)
* [http://myweb.wit.edu/SHPE Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers WIT Chapter] (SHPE @ WIT)

References

External links

* [http://www.wit.edu Official site]
* [http://www.wit.edu/arch Department of Architecture official site]
* [http://www.wit.edu/clp/ The Center for Community and Learning Partnerships site]