Draft of new Mission Statement

Framingham State College Mission, version 3B

Founded by Horace Mann in 1839 as the first public college in America to offer teacher preparation, Framingham State College continues to serve a public purpose. Now a comprehensive college with a wide variety of undergraduate majors encompassing the arts and sciences and applied programs, as well as graduate programs at the master’s level, Framingham State has expanded its vision beyond that of its founder, yet is still dedicated to serving regional and state communities. Our graduates go on to local, national, and global service in a wide variety of careers.

Framingham State College is primarily a teaching institution in which faculty engage with their disciplines through instruction, scholarship, and service both to the campus and extended communities. The College is an important educational and cultural center for the Metrowest region of Massachusetts, which also serves as a resource for the education and work of our students.

The Framingham State College learning community consists of teacher-scholars, students, and staff dedicated to shared values including student success, free inquiry and the respectful exchange of ideas, ethical conduct, and the belief that diversity in its many forms is essential to the educational experience. The educational and co-curricular environments support student-centered, active learning and provide opportunities for both independent and collaborative learning and a culminating capstone experience. Students work closely with faculty as they learn to gather and evaluate information, to write and speak effectively, to develop their critical thinking and their creativity, to reason quantitatively, and to apply information technology effectively. Framingham State seeks to graduate self-directed and confident students who are prepared for a life of learning, leadership, and work.