Western New England University is a private, coeducational institution founded in 1919, located on a 215-acre suburban campus in Springfield, Massachusetts. Western New England serves 3,955 students, including 2,575 full-time undergraduate students. With the academic options of a university, and a focus on individualized attention, Western New England inspires students to achieve more than they ever imagined possible.
University News Archives can be found here.
Western New England University (WNE) welcomed alumni, families, and friends back to campus for Golden Bear Weekend 2025, held October 3-5. With beautiful fall weather and more than 2,000 participants, the annual tradition once again celebrated the enduring spirit of the Golden Bear community.
Western New England University hosted its annual Leadership Donor Reception on September 24, 2025, at GreatHorse Country Club in Hampden, Mass., celebrating the generosity of donors whose philanthropy sustains and strengthens the University’s mission. The evening brought together members of WNE’s Benefactors’, Cupola, President’s, and Loyalty Societies for an event centered on gratitude, connection, and impact.
Four outstanding alumni inducted into the Downes Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony held Friday, October 3 as part of Golden Bear Weekend 2025.
Skookum Awards recognize 15 outstanding members of the Class of 2026 for their leadership, academic excellence, and dedication to serving the University community.
In a ceremony held at the WNE School of Law, 51 individuals from 31 different countries officially became U.S. citizens, taking the Oath of Allegiance before family, friends, and members of the campus community.
Dr. Anthony S. Caprio, WNE's fifth president, will be honored with the Delbridge Family Spirit of Philanthropy Award during the University’s annual Leadership Donor Reception on September 24.
WNE inducted the late Lucien “Lou” Parent ’62 BSME into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame. Parent, a visionary industrialist and entrepreneur from Holyoke became the 17th member of this prestigious group, recognized for his professional achievements, service to his alma mater, and enduring Golden Bear spirit.
Nearly 100 student support staff at Springfield International Charter School (SICS) participated in Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training facilitated by WNE with the goal to equip Springfield schools with the skills and resources to recognize and respond to mental health challenges among children and adolescents.
Western New England University marks historic milestone with the investiture of Dr. Sharianne Walker, Dean of the College of Business, as the Janet Johnson Bullard Endowed Chair in Finance—the University’s first endowed chair.
WNE announces it has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to pioneer an innovative nutrition-based nanomedicine approach to Alzheimer’s disease.
The School of Law is proud to announce Htut Naing, J.D. Candidate 2026, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Donald Dunn Law Library Award, which recognizes students who have developed a strong connection to the Law Library throughout their legal education.
More than 100 students participated in the 2025 Performing Arts Camp, an early arrival program designed to connect Golden Bears through music, theater, dance, and performance.
WNE's FinTech program welcomed leading voices in the financial technology sector to campus for the Open Finance Conference 2025 (OFC ’25). More than 70 people attended the event that brought together industry experts, academic researchers, students, and policymakers to explore how open finance is reshaping the future of financial services.
Professor of Psychology Dr. Jessica Carlson has been recognized for more than a decade of service as faculty advisor to the University’s chapter of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.
Dean John Pezzuto, PhD, DSc, features on NPR’s nationally syndicated program The Academic Minute as of August 25 to discuss the science behind the dietary superfood grapes and the importance of understanding their role in human health.
Western New England University opens the 2025–2026 academic year with its largest class ever, the launch of the Golden Bear Discovery curriculum, and strong pillars of support through the Student Hub and Spirit, its AI-powered chatbot.
Labrie partnered with the Cancer House of Hope in West Springfield to provide occupational therapy services to help members regain essential skills for daily living and to cope with the emotional toll of cancer.
Pharmacy faculty demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship, and innovation at the 2025 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Annual Meeting held in Chicago this July.
English Professor and Writing Center Director Christy Crutchfield publishes her latest story, “A Faith Again,” in Electric Literature
Erin Murray, OTD-PP, is working with students and colleagues to challenge outdated narratives around disability and promote more accurate, empowering representations. Murray is urging Massachusetts to update its use of the International Symbol of Access and adopt the more modern, inclusive “Accessible Icon” in public signage.
Thanks to a $149,700 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s EmPower Massachusetts program, the College of Engineering will lead an initiative to help West Springfield families reduce home energy costs through drone-based heat assessments and AI-powered retrofitting plans.
The 2025 FinTech Sponsor Showcase brought together students and corporate sponsors to highlight student-led innovation at the intersection of finance and artificial intelligence.
Dean Zelda B. Harris spoke to U.S. News about how law students should prepare themselves if they have an eye towards a judicial career.
Nicholas Rivet, a PhD Fellow in Mechanical Engineering at Western New England University, earned third place in the graduate student oral and poster competition at the 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, held jointly with the 25th International Congress on Acoustics in New Orleans.
Three WNE graduates whose distinguished achievements and dedication to their alma mater embody the spirit of the Golden Bears were honored during the Alumni Awards Dinner on Monday, June 9, 2025.
