About - Anna Maria College
Source: https://annamaria.edu/about
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:17
About - Anna Maria College
About
Home
About
Contact
Sean J.
Ryan
Ed.D.
President
President's Office
(508) 849-3333
SRyan@annamaria.edu
Resources
College Directory
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan PDF
Strategic Plan 5 Year Progress Addendum
Directions
Offices and Facilities
Office of the President
Preparing Transformational Leaders
Anna Maria College integrates a liberal arts education with real-life career preparation. The College offers a variety of
undergraduate majors
, as well as many
graduate and certificate programs,
both on-ground and
online
. The small student-faculty ratio allows for a highly personalized learning experience, while the modest class and campus size foster optimal student involvement, collaboration and friendships.
Popular majors are associated with essential careers that drive social impact in communities: nursing, criminal justice, fire science, social work, mental and behavioral health, education, therapeutic arts, business, and more. The College offers an Honors Program and unique study-abroad opportunities. Anna Maria is a member of a Worcester-area College Consortium that allows students to cross-register at other Consortium colleges at no additional cost.
At Anna Maria, you can enjoy all that campus life has to offer and partake in the excitement of the Worcester area. We’re a short drive to Boston, Cape Cod, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island.
More Information
Everybody Has A Story
The Anna Maria Impact
Mission and Values
Leadership
Heritage
Everybody Has A Story
At Anna Maria, remarkable stories are being written everyday. Stories of students just like you, who’ve come here for many reasons and discovered something greater. A college that is passionately focused on them. A college built on
community, personal engagement
and
professional preparation
.
CLOSE
COMMUNITY
Wherever you go on our campus, you’re almost guaranteed to run into someone you know. For most of our students our campus feels like home, and we take that kind of responsibility very seriously.
Ashley Garcia '22
Forensic Criminology and Psychology
“My life, what I think and how I act, is my message to the world. If I can be a catalyst for change in any way possible, nothing will stop me from achieving that. Anna Maria has taught me to always challenge myself to grow because the people that I want to serve will be counting on me.”
Tanaka Mararike '20
Psychology
“Beyond the textbooks, the professors brought real-world experience into the classroom that helped to prepare me for what I would encounter in my career. My goal is to become a board-certified behavior analyst, developing treatment plans for children diagnosed with autism.”
Dylan Diorio '21
Sport Management
“Coming from a small town, Anna Maria’s diverse student body has had a big impact on me. I’ve met people from all over and I feel like that’s opened me up to a lot of different avenues, cultures, and ways to really expand and grow as an individual. Regardless of where we come from, we are a true community.”
Deborah Joseph '19, '20G
Health Community Services, MBA
“After getting my bachelor’s degree in Health and Community Services, I enrolled in the graduate program in preparation for my ultimate goal, which is to run a healthcare facility. Providing quality care to someone’s loved one, especially when they cannot, is of the utmost importance to me.”
PERSONAL
ENGAGEMENT
Wherever you go on our campus, you’re almost guaranteed to run into someone you know. For most of our students our campus feels like home, and we take that kind of responsibility very seriously.
Roger Kennedy '23
Early Childhood Education
“Anna Maria does a good job of preparing all students with the leadership skills to take with them into their respective careers. There are many opportunities here to develop your own leadership style here and that’s going to help me become the teacher I want to be.”
PROFESSIONAL
PREPARATION
Our programs are specifically designed to provide you with strong practical skills and connect you to professional opportunities. We want to make sure you graduate from our programs knowing where you want to go and that you possess the skills and confidence to get there.
Kayla Buck '16
Nursing
“The medical community in Worcester includes hospitals that provide top-notch patient care. Anna Maria’s well connected faculty made it very easy to get placement in clinical settings that augmented my education with really important experiential learning. I was offered my first nursing job in Seattle before I crossed the stage at graduation.”
Catherine Miller '21
Business Administration
“I’ve been a student worker in the Business Office since I first arrived on campus and the experience has helped me develop a variety of skills that will carry over into my professional life. The program has provided me with a great opportunity to learn outside of the classroom and meet some great people along the way!”
Austin Thomas '20
Fire Science
“Volunteering is all about giving back to the community by serving others, which is at the core of everything we do here at Anna Maria. I went on a spring service trip with Campus Ministry and had the opportunity to help repair a home alongside the owners and it was such a humbling and amazing experience!”
See All
Mission & Values
As a Catholic institution inspired by the ideals of the Sisters of Saint Anne, Anna Maria College educates students to become individuals who will transform their world as ethical leaders and community-oriented professionals.
Faith & Reason
Drawing upon the Catholic intellectual tradition, the academic environment provides students an education that honors faith and reason as complementary paths of wisdom in the search for truth and meaning.
Liberal Arts
The College prepares students to adapt to future challenges with creativity and innovation, by integrating a liberal arts education with personal development and professional achievement.
Service to Community
In line with the values of the foundresses, the College stimulates within students a sense of responsibility and dedication to the community through selfless service to family, friends, colleagues and those in need.
Justice & Peace
Acknowledging our place within the world, the College emboldens students to identify injustices and to contribute peaceful solutions to them.
Development of the Whole Person
A balanced education, curricular and co-curricular, aims to inspire holistic personal growth in students as lifelong learners.
Cultivation of Personal Moral Responsibility
We expect students to develop as ethically responsible human beings, through serious reflection and active engagement.
Respect for Human Dignity
We welcome all, regardless of background, and encourage critical thought and ideas in the pursuit of truth.
Leadership
Trustees
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Heritage
1850s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Catholic Roots
In the Canadian province of Quebec, a woman named Esther Blondin, struggled to fulfill a longtime dream “…to empower people – especially the poor illiterate children of the Quebec countryside by teaching them religion, reading, writing, and arithmetic”.
With great passion and audacity, Esther Blondin, known during her life as Mother Marie Anne, pursued this vision, turning it into the exceptional teaching mission of the congregation she founded, the Sisters of Saint Anne.
Pope John Paul II proclaimed Mother Marie Anne as Blessed Marie Anne Blondin at a ceremony in Rome on April 29, 2001.
Planting the Seed
In 1945, with the approbation of Archbishop Richard J. Cushing, the Sisters of Saint Anne, led by Sister Marie Anne Eva Mondor, petitioned the Board of Collegiate Authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to amend their 1887 Charter, which allowed them to operate elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth, so that they could grant advanced degrees. Under the guidance of the Secretary General of Catholic University of America, all the necessary requirements were met and Anna Maria College opened its doors on September 17, 1946, to its first freshmen class of dynamic and talented women.
Establishing Roots
The 1950s became a decade of rapid expansion for Anna Maria College starting with its move to the then 293-acre campus in Paxton, Massachusetts in 1951. From 1953 to 1959, five new buildings were completed and in 1955 the College became accredited by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges. A teacher training program joined the already robust music program and AMC became recognized by several National Honor Societies.
Establishing Roots
Campus growth continued with the addition of new buildings to meet the demand for program expansion. The first Black Student Union was formed, and with the Class of 1964, Anna Maria College reached a milestone by graduating more than 100 young women. An Ad Hoc committee was set up in 1967 to address academic freedom and student governance with Anna Maria College counted among the first to endorse the Joint Statement on Rights and Freedoms of Students.
Growth Years
The early 1970s at Anna Maria were no different than at any other college campus with students participating in programs and rallies to express their views regarding the nation’s military involvements. This time was marked by the physical expansion of the College and the expansion of the curriculum and the co-curricular programs. The most dramatic change to occur in the 1970s was the move to coeducation in 1973 followed a year later by the opening of the graduate division.
Growth Years
The 1980s began with a major change in the corporate structure of A
nna Maria College when the Sisters of Saint Anne relinquished to the College its existing charter and degree-granting authority. On April 13, 1980, a newly formed Board of Trustees met with the incumbent Board and the independent corporation was begun. The campus continued to expand with the construction of the Mondor-Eagen Library and the Fuller Activities Center. The College also celebrated its 40th anniversary and continued to move forward and complete successful accreditation reviews with NECHE (formally NEASC).
Branching Out
The 1990s began with the opening of Zecco Performing Arts Center, which became a central site for productions, seminars, and community events. Beyond bricks and mortar, the College needed to address the various changes occurring in the marketplace during this decade. Anna Maria College entered into a partnership with IBM, which helped to jump-start its efforts to purchase and install the necessary technology to provide operational efficiencies in the classroom and keep the College on the forefront of change.
Branching Out
In the early 2000s, the College hosted a re-dedication of its newly designed chapel in recognition of Sr. Bernadette Madore, the College’s fourth president and celebrated its heroes at a 60th anniversary gala. With its rich tradition and solid roots in quality Catholic education, Anna Maria College continued to see its hard work over the years come to fruition. In 2007, led by visionary board members and administrators, the College developed a Strategic Plan: Excellence at Anna Maria College, which continues to guide the growth of the institution. In five short years, Anna Maria opened up three new residence halls, enrolled a record-setting class of 494 students, launched a football team, installed an all-purpose athletic field, and completed another successful NEASC review. The College’s 65th anniversary was celebrated as the campus’ growth and expansion continued with new academic and cocurricular programs.
Extending Our Branches
In 2010, the College launched its first online programs to address the changing needs of adult students.
Trinity Hall, one of the first buildings to house Anna Maria College students, was also rehabbed and reconfigured to accommodate academic advising and student support services so that the College community would continue to effectively touch the lives of more students with its exceptional career-oriented programs that prepare society’s future leaders with the understanding of their role in providing for the common good.
Extending Our Branches
Anna Maria College is thriving, continually expanding to offer an even richer educational experience. We are proud to provide more than 30 undergraduate majors and a dozen graduate programs, available both on-campus and online, to our community of approximately 1,400 learners. Rooted in our rich heritage, we deliver a highly personalized education designed to empower you for a successful career and meaningful service in your community and beyond.
In 2021, we proudly celebrated our 75th anniversary, marking decades of academic excellence. The 75th was an opportunity to reflect on our commitment to providing an engaging and supportive environment. Beyond academics, we are dedicated to educating the whole student, offering 13 NCAA Division III athletic programs, over 30 student-led clubs and organizations, and numerous opportunities for impactful community service.
Our dedicated Trustees, administrators, faculty, staff and coaches are passionately upholding the traditions set by our founders, continuously working to strengthen and expand Anna Maria College. These ongoing enhancements are designed to meet the evolving needs of our student body and boost our relevance and positive impact within the greater Worcester community. Come see how Anna Maria College can help you achieve your goals and make a difference.
50 Sunset Lane
Paxton, MA 01612
(800) 344-4586
info@annamaria.edu
News Media Inquiry
Visit Campus
Anna Maria College
is a private Catholic college in Paxton, Massachusetts. Located on a 260-acre campus, it offers four-year degrees that prepare students to become responsible leaders and serve their communities.
Office of the President
Leadership
Offices & Facilities
College Directory
Academic Calendar
Directions
Academic Institutes
Upcoming Events
Commencement
Work at Anna Maria
Online Programs
© Anna Maria College |
College Data
|
Title IX
|
Privacy Policy
|
Accessibility
Donate
Academics
Schools of Study
Undergraduate
Studies
Graduate
Studies
Online
More Info
Honors Program
Internships
5th Year Masters
Certificate Programs
Admission and Financial Aid
First Year
Transfer
International
Graduate
More Info
Apply Today
Application Status Portal
Contact Admission
Financial Aid
Tuition & Fees
Visit Campus
Become
Something Greater
. Anna Maria College will inspire you to a life of meaning, involvement and influence.
We understand the importance of keeping an Anna Maria College education within reach of all.
Campus Life
Student Life
Activities & Clubs
Campus Ministry
Community, Culture, and Engagement
Dining Services
Esports
First Year Experience
Residence Life
Student Handbook
Student Services
Bookstore
Career & Leadership Center
Commuter Services
Health & Counseling
International Student Services
Mondor-Eagen Library
Police Services
Registrar’s Office
Student Accounts/Billing
Student Academic Support Services
Parents & Families
Technology
Athletics
News
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About
Home
About
Contact
Sean J.
Ryan
Ed.D.
President
President's Office
(508) 849-3333
SRyan@annamaria.edu
Resources
College Directory
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan PDF
Strategic Plan 5 Year Progress Addendum
Directions
Offices and Facilities
Office of the President
Preparing Transformational Leaders
Anna Maria College integrates a liberal arts education with real-life career preparation. The College offers a variety of
undergraduate majors
, as well as many
graduate and certificate programs,
both on-ground and
online
. The small student-faculty ratio allows for a highly personalized learning experience, while the modest class and campus size foster optimal student involvement, collaboration and friendships.
Popular majors are associated with essential careers that drive social impact in communities: nursing, criminal justice, fire science, social work, mental and behavioral health, education, therapeutic arts, business, and more. The College offers an Honors Program and unique study-abroad opportunities. Anna Maria is a member of a Worcester-area College Consortium that allows students to cross-register at other Consortium colleges at no additional cost.
At Anna Maria, you can enjoy all that campus life has to offer and partake in the excitement of the Worcester area. We’re a short drive to Boston, Cape Cod, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island.
More Information
Everybody Has A Story
The Anna Maria Impact
Mission and Values
Leadership
Heritage
Everybody Has A Story
At Anna Maria, remarkable stories are being written everyday. Stories of students just like you, who’ve come here for many reasons and discovered something greater. A college that is passionately focused on them. A college built on
community, personal engagement
and
professional preparation
.
CLOSE
COMMUNITY
Wherever you go on our campus, you’re almost guaranteed to run into someone you know. For most of our students our campus feels like home, and we take that kind of responsibility very seriously.
Ashley Garcia '22
Forensic Criminology and Psychology
“My life, what I think and how I act, is my message to the world. If I can be a catalyst for change in any way possible, nothing will stop me from achieving that. Anna Maria has taught me to always challenge myself to grow because the people that I want to serve will be counting on me.”
Tanaka Mararike '20
Psychology
“Beyond the textbooks, the professors brought real-world experience into the classroom that helped to prepare me for what I would encounter in my career. My goal is to become a board-certified behavior analyst, developing treatment plans for children diagnosed with autism.”
Dylan Diorio '21
Sport Management
“Coming from a small town, Anna Maria’s diverse student body has had a big impact on me. I’ve met people from all over and I feel like that’s opened me up to a lot of different avenues, cultures, and ways to really expand and grow as an individual. Regardless of where we come from, we are a true community.”
Deborah Joseph '19, '20G
Health Community Services, MBA
“After getting my bachelor’s degree in Health and Community Services, I enrolled in the graduate program in preparation for my ultimate goal, which is to run a healthcare facility. Providing quality care to someone’s loved one, especially when they cannot, is of the utmost importance to me.”
PERSONAL
ENGAGEMENT
Wherever you go on our campus, you’re almost guaranteed to run into someone you know. For most of our students our campus feels like home, and we take that kind of responsibility very seriously.
Roger Kennedy '23
Early Childhood Education
“Anna Maria does a good job of preparing all students with the leadership skills to take with them into their respective careers. There are many opportunities here to develop your own leadership style here and that’s going to help me become the teacher I want to be.”
PROFESSIONAL
PREPARATION
Our programs are specifically designed to provide you with strong practical skills and connect you to professional opportunities. We want to make sure you graduate from our programs knowing where you want to go and that you possess the skills and confidence to get there.
Kayla Buck '16
Nursing
“The medical community in Worcester includes hospitals that provide top-notch patient care. Anna Maria’s well connected faculty made it very easy to get placement in clinical settings that augmented my education with really important experiential learning. I was offered my first nursing job in Seattle before I crossed the stage at graduation.”
Catherine Miller '21
Business Administration
“I’ve been a student worker in the Business Office since I first arrived on campus and the experience has helped me develop a variety of skills that will carry over into my professional life. The program has provided me with a great opportunity to learn outside of the classroom and meet some great people along the way!”
Austin Thomas '20
Fire Science
“Volunteering is all about giving back to the community by serving others, which is at the core of everything we do here at Anna Maria. I went on a spring service trip with Campus Ministry and had the opportunity to help repair a home alongside the owners and it was such a humbling and amazing experience!”
See All
Mission & Values
As a Catholic institution inspired by the ideals of the Sisters of Saint Anne, Anna Maria College educates students to become individuals who will transform their world as ethical leaders and community-oriented professionals.
Faith & Reason
Drawing upon the Catholic intellectual tradition, the academic environment provides students an education that honors faith and reason as complementary paths of wisdom in the search for truth and meaning.
Liberal Arts
The College prepares students to adapt to future challenges with creativity and innovation, by integrating a liberal arts education with personal development and professional achievement.
Service to Community
In line with the values of the foundresses, the College stimulates within students a sense of responsibility and dedication to the community through selfless service to family, friends, colleagues and those in need.
Justice & Peace
Acknowledging our place within the world, the College emboldens students to identify injustices and to contribute peaceful solutions to them.
Development of the Whole Person
A balanced education, curricular and co-curricular, aims to inspire holistic personal growth in students as lifelong learners.
Cultivation of Personal Moral Responsibility
We expect students to develop as ethically responsible human beings, through serious reflection and active engagement.
Respect for Human Dignity
We welcome all, regardless of background, and encourage critical thought and ideas in the pursuit of truth.
Leadership
Trustees
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Heritage
1850s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Catholic Roots
In the Canadian province of Quebec, a woman named Esther Blondin, struggled to fulfill a longtime dream “…to empower people – especially the poor illiterate children of the Quebec countryside by teaching them religion, reading, writing, and arithmetic”.
With great passion and audacity, Esther Blondin, known during her life as Mother Marie Anne, pursued this vision, turning it into the exceptional teaching mission of the congregation she founded, the Sisters of Saint Anne.
Pope John Paul II proclaimed Mother Marie Anne as Blessed Marie Anne Blondin at a ceremony in Rome on April 29, 2001.
Planting the Seed
In 1945, with the approbation of Archbishop Richard J. Cushing, the Sisters of Saint Anne, led by Sister Marie Anne Eva Mondor, petitioned the Board of Collegiate Authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to amend their 1887 Charter, which allowed them to operate elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth, so that they could grant advanced degrees. Under the guidance of the Secretary General of Catholic University of America, all the necessary requirements were met and Anna Maria College opened its doors on September 17, 1946, to its first freshmen class of dynamic and talented women.
Establishing Roots
The 1950s became a decade of rapid expansion for Anna Maria College starting with its move to the then 293-acre campus in Paxton, Massachusetts in 1951. From 1953 to 1959, five new buildings were completed and in 1955 the College became accredited by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges. A teacher training program joined the already robust music program and AMC became recognized by several National Honor Societies.
Establishing Roots
Campus growth continued with the addition of new buildings to meet the demand for program expansion. The first Black Student Union was formed, and with the Class of 1964, Anna Maria College reached a milestone by graduating more than 100 young women. An Ad Hoc committee was set up in 1967 to address academic freedom and student governance with Anna Maria College counted among the first to endorse the Joint Statement on Rights and Freedoms of Students.
Growth Years
The early 1970s at Anna Maria were no different than at any other college campus with students participating in programs and rallies to express their views regarding the nation’s military involvements. This time was marked by the physical expansion of the College and the expansion of the curriculum and the co-curricular programs. The most dramatic change to occur in the 1970s was the move to coeducation in 1973 followed a year later by the opening of the graduate division.
Growth Years
The 1980s began with a major change in the corporate structure of A
nna Maria College when the Sisters of Saint Anne relinquished to the College its existing charter and degree-granting authority. On April 13, 1980, a newly formed Board of Trustees met with the incumbent Board and the independent corporation was begun. The campus continued to expand with the construction of the Mondor-Eagen Library and the Fuller Activities Center. The College also celebrated its 40th anniversary and continued to move forward and complete successful accreditation reviews with NECHE (formally NEASC).
Branching Out
The 1990s began with the opening of Zecco Performing Arts Center, which became a central site for productions, seminars, and community events. Beyond bricks and mortar, the College needed to address the various changes occurring in the marketplace during this decade. Anna Maria College entered into a partnership with IBM, which helped to jump-start its efforts to purchase and install the necessary technology to provide operational efficiencies in the classroom and keep the College on the forefront of change.
Branching Out
In the early 2000s, the College hosted a re-dedication of its newly designed chapel in recognition of Sr. Bernadette Madore, the College’s fourth president and celebrated its heroes at a 60th anniversary gala. With its rich tradition and solid roots in quality Catholic education, Anna Maria College continued to see its hard work over the years come to fruition. In 2007, led by visionary board members and administrators, the College developed a Strategic Plan: Excellence at Anna Maria College, which continues to guide the growth of the institution. In five short years, Anna Maria opened up three new residence halls, enrolled a record-setting class of 494 students, launched a football team, installed an all-purpose athletic field, and completed another successful NEASC review. The College’s 65th anniversary was celebrated as the campus’ growth and expansion continued with new academic and cocurricular programs.
Extending Our Branches
In 2010, the College launched its first online programs to address the changing needs of adult students.
Trinity Hall, one of the first buildings to house Anna Maria College students, was also rehabbed and reconfigured to accommodate academic advising and student support services so that the College community would continue to effectively touch the lives of more students with its exceptional career-oriented programs that prepare society’s future leaders with the understanding of their role in providing for the common good.
Extending Our Branches
Anna Maria College is thriving, continually expanding to offer an even richer educational experience. We are proud to provide more than 30 undergraduate majors and a dozen graduate programs, available both on-campus and online, to our community of approximately 1,400 learners. Rooted in our rich heritage, we deliver a highly personalized education designed to empower you for a successful career and meaningful service in your community and beyond.
In 2021, we proudly celebrated our 75th anniversary, marking decades of academic excellence. The 75th was an opportunity to reflect on our commitment to providing an engaging and supportive environment. Beyond academics, we are dedicated to educating the whole student, offering 13 NCAA Division III athletic programs, over 30 student-led clubs and organizations, and numerous opportunities for impactful community service.
Our dedicated Trustees, administrators, faculty, staff and coaches are passionately upholding the traditions set by our founders, continuously working to strengthen and expand Anna Maria College. These ongoing enhancements are designed to meet the evolving needs of our student body and boost our relevance and positive impact within the greater Worcester community. Come see how Anna Maria College can help you achieve your goals and make a difference.
50 Sunset Lane
Paxton, MA 01612
(800) 344-4586
info@annamaria.edu
News Media Inquiry
Visit Campus
Anna Maria College
is a private Catholic college in Paxton, Massachusetts. Located on a 260-acre campus, it offers four-year degrees that prepare students to become responsible leaders and serve their communities.
Office of the President
Leadership
Offices & Facilities
College Directory
Academic Calendar
Directions
Academic Institutes
Upcoming Events
Commencement
Work at Anna Maria
Online Programs
© Anna Maria College |
College Data
|
Title IX
|
Privacy Policy
|
Accessibility
Donate
Academics
Schools of Study
Undergraduate
Studies
Graduate
Studies
Online
More Info
Honors Program
Internships
5th Year Masters
Certificate Programs
Admission and Financial Aid
First Year
Transfer
International
Graduate
More Info
Apply Today
Application Status Portal
Contact Admission
Financial Aid
Tuition & Fees
Visit Campus
Become
Something Greater
. Anna Maria College will inspire you to a life of meaning, involvement and influence.
We understand the importance of keeping an Anna Maria College education within reach of all.
Campus Life
Student Life
Activities & Clubs
Campus Ministry
Community, Culture, and Engagement
Dining Services
Esports
First Year Experience
Residence Life
Student Handbook
Student Services
Bookstore
Career & Leadership Center
Commuter Services
Health & Counseling
International Student Services
Mondor-Eagen Library
Police Services
Registrar’s Office
Student Accounts/Billing
Student Academic Support Services
Parents & Families
Technology
Athletics
News
About
Online
Alumni
Admitted Students
Donate
Quick Links
Public Notice
Search
Apply
Inquire
Visit
Deposit
Your Order
No products in the cart.
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Discover a location near you with delivery or pickup options available right now.
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