Anna Maria College was a private Catholic college in Paxton, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded in 1946 as a women's college, but was coeducational from 1973. The school offered both undergraduate and graduate degrees. On April 23, 2026, the college's 80th anniversary, it was announced that the school would close at the end of the Spring 2026 semester.

History

Anna Maria College was founded in 1946 as a women's college by the Sisters of Saint Anne, after receiving formal approval from Richard Cushing, the Archbishop of Boston. The original campus was in Marlborough, Massachusetts. In 1951, the college moved to its present location in Paxton. Four years later, accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges was issued.

In 1973, Anna Maria College became coeducational and began graduate degree programs a year later. On April 3, 1980, the Sisters of Saint Anne ceased involvement in running the school, and a Board of Trustees was established.

In 2004, the college established the Molly Bish Center for the Protection of Children and the Elderly.

On April 10, 2026, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education issued a warning pursuant to the regulatory notification requirements set forth in its Financial Assessment and Risk Monitoring (FARM) regulations that it "cannot confirm that

Anna Maria College has sufficient resources to be able to sustain operations at current levels and substantially fulfill its obligations to enrolled and admitted students for both the current and the subsequent academic year".

On April 23, 2026, college leaders announced that the college would cease operations after the Spring 2026 semester. They cited ongoing financial challenges as the primary reason for closing the college. Transfer pathway agreements were arranged with Worcester State University, Regis College, Springfield College, Bay Path University, American International College, Fitchburg State University, Elms College, New England College, Rivier University, Albertus Magnus College, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, allowing students in good standing to transfer seamlessly to the aforementioned schools.

Upon the college’s permanent closure on May 10, 2026, the day after commencement for the class of 2026 is complete, school records and transcripts were held by Regis College in Weston. Rooted in the traditions of Catholic education, the college combined liberal arts and sciences education with career preparation.

The college was divided into four academic schools: the School of Business, School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the School of Professional Studies.

Academically, Anna Maria was best known for their Fire Science program, as they held the title for having the largest fire science program in the Northeastern area of the United States.

Athletics

Anna Maria College had thirteen Division III athletic teams, known as the AMCATS (Anna Maria College Athletic Team Sports), in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), including men's baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and soccer; and women's basketball, ice hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and volleyball. The school was the first private college to be invited for core member status in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC).

The AAU Men’s Club Ice Hockey team won the national championship in Jacksonville, Florida, in March 2026, making them the university's first athletic team win a national title.

Notable faculty

thumb|upright=1.1|alt=View of the Madonna Hall residences in 2016.|View of the Madonna Hall residences in 2016.

  • Craig Blais (English)
  • Mark Eshbaugh (art)
  • Thomas Lewis (art)
  • Brian Mitchell (history)

Notable alumni

  • Geraldo Alicea, politician
  • Catherine Cool Rumsey, politician
  • Ed Davis, law enforcement officer
  • Brendan Doherty, law enforcement officer
  • Shawn Dooley, politician
  • James J. Dwyer, politician
  • William B. Evans, law enforcement officer
  • Raymond Hull, politician
  • Brian Patrick Kennedy, politician
  • Frederica Williams, healthcare executive
  • Steven Xiarhos, politician

References

  • Athletics website