Our History
The first public honors college in Massachusetts, Commonwealth Honors College celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Written by Lauren Whitley-Haney, Research Assistant to Dean Mari Castañeda, Spring 2024
The University of Massachusetts Amherst has a rich history of undergraduate academic scholarship. The Massachusetts Agricultural College was founded in 1863 and in the decades that followed, dozens of theses entered the library archives. From the college’s founding until the mid-20th century, honors were only available to students pursuing a senior thesis or research in their final year. In the 1950s, many departments introduced honors programs at the University of Massachusetts.
The Honors Program (1960s-1999)
In the 1960s the University announced plans for a new, university-wide honors program open to sophomores and juniors. Directed by history professor Louis Simpson Greenbaum, the 'Honors Colloquia' debuted in the fall of 1962, enrolling 54 students.
In 1961, Greenbaum told the Massachusetts Daily Collegian that 'programs like the Honors Colloquia are essential because they provide challenging and meaningful educational opportunities for students of high intellectual ability and purpose.' Sixty-three years later, this statement still reflects the value and mission of Commonwealth Honors College.
In the early 1970s, 'Honors Colloquia' changed its name to the 'Commonwealth Scholar Program,' and shortly after, it was simplified to the 'Honors Program.' As the program evolved, so did its size: from 400 students in the 1970s to over 600 in the 1980s. By 1997, more than 1,800 students were part of the Honors Program.
Commonwealth College (1999-2009)
In 1999, UMass saw its biggest change in honors education. Under the leadership of interim dean Linda Nolan (1999-2000), the university welcomed 590 students as the first incoming class of the brand-new Commonwealth College, or ComCol. This milestone came three years after the Massachusetts Board of Education proposed a new public honors college to 'create a new perception of the value and benefits of public higher education' in the state. In early 1997, UMass Amherst submitted a proposal suggesting that the new honors college should be housed at Massachusetts’ flagship state university. The Board unanimously agreed, and Commonwealth College at UMass Amherst was quickly approved.
Throughout the 2000s, Commonwealth College offered students a residential program, community service opportunities, social events, and the chance to present their research at the Undergraduate Research Conference, held every spring semester since 1995. Dean Linda Slakey (2000-2006) guided ComCol through its formative years, transforming the existing Honors Program into a college with national recognition.
During the 2009-2010 academic year, under the leadership of Dean Priscilla Clarkson (2007-2013), the College celebrated its tenth anniversary, changed its name to Commonwealth Honors College, and served 3,500 students from 24 different states. Since its founding in 1999, the College had quickly outgrown its office space in Goodell Hall as well as the available residential spaces for honors students. After years of petitioning UMass administration and state representatives, the University broke ground on the new Commonwealth Honors College Residential Complex (CHCRC) in 2011.
Commonwealth Honors College Residential Complex
After two years of construction, the 500,000 square foot project opened in August 2013. Sadly, Dean Priscilla Clarkson, who was instrumental in realizing the multimillion-dollar development project, passed away just days before the new space opened. In her memory, CHC students and staff planted daffodils around the complex she worked so hard to bring to life. Every spring, these beautiful blooms remind the CHC community of Dean Clarkson’s tireless efforts to improve and expand the Honors College.
After Dean Clarkson’s passing, Interim Dean Daniel Gordon [2013-2015] oversaw the opening of the new Residential Complex in Fall 2013. Since the CHCRC opened, students have enjoyed amenities like Roots Cafe, honors classrooms, an events hall, and the Bloom Honors Advising Center all nearby to their dormitories.
25 years of CHC
In the 25 years since its founding, CHC has made successful efforts to increase both ethnic and intellectual diversity within the College. During her time as Dean, Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina (2015-2020) played a key role in expanding these efforts. Today, CHC, like UMass, is more diverse than ever before.
Commonwealth Honors College has been committed to meeting students' present needs while preparing them for future success, even beyond academia for the past 25 years. Dean Mari Castañeda (2020-present) continues this commitment, working alongside CHC faculty and staff to provide a meaningful and impactful honors academic experience.
