Hello Accepted Students!

I want to extend hearty congratulations on your being admitted to Framingham State University! Admission to FSU provides you with the opportunity to join an array of excellent academic programs housed in our various Colleges: Arts and Humanities; Business; Education, Social/Behavioral Sciences; and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Each of these Colleges offers an array of high quality degree programs, bolstered by excellent laboratory and classroom facilities, strong student support services, state-of-the-art residence halls, and a range of top quality dining options.

Two of the most valuable components of the FSU educational experience are our highly qualified and dedicated faculty and our small class sizes. Very few classes involve more than 35 students, and most advanced classes are 25 or fewer, enabling students to get to know their professors well and work with them on exciting research and community service projects. This opportunity results in many students remaining in contact with their professors for many years after graduation.

Teaching and learning at FSU also extend well beyond the classroom. Students are encouraged to engage in internships, field trips, and other forms of experiential learning. Students can join faculty-led study tours in countries such as China, India, Italy, Spain and the Dominican Republic, or to other areas of the U.S., that take place during winter and spring breaks as well as in the summer. Students may also study abroad for a semester in several European countries, Australia, Costa Rica, and more, many times at the same cost as a semester at FSU due to our many agreements with universities in other countries.

At FSU, we support students academically in multiple ways. All students have a faculty advisor who teaches in their major. Their advisor meets with them regularly to help them clarify their educational and personal goals, as well as identify ways to work towards reaching those goals, ensuring that students take the right classes to progress appropriately towards graduation. Students who have not yet declared a major receive support from the Advising Center, and all students have access to support from the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA), which provides tutoring in a range of skills and course content.

While academics is a primary focus at any university, we recognize that students are people with diverse and complex lives, and we provide support for students outside of their academic programs as well. The Division of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement promotes a strong commitment to equity and inclusion in all aspects of students’ lives. Its Center for Inclusive Excellence cultivates an inclusive campus climate and offers services that help historically underrepresented and low income students toward college completion. The Office of Career Services and Employer Relations works to provide students with the skills and resources they will need as they enter internships and the world of work, as well as hosts regular jobs fairs at which students can meet with prospective employers. Finally, our Commonwealth Honors Program provides exciting academic challenges and a strong sense of community for our highly motivated students.

I am delighted by your admission to FSU! If I can answer any questions as you consider this important decision, please feel free to contact me at ezimmerman@framingham.edu.

Ellen Zimmerman, Ph.D.

Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs