Few instructors at Westfield State University could match what Dr. Loretta McHugh brought to her graduate level classes: a lifelong passion for learning and teaching; a devout belief in the value of public education; an intellect honed by years of academic inquiry;...

Trustee, Dr. Robert A. Martin is a former dean of undergraduate studies and former associate vice president for academic affairs at Westfield State, where he spent 24 years in various positions before leaving for Framingham State. There, he served as vice president...

Dr. Terrell Hill’s grandfather, Jimmie Mayweather, was born in Winder, Georgia just as the Great Depression hit the country. He had to leave school after third grade to start sharecropping on a farm away from his family. At the age of 16, he ran away from that farm...

Victor H. Ascolillo, J.D. or “Vic” as his friends and family knew him, spent more than 40 years as a beloved professor and chair of the Criminal Justice Department at Westfield State. In April of 2017, the Westfield State University Criminal Justice Alumni...

Professor Emeritus, Dr. William F. Duval taught Psychology for many years until his retirement. A student of Dr Duval, Dr. Richard Feller ’72, was so infuenced by him as a young man that he wanted to find a way to honor him at Westfield State. Dr. Feller,...

“Professor Abar” This award is presented in memory of Dr. Edwin J. Abar, Jr., Founding Chair of the Communication programs at WSU. Dr. Abar received his undergraduate degree from Westfield State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. ...

Elizabeth or “Betty” as she was known by friends and family, was the main receptionist at the University for many years. Betty was the university’s receptionist and usually the first person you would talk to when you called the main number. Betty passed away in...

The Elizabeth Preston Eureka! scholarship was created to honor the contributions of Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Preston to the Westfield State University community. In keeping with Dr. Preston’s commitment to assuring access and affordability in public higher education and...

Ellen Wetherell, Secretary for Residential Life and the ‘Voice of Westfield State’ for over 34 years, waged a brave and, characteristically for Ellen, positive battle against cancer for a year and a half. On Sunday, August 18, 2013, Ellen lost the battle but, her...

The Ely Library at Westfield State was founded by Students in 1858. Sherman Adams and six other students established a Library of 200 books in the fields of “Literature, Science, and Art” twenty years after the school was founded. Westfield State students have...

The Emilee Dawn Gagnon Memorial Scholarship honors Emilee Gagnon ’13, an authentic individual who brought to Westfield State University a spirit of creativity, curiosity, wide-ranging academic interests, openness, diligence, and social consciousness. A feminist who...

Professor Mark Horwitz, Julia Moss and their children established the F.A.C.E.S Scholarship: “Fostering a Culture of Empowerment” at Westfield State University. With their generous contribution, they hope to assist students who have lived in foster care at some point...

The Faculty and Staff Scholarship is supported by employees of Westfield State. Many of these donations are through a payroll deduction system which allows for faculty and staff the ability to sustain their contributions.

Originally a history teacher, Father Dean became interested in the priesthood in his 20s. For over 30 years, Father Dean was Westfield State’s Catholic chaplain and the leader of the Albert and Amelia Ferst Interfaith Center on campus. Father Dean was the head of the...

Father Warren J. Savage is the Catholic Chaplain and Director of the Albert & Amelia Ferst Interfaith Center on the campus of Westfield State University. Father Savage began his journey with the Interfaith Center in September of 2014 as lead pastor. In his role as...

Founded in 1979, the Learning Disabilities Program at Westfield State University offers a supportive academic setting where incoming first-time, first-year students with learning differences, that are learning disorder or ADHD based, can flourish. Each student in the...

Joe Kareta ’10 was the kind of guy people turned to when they needed help, and that’s why he wanted to be a police officer. But Joe Kareta never got to join a police force. Just three months after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Westfield...

The Future Teachers Scholarship exists to financially assist students that are pursuing their dream of one day becoming an educator.

GARP’s Mission Statement: Through a combination of coursework, internships, community-based projects, and research, the degree program prepares students to work as professional planners in public, non-profit, and private sector positions. In addition, non-majors gain...

Professor Emeritus George Rogers directed Westfield State’s music education program for 21 years, retiring in 2009. Since then, the Rogers have established this scholarship with the purpose of providing financial assistance to incoming full time students enrolled as...

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Westfield Mission Statement: To inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Westfield...

Gwyneth Clifford Cox ’49 loved teaching young children, and she passed that love on to her own offspring, who have all worked in education. Robert Cox, who recently endowed an Academic Award in her memory, says Westfield State University kindled a passion that lasted...

In 2010, the WSU Vice President of the Advancement division at the time was Kenneth Lemanski. Ken wanted to endow a scholarship in his parents honor. He named the scholarship the Helen and Peter Lemanski Scholars Program. Because the family is from Chicopee,...

Longtime Westfield State Communication Professor Henry Wefing died from lung cancer on May 21, 2015. He is sorely missed by all of us at Westfield State and by the many students he helped to guide to their degrees and careers. Henry began teaching at Westfield State...

Jerry taught in the Movement Science Department at Westfield State University for 30 years. He started the award winning Track and Field/Cross Country programs. While coaching toward individual goals, team goals were also reached both regionally and nationally. As a...

Professor Emerita, Joan Corell is passionate about learning from experiences. A seasoned global traveler, Joan was enlightened by her visits to other countries. Dr. Corell believes that foreign travel promotes understanding of people from other cultures as well as...

Celeste Loughman, former professor of English. Loughman worked as a professor for 26 years until her retirement in 1998 and served two terms as chairwoman of the English Department. She received the university’s Distinguished Service Award in 1980. After Celeste and...

On a spring day of April 12, 2018, Yarmouth police officer, Sean Gannon, and his K-9 companion, Nero, were serving an arrest warrant when they were both shot by the man being served. Sean died from a gunshot wound that day while Nero made a full recovery after many...

Westfield State University, the Westfield State Foundation, and Kane Scrap Iron & Metal Inc., have formally inked an agreement to establish the Westfield State University Facilities Staff – Kane Brothers Scholarship. “The Facilities Staff-Kane Brothers Scholarship is...

Katherine Ann McCluskey ’49 had 19 classmates— including the school’s first male student—when she graduated in 1949 from the former Westfield State Teachers College. The memories of her two years at Westfield State remain with her today, experiences that have guided...