Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, USA

Overview

History, Affiliations & Rankings          

Founded in 1903, Western Connecticut State University (WestConn) is part of the primary division of the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) system, which also incorporates Eastern, Southern and Central Connecticut state universities. WCSU has accreditation from the Board of Regents, State of Connecticut, New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), American Chemical Society (ACS) and other accrediting entities. The university has been ranked #129 in Regional Universities North 2020 by US News & World Report.

Infrastructure, Campus & Courses              

WestConn has two campuses in Danbury, three miles apart, connected by the university shuttle. Midtown, 34- acre main campus, is home to the Macricostas School of Arts and Sciences, School of Professional Studies, and most of the university's administration and four dormitories with MSAS Dean's offices, state-of-the-the art communication, media, and computer technology. Westside, a 364-acre campus, encompasses the Ancell School of Business, the School of Visual and Performing Arts, the Westside Nature Preserve, an amphitheater, and three residence halls. The athletic facilities include the William O'Neill Athletic and Convocation Center, and the Westside Athletic Complex along with an observatory. The university offers 43 bachelor programmes and 22 master programmes.

Accomplishments & Alumni       

The Science Building at the Midtown campus was the first state-funded building project to get LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The university participates in Connecticut Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions programme and installed four EV charging stations available to students and also the public, free of cost. WestConn is the only university in southern New England to offer a bachelor's degree programme in meteorology. Some of the remarkable alumni are: Scott Wright (Scotty Charisma), professional wrestler and bodybuilder; Fidelma Healy Eames, Irish politician; Gorman Bechard, American film director, and screenwriter.

Student Diversity & Visiting Companies  

As many as 39% of the student body at the university are minorities or students of colour. Approximately, 26% of the population is identified as out-of-state with 4% Asian population of the total. The international students are relatively less and represent 11 countries at the university. The graduates from the universities work with heavy-weight companies like Deloitte, PepsiCo, ESPN, Canon USA, Mastercard.