UMass Dartmouth traces its roots to 1895, when the state legislature chartered the New Bedford Textile School and the Bradford Durfee Textile School in Fall River.As the region’s economic base shifted from textiles to more diverse manufacturing and service industries, the colleges changed, too. They diversified their curricula, responding to the needs of new generations of students. By the middle of the 20th century, the colleges were growing rapidly, spurred by such forces as the GI Bill and the clear economic and social advantages of a well-educated citizenry. They had become multipurpose institutions, preparing engineers,
health care workers, teachers, and
business leaders—and had forged new identities: New Bedford Institute of Technology and Bradford Durfee College of Technology.In 2007, the university opened a 22,000 square foot Research Building that focuses on science and houses the Botulinum Research Center. The building, the first at UMass Dartmouth devoted entirely to research, strengthens an "Innovation Triangle" in southeastern Massachusetts that includes major research and development centers in New Bedford and Fall River.
Last Updated on: Nov 26, 2024