Editing Springfield, Massachusetts (section)

===Higher education===

====Universities and colleges====

The [[Knowledge Corridor]] boasts the second-largest concentration of higher learning institutions in the United States, with 32 universities and [[liberal arts colleges]] and over 160,000 university students in Greater Hartford–Springfield. This includes two college consortia, the [[Five Colleges (Massachusetts)|Five Colleges]], and the [[Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield]], whose member institutions often collaborate in greater outreach programs. Within {{convert|16|mi|km|0}} of Springfield's [[Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts|Metro Center]], there are 18 universities and liberal arts colleges, which enroll approximately 100,000 students.<ref name="nu">{{cite web |url=http://nuwnotes1.nu.com/apps/wmeco/webcontent.nsf/AR/econ_review_2010/$File/2010_wmeco_Review.pdf |date=January 10, 2011 |title=Western Massachusetts 2010–2011 Economic Review |access-date=October 16, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202012925/http://nuwnotes1.nu.com/apps/wmeco/webcontent.nsf/AR/econ_review_2010/$File/2010_wmeco_Review.pdf |archive-date=February 2, 2015 }}</ref>

As of 2015, Springfield attracts over 20,000 university students per year. Its universities and colleges include [[Western New England College|Western New England University]]; [[Springfield College]], famous as the birthplace of the sport of basketball (1891) and the nation's first [[physical education]] class, (1912); [[American International College]], founded to educate America's immigrant population, is notable as the inventor of the [[Model Congress]] program. [[UMass Amherst]] relocated its urban design center graduate program to [[Court Square]] in Metro Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.springfieldcityhall.com/planning/elm_street.0.html |title=Court Square Springfield, Mass.: Home Page |publisher=Springfieldcityhall.com |date=July 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719162257/http://www.springfieldcityhall.com/planning/elm_street.0.html |archive-date=July 19, 2011 }}</ref>

Several of Greater Springfield's institutions rank among the most prestigious in the world. For example, [[Amherst College]], {{convert|15|mi|km|0}} north of Springfield, and [[Smith College]], {{convert|13|mi|km|0}} north of Springfield, consistently rank among America's top 10 liberal arts colleges. [[Mount Holyoke College]]—the United States' first women's college—consistently ranks among America's Top 15 colleges, and it is located only {{convert|9|mi|km|0}} north of Springfield. [[Hampshire College]] is located {{convert|14|mi|km|0}} north of Springfield. The 30,000-student [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]] is located {{convert|16|mi|km|0}} north of Springfield. Approximately {{convert|10|mi|km|0}} west of Springfield, across the Memorial Bridge in Westfield, is [[Westfield State University]], founded by noted education reformer [[Horace Mann]]. Westfield was the first university in America to admit students without regard to sex, race, or economic status.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wsc.ma.edu/prospective-students/undergraduate-admissions/after-you-apply/ |title=After You Apply : Undergraduate Admissions : Prospective Students : Westfield State University |publisher=Wsc.ma.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604041344/http://www.wsc.ma.edu/prospective-students/undergraduate-admissions/after-you-apply/ |archive-date=June 4, 2011 }}</ref>

Just outside Springfield's northern city limits is [[Elms College]], a Catholic college. Likewise, just {{convert|2|mi|km|1}} below Springfield's southern city limit in [[Longmeadow]] is [[Bay Path University]]; both schools were once all-women but are now co-ed.

====Community colleges====

In 1968, following the Pentagon's controversial closing of the [[Springfield Armory]], Springfielders founded [[Springfield Technical Community College]] on {{convert|35|acre|ha|1}} behind the Springfield Armory National Park. Springfield Technical Community College is the only polytechnic community college in Massachusetts, and was founded to continue Springfield's tradition of technical innovation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://shaysrebellion.stcc.edu/shaysapp/about/project.jsp |title=Shays' Rebellion—About This Project |publisher=Shaysrebellion.stcc.edu |access-date=May 30, 2011 |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720050248/http://shaysrebellion.stcc.edu/shaysapp/about/project.jsp |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Holyoke Community College]], {{convert|8|mi|km|0}} north of Springfield, offers more traditional community college programming in Greater Springfield, as well as instruction in the culinary arts.