The History of the College

Thomas College was founded in 1894 as a nonsectarian, co-educational college dedicated to career training. Since its founding, the College has maintained this tradition of educating students for careers in business, technology, and education.

In the spring of 1956, the College moved from its downtown location to a large, private estate in the city of Waterville.  When the College outgrew this campus in 1966, it purchased 70 acres of land next to the historic Kennebec River and developed a modern, small-college facility.  By 1971, the entire college was relocated on the new campus.

In 1997, the College undertook the first campaign in its history to update and improve the campus.  In the first phase, the Student Center was renovated and athletic fields were built for softball, baseball, and field hockey.  The second phase of this undertaking involved the construction of an auditorium and classroom building.  This new addition to the campus, the Laurette Ayotte Auditorium, includes a 300-seat auditorium and two additional classrooms.  Technology improvements include an additional 150 computer ports. Construction was completed in April 2000. In the summer of 2003, the College completed major renovations to the Dining Center and opened Bartlett Hall, a new 100 bed residence hall, to students.

Since its beginning, Thomas College has consistently met the educational and personal needs of its students. Thomas College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is authorized by the State of Maine to award the degrees of Master of Business Administration, Master of Science, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Arts.

The Mission and Vision for Thomas College

“Those we serve are the foundation of our future”

Thomas College prepares students for success in their personal and professional lives, and for leadership and service in their communities. Thomas provides a supportive learning environment that values the needs and goals of individual students. At Thomas, students discover and fulfill their unique potential. Each program at the College promotes professional excellence, informed by ethics and integrity.

Thomas aspires to be a regional leader in business and liberal arts education. The College is committed to quality teaching and to the application of technology at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Thomas offers broad opportunities for professional development, and promotes economic prosperity through long-term community partnerships.

This webpage was last updated on: Monday October 01, 2007 03:43 PM

This web site is maintained by the Academic Affairs Office. 

Please email us, acaddean@thomas.edu, with any questions.