Why Simmons

Simmons University provides the best of many worlds: a close-knit college, a bustling, big-city university and online programs that fit into your life.

A Simmons student talking to a classmate and gesturing with their hands

Purpose Meets Passion

Simmons students, faculty, staff and alumnae/i have never been afraid to lead. Leading by using education to advance social and economic equity is in our DNA.

Every day, each of our students cultivates the competence, confidence, and courage to lead in critical areas such as the health and library sciences, management, communications, and other STEM fields. Because when you're out in front, you realize just how limitless your opportunities are.

Discover Your Simmons


Simmons students involved in a classroom discussion.  One student is pointing at something in the front of the room.

Simmons for Undergraduate Students

Here you’ll experience our innovative curriculum, which allows you to customize your course of study while you earn your Bachelor's degree. Whether you’re undecided about your major or have already identified your dream career, you’ll find your passion and develop your unique leadership style.

A group of Simmons students taking a selfie during an outdoor celebration.

Undergraduate Student Life

You’ll study and live in our small college environment while enjoying all the resources of a major academic hub. You’ll also have easy access to internship possibilities throughout the city (and beyond)!

Student sitting in class

Simmons for Graduate Students

Our innovative graduate programs allow you to customize your courses of study. You’ll learn through small classes, case-based discussions, experiential learning, research opportunities and seminars.

Students hanging out in the multicultural center

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

We are committed to embracing students from all backgrounds and all forms of human uniqueness. Our undergraduate community welcomes all marginalized genders, including students who live and identify as women or who do not fit into the gender binary, but feel they belong in our women-centered community.

A Simmons student looking over a paper with a member of the faculty.

Our Faculty

Studying at Simmons means you'll work closely with dedicated faculty who are leaders in their fields and mentors in the classroom. They'll support and guide you through your academic journey and beyond, and you'll find there are ample opportunities not only to talk with them and learn from their expertise but also to tackle problems, projects, and research right alongside them.

Meet our faculty

The Simmons academic campus

Our Campus

As the University changes to meet the evolving needs of our students, we are ensuring that our physical space also meets those needs.

Discover the One Simmons project

Boston city skyline

Our Location

We're right in the heart of Boston, and the city plays a significant role in many of Simmons’ academic and professional offerings. Simmons draws on many of the city’s cultural, historical, economic, scientific, and educational resources to offer an unparalleled student experience.

Experience Boston

What will your Simmons story be?

Headshots of the 2024 Senior Scholar Award winners

Congratulations to the 2024 Senior Scholars

The annual Senior Scholar Award is sponsored by the Provost's Office and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. The award recognizes six graduating seniors for their outstanding scholarship and contribution to a field of study.


A person lacing up an ice skate

Maya Balling ’24 Competes in Synchronized Skating Championship

Simmons student Maya Balling ’24 recently traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the Synchronized Skating Championship. Along with other New England skaters, Balling belongs to Team Excel (the adult and collegiate divisions), which finished sixth and ninth out of the 12 teams, respectively.


Zuany Sandoval

First-generation Student Zuany Fernanda Sandoval ’25 Launches Career in Nonprofit Accounting

Accounting major Zuany Fernanda Sandoval ’25 recently received a job offer from the accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. She spoke with us about her internship experience, her passion for business, and the importance of mentorship and community.


Jason Homer ’11MS, ’26PhD, Executive Director of the Worcester Library

Simmons School of Library and Information Science Student Empowers LGBTQIA+ Community

Jason Homer ’11MS, ’26PhD, Executive Director of the Worcester Library, works with his community to promote inclusivity, challenge pre-existing assumptions, and empower library patrons. Homer spoke with MassLive about his journey.


Sunei Clarke ’24

Student Researcher Sunei Clarke ’24 Reflects on Simmons Black Oral History Project

Public Health major and Chemistry minor Sunei Clarke ’24 participated in the Simmons Black Oral History Project, conducting interviews with alumnae/i to document and memorialize the experiences of Black students at Simmons through the generations. Clarke spoke with us about the process of creating oral histories and the value of Africana Studies for all majors.


Tomb effigy for Eleanor of Aquitaine (d. 1204) at Fontrevaud Abbey, France. Wikimedia Commons.

Diana Myers ’24MS Aspires to Increase Access to Medieval Archives

Graduate student Diana Myers is pursuing a Master’s in Library Science and Information Science with a concentration in Archives Management. She plans to combine her archival experience with her research on medieval Europe to facilitate the public’s access to rare, premodern materials.


Oliver Fontaine ’24

Accounting Major Oliver Fontaine ’24 Lands Job Offer at a “Big 4” Firm

Following their spring graduation, Oliver Fontaine ’24 will start an assurance staff position at the Hartford office of Ernst & Young. They spoke with us about landing a job at a “Big 4” firm before graduating, the joys of being a Campus Ambassador, and the power of networking.


Felipa Canchola ’24, Lisa deRosier ’24, and Rashida Alisa Hagakore ’24

Simmons Students Support Local Women Experiencing Homelessness

This fall, Simmons students from the Social Action Leaders course are channeling their academic studies into advocacy. We spoke with students Felipa Canchola ’24, Lisa deRosier ’24, and Rashida Alisa Hagakore ’24 about their passion for experiential service learning and their conception of good leadership.


Simmons University Main College Building in the fall

Our Mission and History

For over 120 years, Simmons has put the needs of our students first. Through an education that combines intellectual leadership with professional preparation, we help students lead meaningful lives and build successful careers for the 21st century.

Explore our history

President Lynn Perry Wooten standing on stairs.

Our Leadership Team

Accessible and accountable, our administration leads by example. And we hold firm to one purpose: to work for you.

Meet our leadership team

Alums Who are Leading the Way


Headshot of Mackenzi Lee

Mackenzi Lee ’14MFA, New York Times Best Selling Author

“Simmons helped me develop the essential skill of taking myself and my work as a writer seriously and prioritizing it. There were such incredible resources available to me, and I got to work with mentors who continue to influence my work and career.”

Adunni Slackman Anderson and President Wooten

Dr. Adunni Slackman Anderson '73, educational leader and retired school principal

“Leaders are not just defined by titles and positions, they are defined by what they do and how they influence people.”

Senator Harriette L. Chandler ’83MBA

Senator Harriette L. Chandler ’83MBA, Massachusetts State Senator, 1st Worcester District

“I chose Simmons because I wanted a world-class, women-centered education in the heart of Boston. Simmons prepared me for my career in business and public service and to cut my own path in a professional world dominated by men.”

Meet more of our alums

A number of pills pouring out of a prescription bottle.

Millicent Gorham ’76 Defends Access to Anti-Obesity Medications

Earlier in March, the Wall Street Journal reported that many American employers are restricting coverage for anti-obesity medications. CEO of the Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention Millicent Gorham, a Simmons alumna, honorary doctorate, and Trustee, published a letter of...


Horn Book creator Bertha Mahoney and a poster celebrating 100 years of the Horn Book magazine

Blowing the Horn for Children’s Literature: One Hundred Years of The Horn Book Magazine

In October of 1924, the first issue of The Horn Book magazine appeared. It began as a newsletter from the Bookshop for Boys and Girls, one of the first children’s book shops in the United States, established in 1916 by...


Anna Rodriguez

Anna Rodriguez ’23MSW: Bridging Hearts and Minds as a Mental Health Therapist

Anna Rodriguez is a mental health therapist at Cartwheel Care, a behavioral healthcare company that partners with K-12 schools to provide mental health services to children and adolescents.


US Government Owned Photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Elizabeth Carr ’04, First American-born IVF Baby, Responds to Alabama’s Ruling on Frozen Embryos

Carr speaks to WBUR in response to the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos constitute “extrauterine children.”


Julie Farnam

Capitol Police Assistant Director Julie Farnam ’00 Publishes Insider Account of January 6 Attack

Julie Farnam ’00 was Assistant Director of the Intelligence and Interagency Coordination Division of the United States Capitol Police when a mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021. Farnam has since written a book about the experience and resultant backlash.


Living a Triggered Life podcast poster

Roxann Mascoll ’15MSW Integrates Art and Social Work to Address Trauma Experienced by Black and Brown Men

For 18 years, Roxann Mascoll ’15MSW worked as a domestic violence specialist. She is now Lead Clinician for The Triggered Project, a non-profit that includes a play and film that addresses how Black and Brown men experience and process childhood trauma.


Wilfred Labiosa ’20PhD

Wilfred Labiosa ’20PhD Continues the Simmons Tradition of Social Work in Puerto Rico

Wilfred Labiosa ’20PhD opened a series of Waves Ahead community centers in Puerto Rico, a nonprofit dedicated to working with marginalized and vulnerable people in Puerto Rico — most notably, LGBTQ+ elders.


Mbita Mbao ‘22PhD

Mbita Mbao ‘22PhD Offers Wisdom and Caring for an Aging Population

When Mbita Mbao ’22PhD was looking for a doctoral program in social work, Simmons met all of her requirements: a Boston location and the ability to take all of her in-person classes in one day per week. More important than these criteria, Simmons had Dr. Johnnie Hamilton-Mason, Interim Director of the School of Social Work.