American International College


American International College is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Massachusetts.

History

American International College was originally established on July 18, 1885, as the French Protestant College by Rev. Calvin E. Amaron, who sought to create an institution of higher learning that would provide the local French Protestant minority with access to higher education. Over the years the college expanded its admissions program to include women, in 1892—the first New England college to do so—as well as minorities who were not of French origin and had immigrated to Western Massachusetts from other parts of Europe and Canada.

Academics

The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including master's and doctoral degrees and certificates of advanced graduate study. There are three schools which focus on their respective academic areas:
Undergraduate students choose from 37 majors as they earn a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Certificates and other non-degree programs are also offered.

Athletics

The school competes in NCAA Division II, and is a member of the Northeast-10 Conference for all but four sports.
Among the exceptions is the school's men's ice hockey team, which is a member of the Division I, Atlantic Hockey Association. The team participated in its first NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship in 2019 and defeated nationally ranked No.1 St. Cloud State in the first round. Additionally, the college's wrestling program, which is the only NCAA DII program in New England, competes as an independent.
AIC also has a college rugby program that was founded in 2009 and began play in 2010. The rugby program is part of the school's athletic department, has varsity status, with rugby scholarships available for students. AIC's men's team plays Division 1A in the Liberty Conference, while the women's team is a member of the NIRA.

Notable alumni

Politics