History
Emerson College was founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as the Boston Conservatory of Elocution, Oratory, and Dramatic Art. It would remain a school exclusively for the oratory arts until 1924, when it was given the right to grant degrees in literary interpretation and journalism.
Emerson has expanded the programs of study on offer over the years, and has grown into a prestigious destination for those interested in pursuing fields such as communication, marketing, journalism, the performing and visual arts, writing, and publishing. The school is also known for its broadcasting curriculum.
Location
Emerson College is located in the heart of downtown Boston, on the Boston Common, and the city affords students many opportunities for entertainment and socializing.
As reported by Cassandra Baptista ‘11, "Conveniently located in the heart of Boston's theater district, Emerson College students attain additional educational value from the school’s central location. Students regularly go exploring in Boston through field trips with their classes, such as viewing an exhibit for a photography class, touring the Boston Globe for a journalism class, or even getting water samples from the Charles River for a science course. The Boston Common is Emerson's front lawn, providing a reprieve from the bustling city life as well as offering a meeting place for political rallies and guest speakers. Emerson is also very close to downtown Chinatown, which has many diverse restaurants and people."
Campus
You’ll often hear Emerson students saying that they don’t really have a campus—being in downtown Boston, there aren’t any outdoor spaces that aren’t public spaces. Most students think of Boston Common as their quad, since many of the school’s buildings are located nearby, around the intersection of Boylston and Tremont Streets.
The Walker Building, which houses the college’s main library, is on Boylston Street, along with the Little Building and Piano Row, both residence halls. More housing facilities are in the works at the school, including the Paramount Center, opening in 2009 on the site of the historic Paramount Theater – which is being renovated as part of the project. The Ansin Building, around the corner on Tremont Street, houses the school’s administrative offices as well as the school’s award-winning radio station, WERS 88.9 FM.
Issues
The Student Government Association recently allocated a rather large sum of money (allegedly upwards of $33,000) towards the college’s annual awards banquet, “Hand-Me-Down Night.” Many students on campus complained and even boycotted the event because they felt the money was being spent unwisely. The issue even made the front page of Emerson’s newspaper, The Berkeley Beacon.
As recently as this year, a financial aid employee at Emerson was supposedly found to have taken $30,000 from students’ tuition for himself.
After over 100 students—many of whom were freshmen—were placed in hotels due to a lack of space in Emerson’s dorms, parents and students complained, and were heard. Next year, freshmen will be placed on-campus to make the adjustment into college easier.
