Founder Edith Lesley blazed a trail for generations of educators. Today, we prepare students for meaningful careers as teachers, counselors, artists, entrepreneurs, and more.
In 1909, Edith Lesley began a school to train teachers. Her progressive ideas paved the way for Lesley University, and her legacy inspires our mission today.
Our Mission
Lesley University engages students in transformative education through active learning, scholarly research, diverse forms of artistic expression, and the integration of rigorous academics with practical, professional experience, leading to meaningful careers and continuing lifelong learning. Lesley prepares socially responsible graduates with the knowledge, skills, understanding, and ethical judgment to be catalysts shaping a more just, humane, and sustainable world.
“I plan for us to be different; to consider the individual of basic importance; to inculcate the ideal of gracious living; and to foster the traditions of American democracy.”
Edith Lesley Wolfard, Founder
Our History
The school was founded in 1909 by Edith Lesley (1872-1953), the eldest daughter of a working class family from Maine. After working as a kindergarten teacher and taking classes at Radcliffe College, she opened her own school in 1909. Her goal: to prepare teachers for the growing kindergarten movement. The first classes were held in her family’s home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Our History
The school was founded in 1909 by Edith Lesley (1872-1953), the eldest daughter of a working class family from Maine. After working as a kindergarten teacher and taking classes at Radcliffe College, she opened her own school in 1909. Her goal: to prepare teachers for the growing kindergarten movement. The first classes were held in her family’s home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The 1990s
The first PhD program in education was launched. Today, Lesley offers six PhD programs in areas ranging from education to expressive therapies to counseling and psychology.
The 2000s
During this time, the university entered a partnership with the Episcopal Divinity School to share its historic Brattle Street campus.
How Far We’ve Grown
In 1909, a half-dozen students gathered for the first time in Edith Lesley’s living room. As of the 2015-2016 school year, 7,536 students were enrolled in four schools.
Where It All Began
The first classes were held in 1909 in Edith Lesley’s family home at 29 Everett Street. Today, the president’s office is housed there.
The 1930s
During this time, at the peak of the Great Depression, Lesley’s tuition was $110 per semester.
The 1940s
In 1943, Massachusetts granted the authority to confer Bachelor of Science in Education degrees. The name was changed to Lesley College.
The 1950s
Lesley began offering master’s degree programs in 1953, and in 1954 opened a coeducational graduate school.
The 1960s
Like their peers across the country, Lesley students staged a strike in 1968, seeking changes in curriculum, curfew, scheduling, and living arrangements.
The 1970s
The college added programs in special education, counseling psychology, expressive therapies, creative arts in learning, and degree-completion programs for adult learners.
The 1980s
In 1982, the Threshold Program—a two-year residential certificate program for young adults with diverse learning needs—was started.
The 1990s
The first PhD program in education was launched. Today, Lesley offers six PhD programs in areas ranging from education to expressive therapies to counseling and psychology.
The 2000s
During this time, the university entered a partnership with the Episcopal Divinity School to share its historic Brattle Street campus.
How Far We’ve Grown
In 1909, a half-dozen students gathered for the first time in Edith Lesley’s living room. As of the 2015-2016 school year, 7,536 students were enrolled in four schools.
Where It All Began
The first classes were held in 1909 in Edith Lesley’s family home at 29 Everett Street. Today, the president’s office is housed there.
The 1930s
During this time, at the peak of the Great Depression, Lesley’s tuition was $110 per semester.
The 1940s
In 1943, Massachusetts granted the authority to confer Bachelor of Science in Education degrees. The name was changed to Lesley College.
Valuing the Individual
From the start, Edith Lesley emphasized the value of the individual. She believed that an education should include not only intellectual development but also social and spiritual growth. She felt strongly that education was the bedrock of democracy.
Among her most important principles was the integration of theory and practice. The young women of the Lesley School applied what they were learning in local schools, gaining classroom experience in these “laboratories for learning.”
Expanding Academic Offerings
The school flourished. In 1912, Edith Lesley married Harvard-educated engineer Merl Wolfard, and they added buildings for classroom and dormitory space. New courses were offered. By the mid 20th century, the Lesley School had grown beyond its roots. It became Lesley College in 1944, and quickly became known for excellence in teacher training.
A graduate school was added in the 1950s and within 10 years male students were enrolled in graduate education programs. (The undergraduate college remained a single-sex institution until 2005.) The 1980s and ’90s saw academic offerings expanded to include the social sciences, human services, and the fine arts. In 2000, Lesley College became Lesley University. The Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences was established.
Around the time that Edith Lesley opened her school, Boston artist Roy Atherton Davidson founded the School of Practical Arts in 1912. Davidson sought an alternative to the typical art training of his day. His school grew into the Art Institute of Boston, and became part of Lesley in 1998. It was renamed the Lesley University College of Art and Design in 2013.
29 Everett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 868-9600
