The Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT) in Boston, Massachusetts, is a non-profit private college of engineering and industrial technologies established in 1908 with funds bequeathed in Benjamin Franklin's will.
History
BFIT owes its existence to the vision of Benjamin Franklin. In a codicil to his will, dated 1789, Franklin established a 200-year plan for a sum totaling £1,000 (about $4,400 at the time, or about $112,000 in 2010 dollars) that he gave to the city of Boston, where he was born. For the first hundred years, the money was to serve as principal for loans to young workmen; at the end of that period, the fund's managers would divide the money, using approximately three-fourths for public works and maintaining the rest as a loan fund.
When the hundred-year interval had passed, Boston decided to use the money to establish a technical school. Aided by an additional gift from industrialist Andrew Carnegie and land donated by the City, BFIT opened its doors in 1908. A series of murals on campus were painted by Charles Mills.
Over a century after its founding, the college continues to serve greater Boston and beyond, local industry, and the regional economy by preparing men and women of diverse backgrounds to become proficient in the technical arts.
In 2014 the college named its twelfth president, Anthony Benoit. Prior to his appointment as College President, Anthony Benoit served as the College's Academic Dean. "Benoit has 20 years of experience working in higher education, including working as the technology department director and professor of environmental technology at Three Rivers Community College in Connecticut and as a state-wide director of a federally-funded program at six colleges that aimed to improve workforce development in advanced manufacturing and related technologies."
Mission
According to the Institute website, the school's mission statement is:
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology offers education to students pursuing career-based paths. The College strives to develop technical and professional skills as well as individual values that help to create a foundation for success, civic responsibility, and life-long learning. The College adheres to the principles put forth by our benefactor Benjamin Franklin in his writings about education and citizenship.
Academics
As of 2015, the school has approximately 525 students, with an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and offers 14 programs of study awarding certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees.
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology is the only college in Massachusetts to offer Associate of Science degrees in Electrical Technology, Opticianry, Biomedical Engineering Technology, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Automotive Management and Health Information Technology. The college's graduation rate is twice the national average.
The college is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
References
External links
- Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology
