William E. Park (1955-1970)

Portrait of William E. Park, c. 1965.

William Edgar Park, 1909-1987, received his B.A. from Williams College in 1930 and his B.D. from Union Theological Seminary in 1933. After working as a pastor, Park became President of the Northfield Schools in 1940. He was named the third President of Simmons College in 1955. 

By the early 1960s, educational and professional opportunities for women had greatly expanded in the United States. In response, Park led the College through a self study that evaluated the College's programs between 1963 and 1965, seeking to reinterpret John Simmons' vision to meet the needs of the College's students in the late 20th century. The self study resulted in a reorganization of the College, the granting of a Bachelor of Arts degree in addition to the Bachelor of Science, and increased cooperation between Simmons and other area colleges. Park also oversaw the expansion of both the residential and academic campuses, including the construction of Lefavour Hall in 1961. 

In his 1955 inaugural address, Park emphasized the historical strengths of Simmons College: 

Simmons was among the first of the women's colleges to try to overcome this inferior feeling [that society had not offered women the opportunity for work as it had men] by recognizing the diversities of gifts of women, and by devising an educational program to give them adequate training for future occupations... Simmons has always remained true to this original idea of training the diversisies of gifts of women with the same educational spirit of the liberal arts college.