Helen Heineman

Helen Heineman graduated as valedictorian, summa cum laude from Queens College, New York, and earned her Master’s Degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. She was awarded two Woodrow Wilson Fellowships, an Andrew Dickson White Fellowship from Cornell, an American Association of University Women Fellowship, a Fellowship from the Radcliffe (now Bunting) Institute. She received several awards as a distinguished teacher, one from Radcliffe College and one from Framingham State University. She was chair of the English Department at Framingham State University, and was then appointed Academic Vice President. In 1999, Dr. Heineman was appointed the first woman president of Framingham State University and served in that position until 2006. During her presidency she was named Woman of the Year by the Metrowest Daily News. Upon her retirement, she was awarded an Honorary Degree and St. John’s Church was renovated and renamed the Helen Heineman Ecumenical and Cultural Center. She was married for 55 years to Dr. John L. Heineman, Professor Emeritus of History at Boston College, and has four sons and ten grandsons. 

She actively teaches multiple times each year in the Framingham Lifelong Learning Lecture program.