Framingham State University is a public state university and member of the Massachusetts State University System, founded in 1839 in Framingham — making it the second-oldest public university in Massachusetts and one of the oldest in the nation. Established as the first normal school in the United States for the training of public school teachers, Framingham State has evolved into a comprehensive institution serving approximately 4,000 students with programs in education, food and nutrition, fashion design, business, nursing, and the liberal arts. The Rams compete in NCAA Division III in the M…