Quick Facts

General Information

• Established in 1968, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, Inc. is a not-for-profit association of public and private accredited colleges and universities located in central Massachusetts. Its mission is to work cooperatively to further the missions of the member institutions individually and to advance higher education regionally.
• The college and university members which comprise the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, Inc. include nine Worcester-based institutions and four institutions in the greater Worcester area. Member institutions are: Anna Maria College, Assumption College, Atlantic Union College, Becker College, Clark University, College of the Holy Cross, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Mass. College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Nichols College, Quinsigamond Community College, UMass Medical School, Worcester State University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  
• The Consortium has three major areas of focus: to provide organizational effectiveness and shared services among its college and university members; to provide access to higher education opportunities for disadvantaged students and adults; and to cultivate local and regional economic development and civic engagement opportunities.
• The vision of the Consortium is to position Worcester and the region as a premier destination for undergraduate and graduate students as well as college and university faculty and staff.

Academics

• More than 30,000 full-and part-time students are enrolled at Consortium institutions.
• Each year, 6,000 students enrolled at Consortium institutions earn degrees (associate’s through doctoral) or complete certificates in one of nearly 300 majors and concentrations.
• More than 400 undergraduate students took advantage of more than 350 courses through cross-registration among Consortium institutions during 2008-09.
• The Consortium facilitates a Certificate in College Teaching program which prepares graduate students as well as adjunct and full-time faculty for a career in academia.
• The Consortium offers numerous faculty development opportunities throughout the academic year, including an annual day-long faculty development event each spring which attracts over 150 faculty participants.
• The Consortium operates a management certificate program and stand alone trainings which are designed to enhance the skills of managers and supervisors at its member institutions. More than 250 individuals participate annually in approximately 20 stand alone training workshops.
• The Consortium coordinates the tuition waiver program for Worcester school teachers. In 2009-10, 45 waivers were approved, which enabled teachers to take courses at Assumption College, Anna Maria College, Clark University, Quinsigamond Community College, WPI, and Worcester State University—an estimated value of $51,000.
• The Consortium facilitates a bi-annual research showcase which features faculty and student research projects, and highlights the intellectual capital of the colleges and universities in central Massachusetts.
• The Consortium annually conducts intercollegiate academic programming including an art exhibition, holiday concert, and a career fair.

Community Engagement/Economic Impact

• As a group, Consortium member institutions represent one of the largest employers in the area, employing more than 16,000 full-and part-time staff, with 4,000 of these individuals residing in Worcester.
• Consortium institutions total more than 52,000 alumni living in Worcester County.
• The Consortium maintains an online database for local and regional businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies to post internship opportunities for area college students. More than 200 employers have posted approximately 300 internships on the site.
• In 2007-08, more than 9,900 undergraduate and graduate students at Consortium institutions spent 590,000 hours at more than 450 local organizations through volunteering, community service learning, work study positions and internships—the equivalent of 283 full-time employees.
• Approximately 650 Consortium students spend 94,000 hours working within 29 Worcester public schools each year.
• The total value of all community services performed annually by Consortium students is estimated at $11 million.
• The total economic impact of Consortium member institutions on the state of Massachusetts is estimated to be more than $2.5 billion.
• Consortium member institutions formed the Worcester nonprofit purchasing group, which, in addition to the Consortium institutions, includes 30 other local nonprofit organizations that together spend over $4 million annually on local goods and services.
• The six private colleges in Worcester paid $550,000 in real estate taxes during fiscal year 2008.
• The Consortium is working with real estate developers, Berkeley Investments (CitySquare) and the Mayo Group to help revitalize downtown Worcester.
• The Consortium partners with several local organizations such as the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, the Shrewsbury Street Merchants Association, and the Worcester Cultural Coalition to help promote events geared towards college students.

Higher Education Access

• 75% of the Consortium’s annual revenues (approximately $3.5 million) are derived from funds received through the U.S. Department of Education and the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education to provide higher education access services for disadvantaged students and adults across the state.
• The Consortium maintains nine full-time staff members in the Worcester Public Schools as education advisors.
• The Consortium operates four higher education access programs within the Worcester Public Schools—Educational Talent Search, GEAR UP, Careers Plus and Kids to College.
• The Educational Talent Search and GEAR UP programs serve 2,000 students a year in Worcester's public high schools and Worcester East Middle School.
• The Educational Opportunity Center in Worcester annually serves approximately 1,500 disadvantaged adults who are interested in returning to school to further their education and careers.

*As of 1/29/10