Celebrating the Contributions of Higher Education to Worcester County

2007-08 Annual Report

 

Mission Statement: To work cooperatively both to further the missions of the member institutions individually and to advance higher education regionally.

Vision Statement: To position Worcester and the region as a premier destination for undergraduate and graduate students as well as college and university faculty and staff.


From the CEO:

Forty years ago, the presidents of 10 Worcester area colleges and universities gathered to discuss a cooperative venture which would enrich academic programs for faculties and students, expand continuing educational opportunities and public service activities, and effect fiscal efficiency through comprehensive, cooperative purchasing programs and information management systems.

Could those founding presidents have envisioned the sustainability of their new venture (originally named the Worcester Consortium for Higher Education)? Could they foresee the momentum that would build for cross-registration (and the memorable Consortium shuttle bus) and the buying-power of a joint purchasing program (for its college members as well as some 30 nonprofits)?

Over the years, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium has grown, adding substantially to our academic offerings, including certificate programs in Gerontology Studies and College Teaching, faculty development workshops and research showcase events. In addition to these shared academic and administrative services, we've focused our attention on higher education access services for low-income, first-generation middle, high school and adult students in an effort to empower all our area residents.

As one of the largest industries in Central Massachusetts, with over 30,000 students and more than 11,000 faculty and staff, we continue to harness our collective energies in the area of economic development and civic engagement.

Whether it's 9,900 students committing 590,000 hours of service to our local communities or college and university members committing almost $1 million to the annual operations of downtown Worcester's new Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, the Consortium and its members continue their commitment to the quality of life in Central Massachusetts.

Recognizing that colleges and universities are a principal source of high value-added human and intellectual capital, we will continue to work with the Patrick/Murray administration on its education and economic development initiatives.

As we move forward, we remain committed to enhancing the individual missions of our college members and advancing higher education in the region. We are motivated by our vision "to position Worcester and the region as a premier destination for undergraduate and graduate students as well as college and university faculty and staff."

Mark P. Bilotta, CEO

Contact:
Mark Bilotta, CEO
508.754.6829 ext. 3014
mbilotta [at] cowc [dot] org
www.cowc.org

Snapshot of 2007-2008

In a year when the only major Massachusetts industries showing any appreciable growth were education and health services, Consortium colleges and universities, with their 30,000 students and 11,000 faculty and staff, continued to have a strong impact on Worcester County.

By the Numbers

  • 5,000 Worcester residents attended Consortium colleges
  • 15,800 Worcester County residents attended Consortium colleges
  • $12 million in scholarships offered to Worcester residents
  • $43 million in scholarships offered to Worcester County residents
  • 5,300 graduates in the Class of 2007
  • 19,000 alumni living in Worcester
  • 63,000 alumni living in Worcester County
  • $55 million spent on goods and services in Worcester
  • $90 million spent on goods and services in Worcester County
  • $233 million paid in payroll to Worcester residents
  • $400 million paid in payroll to Worcester county residents
  • $550,000 paid in real estate taxes to the City of Worcester
  • 300,000 - 400,000 visitors to Consortium campuses and host communities (Dudley, North Grafton, Paxton, South Lancaster and Worcester)
  • 9,900 students spent 590,000 hours in service to more than 450 organizations. Estimated value: $11 million

At a time when policymakers and business and community leaders in Central Massachusetts are concerned about our region's ability to attract and retain college graduates to meet tomorrow's workforce needs, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium is spearheading efforts to positively impact "brain gain." With the guidance of The Research Bureau's 2006 Central Massachusetts Talent Retention Project, we have several initiatives underway:

  • Our online internship database, which serves as a clearinghouse for all our members, had more than 1,000 student users reviewing postings by some 250 companies. (www.cowc.org)
  • In an effort to expose students to local employers, we launched "Working in Worcester" with an open house at Sovereign Bank, Fallon Community Health Plan and the City of Worcester.
  • The Annual Career Fair was moved to the DCU Center to accommodate more employers and students.

The Consortium launched a 36-member Task Force on Immigration and Higher Education in Central Massachusetts. Its report, released in February 2008, offered recommendations for Consortium member institutions as well as policy makers which could improve access to higher education for immigrant students. The report can be found at the Consortium Web site, www.cowc.org.

Promoting Worcester and Quality of Life

In an effort to position Worcester and the region as a premier destination for undergraduate and graduate students as well as college and university faculty and staff, the Consortium and its institutional members supported initiatives that contribute to and promote the quality of life found here.

  • In October 2007, 11 Consortium member institutions pledged $950,000 to the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. These pledges helped leverage the additional dollars needed to complete the project.
  • The Consortium launched an online video entitled "Worcester Rocks" promoting Worcester and the region as a vibrant college destination. The video, posted on YouTube, has been shown to thousands of prospective students who visit various Consortium campuses. "Worcester Rocks" was also showcased to a capacity crowd at Fenway Park as part of Central Massachusetts Day.
  • To better familiarize students with Worcester, we've launched intercollegiate social programs designed to bring students into the community. These have included the Taste of Shrewsbury Street College Shuffle, Pulsefest and shows at the Hanover Theatre. At the same time, we launched the Woo Bus, which last year provided Friday and Saturday evening shuttle services to more than 2,100 riders to downtown, Union Station and Shrewsbury Street stops.
  • The Consortium, in partnership with the Worcester Cultural Coalition, introduced the WOO card - a discount card that offers a unique opportunity exclusively for college students to experience Worcester's vibrant theaters, edgy galleries, music and dance concerts, unique museums, festivals, outdoor adventures and more.

40th Anniversary Celebration:

The Consortium, founded in 1968, held its 40th Anniversary Celebration at Mechanics Hall in April 2008. George I. Alden Awards were presented to the Worcester Pipeline Collaborative and the Deaf Studies Program at the College of the Holy Cross. In addition to the awards presentation, the 30th anniversary of the Consortium Gerontology Studies Program (founded in 1978) was recognized. U.S. Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA) provided the keynote address for the evening.

Quick Fact: The total economic impact of Consortium member institutions on Worcester County is estimated to be more than $2 billion.


Higher Education Access Services

The Consortium's higher education access programs enjoyed another successful year of providing services across the state. Both youth and adults are the recipients of these services that range from career exploration, educational program information, admissions and financial aid information and application assistance. The majority of recipients are low-income and potential first-generation college students.

For almost 35 years, the Consortium's longstanding model of partnering with local organizations in strategic areas of the state to provide access and support services has enabled high-need populations to access post-secondary education programs, thus enhancing their ability to be productive and contributing members of society.

As the nation's economy becomes more global and the region's economy becomes more service and technology oriented, it is imperative to have an educated work force to meet future demands. The mission of the Consortium's access programs is to ensure that individuals are empowered to reach their educational potential and achieve career goals in order to participate fully in the future economy. Over 10,000 Massachusetts residents participated in Consortium access programs in 2007-08. All services are funded by federal, state, and private grants and contracts, and are provided free of charge.

Educational Opportunity Centers for Massachusetts (EOC)

EOC operates service centers in Boston, Lynn, New Bedford, Springfield, Pittsfield, and Worcester. All locations also provide services in satellite centers in their area of the state. EOC focuses primarily on adults, 19 and over, and acts as an "education broker" by placing the client in the most appropriate program based on abilities, career aspirations and life situations. Over 6,500 clients were served in 2007-08. The current placement rate for these clients is approximately 55 percent. It is expected that many more will eventually enroll in education programs, given the assistance that they have received through EOC.

Quote: "Without [the EOC] we never would have made it. . . . The advisors made the process seem so easy, they guided me along and answered my many questions."  (Arlene B. brought her granddaughter to EOC; her granddaughter is now a student at Bridgewater State College.)

Educational Talent Search

The Consortium's Educational Talent Search (ETS) program served over 800 high-risk but high-potential youth in target schools in Worcester, New Bedford and Springfield. Approximately 70 percent of these students are from low-income families with no history of college attendance or graduation. The college placement rate for this population is approximately 94 percent.

Quote: "Working with the ETS advisor at South High has helped me decide which colleges I want to apply to. The program has also given my mom and I important information on how financial aid works."  (Grace, 17, South High junior)

Careers Plus

Careers Plus operates at Worcester Technical High School with support from the Worcester Public Schools and the Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance. This program was one of the first in the state to provide post-secondary access services to a technical high school population. Two hundred students and their families were served in 2007-08.

GEAR UP

The Consortium partners with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in providing GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) services in 10 targeted middle and high schools in Worcester, New Bedford and Springfield. GEAR UP uses a cohort model, serving all of the students in an entire grade. As with the Consortium's other youth-focused programs, services include career exploration, academic advising, field trips to colleges, educational/cultural events and college search, admissions, and financial aid application assistance.

A highlight for both ETS and GEAR UP this year was the hosting of the regional celebration of National TRIO Day on February 22. (TRIO refers to the federally funded access and support programs aimed at helping disadvantaged students enter and succeed in higher education programs.) Once every 12 years the celebration comes to Worcester, and over 600 high school students enrolled in TRIO and GEAR Up programs from across New England came together to tour Massachusetts colleges, attend workshops and be energized by inspirational speakers.

The GEAR UP Student Leadership Conference was held in July at Worcester State College. Approximately 75 middle school students from GEAR UP schools across the state met to learn about being "ambassadors" in 2008-09 at their home schools. They will encourage their peers to consider college as a critical component of their future.
Kids to College

Working in conjunction with Sallie Mae and AICUM (the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts), the Consortium oversaw the Kids to College (KtoC) program in Central Massachusetts. In 2007-08 KtoC created partnerships between 12 area colleges and sixth grade classrooms at 21 schools serving 825 students. The colleges provided a "college awareness" curriculum in the sixth grade classrooms over a period of several weeks, culminating in a visit to campus and "graduation" complete with cap and gown.

Quick Fact: The Consortium employs nine full-time education advisors who work in Worcester Public Schools.

Higher Education Access & Retention Committee

Another highlight of 2007-08 was the revitalization of the Consortium's Higher Education Access & Retention Committee (HEARC) under the chairmanship of President Gail Carberry from Quinsigamond Community College. The committee planned and implemented the SUCCESS Initiative (School and Undergraduate Continuing Conversations to Ensure Student Success). This is an on-going collaboration between the colleges and local school systems to foster discussions and planning concerning student preparedness for college-level work, and to ensure alignment between the various curricula at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. It is hoped that this initiative will help to ensure student success at the college level, which is critical to future careers.

Contact:
Pamela Boisvert, Vice President for Higher Education Access Services
508.754.6829 ext. 3012
pboisvert [at] cowc [dot] org" class="mailto-link">pboisvert [at] cowc [dot] org

Anna Maria College

AMC was founded by the Sisters of Saint Anne to provide academic excellence that transcended the classroom into the communities it served.

Economic Development:

In December 2007, AMC announced its intention to open a new site in Worcester, making its graduate and continuing education programs more accessible to adult learners. In May, the College announced it will lease 88 Prescott Street in the Gateway Park Community.

AMC contributed funds to assist in the development of the new Hanover Theatre, a major urban revitalization effort for Worcester, and also held its 2008 commencement at the Theatre, helping to bring hundreds of visitors to downtown.

Neighborhood Stabilization:

AMC is a sponsor of Rebuilding Together Worcester, a volunteer organization committed to rehabilitating houses of low-income homeowners. This year, AMC students volunteered their time to clean up Emma House in downtown Worcester, a Catholic worker shelter for those who need transitional, low-income housing.

Other neighborhood stabilization projects included student nurses in the RN-to-BSN program working with homeless families through the Interfaith Hospitality Network in Southbridge and volunteering their services at the free medical clinic at St. Anne's Church Clinic in Shrewsbury; social work students working with DSS to host a children's holiday party; participation in the United Way's Annual Day of Caring; and assisting the Worcester Housing Authority with painting efforts.

Worcester Schools:

AMC sponsored a Junior Achievement Academy with Doherty High School and its social work students conducted a backpack drive to benefit children at Worcester's City View School. In addition, education majors helped teach elementary school children as part of an after-school program at Pernet Family Health and also completed their practicum experience at six Worcester schools.

Through AMC's Molly Bish Center, the College partnered with the Worcester County DA's Office to present a safe schools summit, as well as a seminar on prevention and response to bullying and cyber-bullying in K-12 Schools.

Contact:
Paula Green, Director of Marketing & Community Relations
Anna Maria College
50 Sunset Lane
Paxton MA 01612
508.849.3344
pgreen [at] annamaria [dot] edu
www.annamaria.edu

Assumption College

Assumption contributes to the vitality of Worcester by maintaining a strong presence in the city through the activities of our students, faculty and staff. The college employs 220 Worcester residents. In fiscal 2008, the college spent almost $5 million on goods and services in Worcester. Assumption also hosts a variety of local groups on campus.

Twenty-five percent of Assumption students participate in the college's Community Service Learning (CSL) Program, an academic initiative through which they apply classroom learning in community settings. During the past academic year, 412 students were enrolled in CSL classes and completed 6,380 hours of service in Worcester schools and agencies. They assisted in classrooms, tutored, ran after-school recreational programs and helped teen parents.

The CSL students also participated in the Junior Achievement Academy, working with talented, at-risk city youth. Academy enrollees attended classes at Assumption taught by Hanover Insurance volunteers and Assumption students. The CSL program also works with Worcester's African Community Education Program to offer classes, tutoring, admissions information and the use of campus facilities.

Our campus Reach Out Center places student volunteers in area schools and organizations. During the 2007-2008 academic year, Assumption students volunteered in five Worcester public schools, serving as Brothers/Big Sisters, reading to students; assisting teachers; and participating in after-school programs. More than 100 Assumption students volunteered in after-school programs at organizations in the area. They tutored, mentored, coached and helped with homework and recreation programs.

Twice weekly, 10 Assumption students volunteered at The Friendly House Shelter and the Frances Perkins Home Shelter, where they played with children to offer release time for parents who had errands and chores to do. In addition to serving as positive, reliable adult figures in the children's lives, the students also developed relationships with and encouraged the parents during difficult times.

Our faculty and staff are also fully engaged in cultural, educational, social service and nonprofit organizations in the Worcester area. Their extensive volunteerism demonstrates Assumption's commitment to the Worcester community and serves as a model for our students. Assumption College is an integral part of the greater Worcester community.

Contact:
Renee Buisson
Director of Public Affairs
Assumption College
500 Salisbury Street
Worcester MA 01609
508.767.7331
rbuisson [at] assumption [dot] edu
www.assumption.edu

Atlantic Union College

AUC, located in South Lancaster, is a Christian liberal arts college in the Seventh-day Adventist tradition. As a diverse learning community, its mission is to develop the whole person by inspiring faith in a loving Creator God and encouraging a passion for knowledge, truth and service to humanity. As a part of the world of higher education, the institution has a responsibility to contribute through scholarship to the advancement of learning and to a critical and creative response to events; and it has a responsibility to address through community service the needs of the society in which it exists.

Through the Spiritual Life Center's Outreach Ministries program, students, faculty and staff may volunteer to serve society in nursing homes, hospitals, food pantries, soup kitchens, parks and prisons, to name a few. In the 2007-08 academic year, Atlantic Union students invested hundred of hours as volunteers or in work-study positions for these and other organizations: Allied Physical Therapy, American Red Cross, Browning Elementary School, Cambridge Street Shelter, Community Service Center, Fitchburg Food for Hunger, Impact Lancaster, Parkwell Nursing Home, Paul Poyser Triathlon, South Lancaster Academy, and Thayer Memorial Library.

The College contributes as well to the Central Massachusetts economy through purchases of goods and services from area businesses, providing employment opportunities for area residents who pay taxes within the County, and attracting students and visitors who spend in the region. A study done in 2005, estimated the direct economic impact on the region of AUC as $20.3 million. This economic advantage, coupled with the cultural benefits the College offers, attest to the significant contribution of Atlantic Union College to Lancaster and the Worcester County region.

Contact:
Cynthia Kurtzhals, Director of Public Relations & Publications
Atlantic Union College
338 Main Street
South Lancaster MA 01561
978.368.2245
Cindy [dot] Kurtzhals [at] auc [dot] edu
www.auc.edu

Becker College

Becker is proud of its long tradition of investing in and contributing to its Central Massachusetts community in myriad ways:

  • A leadership investment in the Worcester Promise Scholarship program, to award $1.25 million in merit-based aid to Worcester resident students, more than 100 annually, over the first five years of the program;
  • Participation in such youth development programs, as Around the Corner, Youth Works and Kids2College, acquainting area children with a college environment;
  • Students participate in approximately 128,000 hours of community-based learning, including teaching, internships, nursing clinical practice, and human service delivery;
  • Support of the surrounding neighborhood: worked with neighborhood association to launch safe on-street parking program; physical plant staff clear sidewalks in winter and help keep them clean throughout the year; Campus Police patrols help maintain safety; collaborative relationships with Worcester Police and other Consortium security forces increase the quality of protection of students and neighbors;
  • A longstanding partnership with Elm Park Community School includes an investment in the creation of the Helen A. Bowditch Health Center; prior to the opening of the clinic, nursing students held periodic health screenings at the school; students regularly volunteer to conduct after-school basketball and tutoring, and organize clothing and toy drives; Becker has also donated approximately $30,000 in computer equipment to the school;
  • Making the campus library available as a resource for neighborhood residents and Worcester Public School students;
  • Raising surrounding property values by acting as steward of 25 historic Elm Park neighborhood buildings, including 19 on the National Register, and additional properties in Leicester, including the Samuel May House, recognized as part of the Underground Railroad;
  • Leasing additional local property for student residence, keeping it on the tax roll;
  • The student body adopted Elm Park in 2006, putting 100-200 students to work annually in the fall clean-up and beautification of the park.

Contact:
Becker College
61 Sever Street
Worcester, MA 01609
508.373.9529
www.becker.edu

Clark University

Clark has a long-standing tradition of applying teaching and learning to real-world problems and partnering with community interests on many levels.

Clark has enabled Worcester to become nationally recognized as a leader in education reform. Clark's Hiatt Center for Urban Education provides unmatched urban-teacher preparation, exceptional professional learning and leadership development, and valuable University-school collaborative research.

  • In 1996, Clark and the Worcester Public Schools created the University Park Campus School (UPCS), a public secondary school that is a national model of excellence. The UPCS/Clark University Institute for Student Success - in partnership with Jobs for the Future - shares this success and has trained nearly 500 participants from across the nation since 2004.
    Clark is also developing a learning community among three Worcester schools (UPCS, the Accelerated Learning Laboratory and South High Community School), to strengthen curriculum and learning culture as well as parental and community support.

Partnering for neighborhood, community and economic growth, Clark has played a leadership role in the community since 1985 and has been a primary partner in the University Park Partnership (UPP) since 1995. The broad, grassroots partnership incorporates change across a spectrum of elements essential to health, thriving communities, housing, education, economic development, social and recreational activities, and civic engagement.

The following are ways the Clark Community shows its commitment to the neighborhood:

  • Many Clark faculty and staff - including Clark's president - have become neighborhood residents. Clark also is among five Worcester employers teamed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' MassWorks plan, offering an employer-assisted mortgage program designed to help first-time homebuyers afford homes near to where they work.
  • Clark offers free tuition to residents who meet the University's admissions requirements and who have lived in UPP's targeted Main South neighborhood for at least five years. Dozens have benefited from the program.
  • Clark's All Kinds of Girls Program pairs 9- to 12-year-old neighborhood girls with undergraduate mentors.
  • Clark has invested $9 million in its neighborhood restoration efforts and leveraged $90 million in outside funding. The University is currently in the midst of a $40 million project to transform 30 acres into new athletic fields for the University and, through the Community Development Corporation, will help create 60 units of affordable housing for families.

Contact:
Jack Foley, Vice President for Government & Community Affairs & Campus Services
Clark University
950 Main Street
Worcester MA 01610
508.793 .7444
jfoley [at] clarku [dot] edu
www.clarku.edu

College of the Holy Cross

Holy Cross is an integral part of the Worcester community; actively engaged in making our city an even better place to live, work and raise families. Through community-based learning and service activities, Holy Cross students, faculty, and staff are involved in hands-on work with the city and its residents, making a substantial difference in the quality of local life.

In addition, the College's major institutional initiatives in Worcester include:

  • Establishing the Holy Cross-South Worcester Homeowners Initiative, whereby employees at Holy Cross are eligible to apply for financing for the purchase of one of the units in a condominium complex supported by the College. Holy Cross offers participating employees an additional $5,000 beyond the $20,000 maximum provided through the state's MassWorks program.
  • Providing four years of free tuition to Worcester residents who are admitted to Holy Cross and who come from families with incomes below $50,000.
  • Becoming a founding member of Worcester Local First, aimed at facilitating purchasing from Worcester-owned businesses. Currently, Holy Cross spends more than $10 million per year on goods and services purchased in the Worcester area.
  • Providing Fitton Field rent-free to the Worcester Tornadoes professional baseball team during its summer season.
  • Co-sponsoring, with the Society of Jesus of New England, the Nativity School of Worcester, an all-scholarship middle school serving 53 boys of all religious backgrounds from the city's most vulnerable neighborhoods. The College and its students, parents, staff and alumni have continued to provide support on many levels during the school's five-year history.
  • Supporting the Donelan Office of Community-Based Learning, which facilitates the development of academic courses in which students go into Worcester communities to do some of their academic course work. Approximately 15% of Holy Cross' 2,800 students participate each year.
  • Offering an extensive community work-study program, through which Holy Cross students are employed year round in Worcester agencies such as the Boys & Girls Club, Greater Worcester Land Trust, and Centro Las Americas.

For a complete list of the College's community service and outreach initiatives, please visit Holy Cross in the Community.

Contact:
Ellen Ryder, Director of Public Affairs
College of the Holy Cross
1 College Street
Worcester MA 01610
508.793.2419
eryder [at] holycross [dot] edu
www.holycross.edu

Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University

Cummings, New England's only veterinary school, offers pioneering academic programs, high-quality clinical care services and original research that promote and preserve animal and human health.

Located in North Grafton, the school offers a four-year professional Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree program, as well as five graduate programs. As a proud member of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, the Cummings School contributes greatly to the Central Massachusetts community. Half the school's students are Massachusetts residents, who pay a reduced tuition. In the past year, the school has:

  • Broken ground on a state-of-the-art New England Regional Biosafety Laboratory, aimed at protecting public health by developing and testing vaccines, therapies and diagnostics against emerging infectious diseases. The building will be complete and operational in the first half of 2009.
  • Secured a developer for Grafton Science Park, a 100-acre parcel of its campus offering build-to-suit space for life science, medical device, and medical-related firms. The agreement will bring jobs and tax revenue to the area.
  • Expanded its offering of externships for high school teachers and educational programs such as Gap Junction, in which veterinary students teach middle school classes about veterinary medicine. The Cummings School also piloted an Anatomy Day for Grafton High School students and continued scientific guest-lecture programs with area high schools.
  • Continued its Adventures in Veterinary Medicine career-exploration program for middle, high school and college students and adult learners. More than one-third of the program's students come from Worcester County, and several scholarships were awarded to several Worcester middle school and high school applicants.
  • Completed the renovation of a historic building into a Campus Center, complete with an on-site café open to the public, and completed construction on a $1.7 million facility for the Woodstock, CT Tufts Ambulatory Service with Worcester-based Cutler Associates.

Contact:
Tom Keppeler
Associate Director - Public Relations
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
200 Westboro Road
North Grafton MA 01536
508.839.7910
tom [dot] keppeler [at] tufts [dot] edu
www.tufts.edu/vet

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

At MCPHS, all students perform 3,000 hours of community service annually through an innovative service-learning program. Students work at more than 30 sites throughout greater Worcester, including the Worcester Public Schools, neighborhood health facilities, and social service organizations. The College has been instrumental in obtaining more than $1 million in grants to support the Worcester Working Coalition for Latino Students and Worcester Family Social Services. To date, MCPHS has invested more than $50 million in its downtown campus, and its 500 faculty, staff and students contribute an estimated $10 million annually to the local economy.

  • Fifteen students participated in Kids to College through the Library, a college awareness and health information program for sixth graders at Burncoat Elementary School. On the first day, students and faculty visited the sixth graders' classroom and participated in discussions about college and college life. During a second field trip, 30 of the students and their teachers visited MCPHS to experience a typical day on a college campus. They enjoyed interactive activities in one of the College's auditoriums, mixed paint in the pharmacy compounding lab, and solved medical mysteries about lead poisoning in the Blais Family Library.
  • More than 50 pharmacy and physician assistant studies students and faculty held the campus' 6th annual Health Fair at the Auburn Mall. Over the course of the day, the students provided hundreds of free glucose and blood pressure screenings. The group also handed out information about smoking cessation, medication safety, nutrition, exercise and immunizations.
  • Forty faculty, staff, students and their families volunteered their time and energy to work with Rebuilding Together Worcester (RTW). This was the 8th year of operation for RTW and its most productive year to date. A record 250 volunteers helped to renovate ten homes of low-income residents and three buildings operated by nonprofit community organizations. With a grant from the Sears Heroes-at-Home program, the group also renovated the home of a Marine Corps veteran, as well as the home of a 14-year-old boy paralyzed in an accident.

Contact:
Joshua Aiello, Service Learning & Community Outreach Coordinator
Mass. College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
19 Foster Street
Worcester MA 01608
508.373.5613
joshua [dot] aiello [at] mcphs [dot] edu
www.mcphs.edu/campuses/worcester/

Nichols College

Nichols is proud to call the rolling hills of Dudley, MA "home" and to be part of the rich cultural traditions of New England.
The College's annual direct economic impact is $91.8 million and is committed to helping the region achieve long-term, sustainable economic growth by creating jobs, using local vendors, and buying goods and services from surrounding communities. Nearly 80 percent of Nichols' 140 full-time employees live nearby, own homes and pay property taxes to local towns.

The campus is used for a wide array of Nichols-sponsored educational programs, including:

  • YOU Inc.'s Upward Bound Program for Southbridge High School students,
  • Pipeline to Postsecondary Education Program for Bartlett High School students,
  • START youth leadership training program (attended by freshmen from 86 high schools throughout New England), and
  • Kids to College Program for sixth-grade students from Webster, MA.

Nichols' students, faculty and staff perform hundreds of hours in community service every year, from mentoring kids in the Webster-Dudley Boys and Girls Club to walking to help raise cancer research funds. In addition, the public is welcomed to athletic events, to cultural programs sponsored by the Robert C. Fischer Policy and Cultural Institute, and to the Nichols College Career Fair, one of the largest in Central MA.

Most importantly, Nichols transforms students into tomorrow's leaders by offering a dynamic, career-focused business education to full-time day students and part-time working adults. Of the 1,808 students enrolled at the College for the 2006-2007 academic year, 47 percent were from Worcester County, MA or from Windham County, CT.

The College's renowned educational outcomes have become an engine for economic strength in the region. After graduation, 80 percent of Nichols College graduates continue to live and work in the Worcester and Boston metropolitan areas, and in the Class of 2007, 96 percent was employed within six months of graduation with an annual salary of $39,266. One in 10 alumni is a president, CEO or business owner.

Contact:
Nichols College
Center Road
Dudley MA 01571
508.213.1560
www.nichols.edu

Quinsigamond Community College

QCC continues to be a leader in community engagement with the Worcester area and Worcester Public Schools (WPS). The College thrives on its community partnerships and excels at working collaboratively with WPS in such areas as the arts, academics, health and technology.

QCC has an ongoing relationship with the Burncoat High School Arts Booster Club, took part in Groundhog Job Shadow Day for the fifth year, and through America Reads, its students provided tutoring and after-school homework assistance to youths at Norrback Avenue School. In addition, young children attending the full-day program at QCC's Children's School developed friendships with Worcester middle school students through the Pen Pal Initiative.

Most notably, QCC has become a leader for health and technology-based programs for WPS K-12 students. The Kidseal project was the first of its kind in MA; QCC dental hygiene students, along with dentists and hygienists from the community, provide needed free dental care to WPS children. Highlighting the technology-based programs with Worcester youths were the robotics projects, which engaged students from Worcester high and middle schools and resulted in national recognition. In May, QCC student mentors and professors took two robotics teams from Worcester Technical High School and one from South High Community School to an international robotics competition in Los Angeles, CA. One Worcester Tech team placed first in the US and fourth internationally; the other Worcester Tech team placed 15th in the US, and the South High team placed 30th.

  • QCC's Advanced Robotics Intensive program benefited over 300 Worcester youths during the 2007-08 academic year.
  • Nearly 1,500 elementary students are serviced with fluoride and 300 children are provided sealants through QCC's Kidseal Project each year.

QCC also has partnered with other local colleges in various academic areas, established relationships with numerous nonprofit organizations, and hosted the annual Martin Luther King Community Breakfast for over 20 years. Our students volunteered for nearly 15 different charitable organizations, while partnerships with area businesses allowed for internships at hospitals, high-tech companies, health centers, and banks, among others. In total, QCC services over 13,000 credit and non-credit students every year.

Contact:
Victor Somma, Director of Marketing & Public Affairs
Quinsigamond Community College
670 West Boylston Street
Worcester MA 01606
508.854.2729
vsomma [at] qcc [dot] mass [dot] edu
www.qcc.edu

University of Massachusetts Medical School

The Medical School is described by students and faculty alike as dynamic, supportive, collaborative and vibrant. It is a leading academic medical center with health sciences education, research, public service and clinical advancements. Founded in 1962, UMMS includes the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Graduate School of Nursing, as well as a thriving biomedical research enterprise and a range of public service initiatives. UMMS retains the pioneering spirit that attracted its founding faculty and students, even as it has matured to become one of the nation's top 50 medical schools.

UMMS plays a significant role in the City of Worcester, the region, and the state through several initiatives that build upon the institution's successes in medicine, science and education. In October 2006, the work of UMMS researcher Craig Mello, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, garnered the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: RNAi has spawned a promising new field of research and has become a driver of the state's biomedical industry.

In 2008, Governor Deval Patrick signed the Life Sciences Initiative, through which UMMS will receive $90 million for its Advanced Therapeutics Cluster (ATC) to be housed at a 450,000-square-foot facility being built on the Worcester campus. The ATC will include three integrated programs: the Gene Therapy Center, the RNAi Therapeutics Institute and the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and will solidify Worcester as a hub of life sciences activity, while creating new jobs in the region.

Fostering a love of science among future generations, UMMS provides K-12 students an opportunity to gain the scientific and mathematic literacy necessary to thrive in the workforce, specifically in health and biotechnology careers:

  • Worcester Pipeline Collaborative (WPC), a partnership between UMMS, Worcester Public Schools and local leaders, provides opportunities to 6,000 K-12 students annually to participate in various programs that increase interest in science and mathematics.
  • The Regional Science Resource Center helps 138 state school districts improve K-12 math and science education.


Contact:
Mark L. Shelton, Associate Vice Chancellor of University Relations
UMass Medical School
55 Lake Avenue North
Worcester MA 01655-0002
508.856.2000
publicaffairs [at] umassmed [dot] edu
www.umassmed.edu

Worcester State College

Worcester State is deeply committed to the economic health of its community and the vitality of its neighborhoods and local schools. In addition to an abiding mission of outreach to community partners, the college is proud of the many examples of this mission this year.
Through private and public funds, WSC has committed over $750,000 for the renovation of Rockwood Field, a neighborhood recreational and athletic field adjacent to the College. The field, which has been largely unused because of poor drainage conditions, is being transformed into state-of-the-art baseball and softball fields, hiking trails and new facilities.

One of the most significant economic challenges the region faced this year was the home mortgage crisis. Over 100 attended a WSC-sponsored, resource-rich forum on foreclosures. Organized by the Intergenerational Urban Institute, this session provided on-the-spot advice from and access to many agencies, which have relevant expertise.

Worcester State believes a robust academic experience should be combined with service to others. This year the Corporation for National and Community Service named WSC to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to disadvantaged youth. Over 180 students contributed more than 2,500 hours of service to organizations both in the Worcester community and abroad. In addition, the Student Government Association raised more than $20,000 for three local nonprofit agencies.

The College has long hosted Junior Achievement on its campus, helping to foster leadership and academic success among Worcester high school students. For the first time, this past year the College hosted a group of Worcester high school juniors for a hands-on civics camp with leaders in government, media, the clergy and community activism for a Worcester Rising Civic Camp. Students received certificates from Lt. Governor Timothy Murray and WSC President Dr. Janelle Ashley. To help provide professional development for local educators, the college hosted the Framework for Understanding Poverty event, featuring nationally recognized educator Rita F. Pierson, EdD.

Contact:
Lea Ann Erickson, Assistant Vice President of Public Relations & Marketing
Worcester State College
486 Chandler Street
Worcester MA 01602
508.929.8018
leaann [dot] erickson [at] worcester [dot] edu
www.worcester.edu

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

WPI has long been active in working with the area's K-12 community to improve science and technology education and bolster student interest in these fields. The university supports many programs in the areas of technological literacy and science and mathematics learning and teaching, including more than 40 outreach programs and summer camps. Rounding out these efforts are a teen entrepreneurship camp and an extensive array of K-12 robotics education programs (including well-attended robotics competitions that engage more than 1,200 local and regional students). WPI's K-12 Outreach Programs Office also oversees a broad range of professional development programs for educators and serves as a curricular resource in the areas of engineering, mathematics and science.

WPI prides itself on being a champion of its home city, including in the areas of economic development and neighborhood stabilization. As President and CEO Dennis D. Berkey explains, "What is good for Worcester is good for WPI." One highly visible result of the university's commitment to the economic revitalization of Worcester is the 125,000-square-foot WPI Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center, located at Gateway Park. This 12-acre reclaimed brownfields site represents an investment by WPI of approximately $50 million in life sciences education, research and economic development. It is being developed into a center for groundbreaking research and development and a vibrant new neighborhood. WPI's other contributions to the well-being of the city include the Worcester Community Project Center (WCPC), through which student project teams work with local agencies and organizations to form solutions to the city's environmental and engineering problems. These projects account for a significant portion of the more than 12,000 student hours and 900 faculty hours devoted each year to community service work in the city. In its ongoing efforts to help its employees, many of whom reside in Worcester County, WPI launched a program partnered with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership's MassWorks program to assist eligible employees with the purchase of their first home in Worcester, furthering WPI's commitment to neighborhood revitalization in Worcester.

Contact:
Admissions Office
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
100 Institute Road
Worcester MA 01609
508.831.5286
www.wpi.edu

Consortium Finance Facts:

The numbers represented below are from the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008. The Consortium leverages the $653,000 from dues and fees with federal grants and other contracts. This translates into a local payroll with benefits of $1.4 million and several hundred thousands spent on goods and services in the greater Worcester area.

2008 Consortium Funding Sources for its $4,311,006 income

74% - Federal Grants
17% - Member Dues & Fees
4% - Other Grants/Contracts
2% - Interest Income
2% - Sponsorships
1% - Other

2008 Consortium Funding Uses of $4,335,605

49% - Sub-Grantee Pass-Through
34% - Wages, Taxes, Benefits
16% - Operations
1% - Professional Services
<1% - Insurance
<1% - Depreciation
<1% - Other

Consortium Joint Purchasing Group

The JPG establishes group purchase contracts to benefit Consortium members and 30 area nonprofits financially. Through cooperative relationships, the group enables members to make the most cost-effective allocation of scarce or limited resources. The group also provides a forum in which purchasing directors can share valuable information and develop and implement best practices in purchasing management.

Total Purchases through the Consortium Purchasing Group

2003 - $4, 396,164
2004 - $3,247,622
2005 - $4,117,556
2006 - $4,447,302
2007 - $6,342,846


Contact:
Carmelita Bello, VP & CFO
508.754.6829 ext. 3018
cbello [at] cowc [dot] org

 

What People Say about the Consortium

  • "By committing to off-campus social programming, the Consortium has begun to establish new social and cultural traditions that are acquainting students with Worcester and the region, anticipating that the additional engagement will result in higher graduate retention rates." - Roberta R. Schaeffer, PhD, president and CEO of The Research Bureau (The Buzz, an advertising supplement of the Telegram & Gazette, July 2008)
  • "It was an honor to receive the George I. Alden Excellence in Higher Education Award at the Colleges of Worcester Consortium 40th Anniversary Celebration held on April 7. This recognition wouldn't be possible without the wealth of partnerships and resources present through the consortium." - Judith Freedman Fask, director of the deaf studies program at the College of the Holy Cross (Telegram & Gazette, Letter to the Editor, April 29, 2008)
  • "With 13 colleges and universities and more than 30,000 students, Worcester is most definitely a college town. In addition to their academic programs, world-class faculty, co-curricular activities and welcoming campuses, local colleges and universities promote a high quality of life for students in the Worcester area." - Jack P. Calareso, president, Anna Maria College (Telegram & Gazette, As I See It, February 22, 2008)
  • "The Woo Bus not only makes it easier to visit points of interest on the weekends, but it is helping Worcester identify itself as a college town."  - Michael Woodruff, Student Council president at Clark University (Telegram & Gazette, Worcester Diary, October 3, 2007)
  • "We felt from the beginning that it would be important to have the colleges as part of the mix, but they played a big part of getting us through the critical phases of the project." - David P. Forsberg, Worcester Business Development Corp. president, on the Hanover Theatre project (Telegram & Gazette, October 28, 2007)
  • "I'm excited about the whole idea to make this work and make the theater an extension of the city's colleges. The pledge is not only a financial contribution, but is also a gift of their participation." - Troy Siebels, executive director of Hanover Theatre, on the Hanover Theatre project (Telegram & Gazette, October 28, 2007)
  • "This is such a great event, because it gives the college kids an opportunity to see all the great spots there are on Shrewsbury Street." - Sean A. Navin, co-owner of Caffe Dolce, on the Taste of Shrewsbury Street College Shuffle (Telegram & Gazette, September 2, 2007)
  • "We commend the consortium and its members for their commitment to a magnificent facility that promises to become a community treasure." - Telegram & Gazette, editorial on the Hanover Theatre project, November 12, 2007
  • "Thanks to the leadership of Mark Bilotta, CEO of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, Inc., who stepped up to the plate to lead the charge on an internship website, the first part of the action plan has come to life." - Barbara Clifford, executive director of the Corridor Nine Area Chamber of Commerce (The Buzz, an advertising supplement of the Telegram & Gazette, April 2007)


Consortium Committees

Committees and networking opportunities provide a forum for Consortium member institutions to further their individual missions and to advance higher education throughout the region. In addition to its Board of Directors and Executive Committee, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium offers 31 committees and networking groups through which members can:

  • Share precious resources
  • Provide and exchange opportunities for professional growth
  • Engage and collaborate in regional planning

A complete list of Consortium committees may be found in the "About Us" section of this Web site.