The Consortium implemented the College Access Challenge Grant of $250,000 from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Worcester, Southbridge, Springfield and New Bedford.
2009-10 Annual Report
Providing Sustained Talent
The Worcester Consortium’s Contributions to the Region’s Education and Workforce Pipeline
(To view an animated, page-turning copy of this report with photos, visit the YUDU.com website.)
An Introduction from the Board Chair and the CEO
While the national and regional economies continued to be challenged this past year, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium persisted in its efforts to serve as an economic engine for the region. In this 2009-10 Annual Report, we chose as a theme “Providing Sustained Talent,” a term used by Chris Steele, president of a national firm working with companies examining where to site their operations. In his comments at a Research Bureau forum, Mr. Steele emphasized that Greater Worcester’s higher education community is a significant regional strength and advantage in the eyes of companies looking to locate here, based not only on the number of our graduates entering the workforce but on the cutting-edge research being conducted by our faculty as well.
In this report, we take a closer look at the 7,361 students who graduated in the Class of 2010 from our member institutions with certificates, associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, noting the number and percentages who have prepared for careers in industries key to the economic health of our region. We also examine how the Worcester Consortium makes significant contributions along the education and workforce pipelines, including the community engagement of our undergraduate and graduate students, with almost 17,000 student placements at more than 1,000 organizations.
Finally, we discuss our strategic efforts to retain a higher percentage of our graduates in an effort to meet the present and future workforce needs of our regional employers and in our work with the Commonwealth to encourage graduates to “Stay Here.”
The continued growth of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium is a testament to the power of true collaboration.
Michael C. McFarland, SJ
President, College of the Holy Cross
Chair, Consortium Board of Directors, 2009-10
Mark P. Bilotta
Consortium CEO
2009-10 Annual Report
On August 9, 2010, President Barack Obama delivered a speech at the University of Texas at Austin in which he discussed some of his administration’s higher education strategies, noting the need for us to build an economy that can compete in the 21st century.
“And while our ultimate success has and always will depend on the industriousness of the American worker, the ingenuity of American businesses, and the power of our markets, we also know that we, as a nation, must do what it takes to make sure America remains number one.”
In his remarks, he lamented the fact that “In a single generation, we’ve fallen from first to twelfth in college graduation rates for young adults.” He noted that “…education is an economic issue. It may be the economic issue of our time. It’s an economic issue when the unemployment rate for folks who’ve never gone to college is almost double what it is for those who have. It’s an economic issue when nearly eight in ten new jobs will require workforce training or a higher education by the end of this decade. It’s an economic issue when we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow.”
Government, business and community leaders in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts echo the President’s concerns and are actively engaged in strategies to ensure a qualified workforce will be prepared to meet existing and potential regional employers’ needs as we climb out of these tough economic times. Education priorities under the Patrick/Murray administration, including Readiness Centers, the Vision Project, Innovation Schools, School Readiness and Early Literacy, the STEM Advisory Council, Common Core Standards and the recent Race to the Top grant are all a step in the right direction to strengthening regional economies.
The Greater Worcester region may be better positioned than most. In May 2010, Worcester was selected as one of 19 “skilled anchor” areas by a Brookings Institution report entitled “The State of Metropolitan America: On the Front Lines of Demographic Transformation.” The report characterizes skilled anchors as “...slow growing, less diverse metro areas that boast higher-than-average levels of educational attainment...Many boast significant medical and educational institutions.”
Our own Colleges of Worcester Consortium data certainly supports that designation. This past year, members of the Worcester Consortium graduated some 7,361 students with certificates, associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. A breakdown of the Class of 2010 graduates includes some key occupational areas for the Commonwealth and the Greater Worcester area.
Occupational Area | # of Graduates | % of Total Graduates |
Business and Finance | 1,021 | 13.9 |
Healthcare Practitioners | 925 | 12.6 |
Life and Physical Sciences | 694 | 9.4 |
Engineering/Architecture | 674 | 9.2 |
Management | 409 | 5.6 |
Education and Training | 386 | 5.2 |
Computer and Mathematical | 373 | 5.1 |
While the numbers may appear impressive, an important question for planners remains: Is the pipeline adequately preparing the right mix of students to meet the evolving workforce needs for our region’s future, including high-growth, high-demand areas? (To see a complete breakdown of 2010 graduates, their major and degrees, go to pages 9-15.)
Higher Education Access and Retention Services
A review of the Greater Worcester region’s education and workforce pipeline starts with K-12 education. The Colleges of Worcester Consortium recognized more than three decades ago that access to postsecondary educational opportunities was an economic issue but that many students and adults face barriers to achieving their educational goals. Over the years, the Consortium has continued to build on its higher education access and retention programs. In FY10, the Consortium received almost $3 million in federal grants to support its efforts. Its successful educational pipeline programs currently include:
Educational Talent Search (ETS) is one of the federally funded TRIO programs designed to serve youth who have the potential to succeed in college but who are educationally and economically disadvantaged. The Worcester Consortium operates ETS programs in three cities: New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester. More than 800 students in grades 7 through 12 are served every year, with the ultimate goal of ensuring they graduate from high school and successfully enroll in a postsecondary program appropriate to their interests and abilities. In most cases these students are the first in their family to go on to college. In many cases they are the first to graduate from high school. The Consortium’s ETS program boasts a college placement rate of about 93 percent.
GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded project of the Worcester Consortium and the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. Since September 1999, Worcester’s GEAR UP has served cohorts of students in grades 7 and 8 at Worcester East Middle School (WEMS) and grades 9-12 at North High School as well as their parents, teachers and guidance counselors. The program fosters school-wide changes that promote and increase college awareness and readiness. Services include early college/career awareness group activities, individual postsecondary advising, and parent outreach activities. GEAR UP is currently piloting anAccuplacer prep course for seniors in an effort to reduce the need for remedial classes by testing into college level math and English classes. The Consortium also operates GEAR UP programs in Holyoke, New Bedford and Springfield.
One of our newest higher education access programs is CSI (Collegiate Success Institute) – Worcester. In partnership with the Worcester Public Schools, member institutions of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium and concerned leaders from the local business community, CSI Worcester was designed specifically to serve as an intensive capstone experience for AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination©) students, who are in the “academic middle” and who may not necessarily aspire to college, but who show strong academic potential. The CSI Worcester program brings these students onto a local campus for two afternoons a week during the spring semester of their junior and fall semester of their senior years of high school and pairs them with corporate and college mentors to give them a taste of the college experience.
Volunteers from a corporate partner company deliver researched-based, financial literacy and workforce readiness programs that align with the Massachusetts K-12 educational frameworks and work-based learning plans. Faculty, staff and student leaders from the partner college coordinate admissions and financial aid workshops, along with presentations on issues such as residential life, clubs and activities, and the academic majors offered at the college. CSI Worcester boasts a 100% high school graduation rate and 100% college acceptance rate.
In addition, our school-based education advisors are instrumental in recruiting qualified high school juniors and seniors to participate in the dual enrollment program with a number of our college and university members. Dual enrollment provides opportunities for high school students to take college-level courses free of charge and to earn credit simultaneously toward high school completion and their future college degrees.
While so much focus is placed on the K-12 student learners, since 1973, the Worcester Consortium has been committed to low-income, first-generation adults as well. The Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) for Massachusetts is a project of the Worcester Consortium and is the second largest EOC project in the country. EOC provides education access services primarily to low-income adults (age 19 and above) who are interested in returning to school. Their goal may be to complete a high school program or enroll in a postsecondary education or training program. This may include a short-term training program or a four-year college or university. In addition to the 1,500 individuals served each year in our Worcester office, the Consortium serves another 5,500 clients at one of its other locations: Boston, Lynn, New Bedford, Pittsfield and Springfield.
Access to higher education is important. Just as important, however, is retention and successful completion of a college degree. In his talk at UT-Austin, President Obama noted: “The third part of our higher education strategy is making sure every student completes their course of studies. Over a third of America’s college students and over half our minority students, don’t earn a degree, even after six years. So, we don’t just need to open the doors of college to more Americans; we need to make sure they stick with it through graduation.”
Two years ago, the Worcester Consortium’s Higher Education Access and Retention Committee (HEARC) sponsored a kick-off event for its newly created SUCCESS Initiative (Schools and Universities Continuing Conversations to Ensure Student Success). This initiative seeks to address the high college drop-out rate that so negatively impacts both students and institutions. Even those students who are seemingly well-prepared to succeed at the postsecondary level, based on their MCAS scores, GPAs, etc., may fail to do so at alarming rates.
The college retention issue has been an on-going area of concern for the Committee, and thus members were pleased to be able to capitalize on momentum created by the Mass. Dept of Higher Education two years ago when they brought in consultants from the EPIC (Education Policy Improvement Center) team, and ran regional workshops on using tools and strategies to improve college readiness and high school/college alignment.
Over the past two years, as part of its SUCCESS Initiative and through its “Dessert and Discourse” forums, HEARC has continued to convene math and English faculties from both secondary and postsecondary schools, to create better alignments in these areas. These informal discussions examine the social and academic issues effecting student success at the postsecondary level. Topics for discussion continue to include improving Accuplacer scores and reducing the need for remedial classes at the college level.
Professional Development
Governor Patrick’s Education Action Agenda included a recommendation to establish Readiness Centers, multipurpose and collaborative centers focused on improving the quality of teaching across the education continuum and across the state. The Worcester Consortium’s own commitment to faculty development has linked with the Commonwealth’s initiative. One of its premier programs is the Certificate in College Teaching (CCT) which represents a collaborative institutional response to the ever-present challenges of promoting exemplary teaching in today’s complex higher education environments. Most college professors have not had the benefit of formal training as teachers. Preparation for the college classroom involves more than a solid base of knowledge in a discipline; it requires a systematic inquiry into the pedagogies and processes that facilitate learning. The certificate program, which offers graduate credits through Worcester State University, a partner with the Commonwealth’s Readiness Centers, is grounded in the latest educational research of best practices in college teaching, and is designed to enhance the teaching and learning experiences for faculty and students at the college and university level. The primary focus of the Certificate is to prepare graduate students, adjunct and full-time faculty who aspire to, or who are currently engaged in, a career in academia. Since its founding in 2003, the CCT program has enrolled more than 450 graduate students.
The Worcester Consortium has also partnered with the Guild of Saint Agnes, Rainbow Child Development Center, YWCA of Central Massachusetts and Worcester Comprehensive Child Care Services to strengthen early childhood education by strengthening the education credentials for child care providers. The Consortium has received funding to support an Early Childhood Career Advisor from the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund (WCTF), a workforce development initiative that supports programs in critical industry sectors in Massachusetts. This state-funded initiative is administered by Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
The WCTF was a key component of the Workforce Solutions Act/Economic Stimulus Bill of 2006 and was established with two objectives: 1) To improve the competitive stature of Massachusetts businesses by improving the skills of current and future workers, and 2) To improve access to well-paying jobs and long-term career success for all residents of Massachusetts, especially those who experience structural, social and educational barriers to employment success.
In addition, the Consortium continues to provide ongoing professional development opportunities for its faculty and staff. Two very active Consortium committees – the Faculty Development and Career services committees – sponsor annual conferences and engage in discussions of best practices.
Collaborative Public and Private Partnerships
While the Consortium continues to address access, retention, and successful completion of college along with professional development for faculty and staff, it is also working to ensure it helps to graduate AND retain the right mix of students to meet the workforce needs of this region’s employers.
The Consortium continues to support and participate in state-wide efforts like the Central Region PreK-16 STEM Network, supported through the Massachusetts Department of Education STEM Pipeline Fund. Efforts to attract more students into STEM-related occupations appear to be recognizing success as measured recently with a 30% increase by SAT takers between 2009 and 2010 who are planning on STEM majors in college. Since 2003, that figure has increased 60% (from 10,911 in 2003 to 17,503 in 2010).
Through our Chief Academic Officers, a subcommittee has been addressing workforce needs for the Biomedical, Biotechnology and Health Professions (BBHP) by inviting these industries to the table for dialogue and networking opportunities with Consortium members’ faculty, staff and students.
This Consortium committee and others will also explore how it can best prepare for what has been identified as a shortage of qualified workers in “middle skills” jobs. The report, Massachusetts’ Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs, was written for the Skills2Compete-Massachusetts campaign by National Skills Coalition, Washington DC, as part of its national Skills2Compete Campaign. These jobs are defined as requiring more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree and represent a projected 44% of the new jobs in the Commonwealth between now and 2016. Examples of “middle skill” jobs include: Sales and Related, Office and Administrative Support, Construction, Installation and Repair, Production, Transportation and Material Moving.
With its Worcester Public Schools-based higher education access staff, the Consortium is also supporting the Massachusetts Math and Science Initiative Advanced Placement (AP) Training and Awards Program, which is designed to increase the number of high school students who enroll in these rigorous college preparatory courses and receive qualifying test scores for college credit.
The Consortium has also been facilitating the recruitment of college students as AVID volunteers. This past year, more than 150 Worcester Consortium students were recruited, trained and placed within the Worcester Public Schools to help facilitate this proven tutoring model.
Retaining College Talent
In 2009-10, members of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium enrolled 35,019 students, of which 46.8% were residents of Worcester County at the time their application for admission was filed. Of particular interest to planners, however, are the roughly 30% of the total who were originally from outside the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Residency of Enrolled Students* | # of Students | % of Total |
Worcester County | 16,382 | 46.78 |
Massachusetts | 25,033 | 71.48 |
New England | 29,244 | 83.50 |
Other 44 States | 3,944 | 11.26 |
International | 1,831 | 5.22 |
*Residency at the time application for admission was filed.
Efforts to retain a higher percentage of our college graduates, and thus help ensure future workforce needs, have been underway in the Greater Worcester region since 2006 when the Worcester Regional Research Bureau’s Talent Retention Project report was issued. That report surveyed the Class of 2005 from Consortium member colleges and universities for their post-graduation plans. One of its key findings noted that graduates were more apt to stay in the Greater Worcester region if job prospects were strong and if they had spent time becoming more familiar with the City and region, either through experiential learning opportunities or social engagements.
The Consortium agreed in 2006 to champion some of the recommendations of that report which included:
- Establishing a website that will serve as an “internship clearinghouse” for all students and employers in the Region;
- Providing opportunities for the college and university career services staffs and other college administrators and professors to become more familiar with the Region’s employers, employment opportunities, and the skills and qualifications employers are seeking in candidates;
- and Providing opportunities for students to meet with local employers early in their college careers to inform students about career and employment opportunities in the Region.
The Consortium has made significant progress with these recommendations. Its online internship database, established in 2007, is now populated by 375 employers who have posted more than 540 internship opportunities. About 2,000 students have registered to date. The Career Services Committee hosts an annual career fair at the DCU Center for graduating students and regional employers. They also conduct an annual professional development conference for career service professionals, which is typically hosted by a regional employer and usually focuses on a specific industry.
In addition, each year the Consortium collects data on its student engagement in the community, knowing these experiential learning opportunities are contributing to talent retention strategies and, at the same time, making significant contributions to Greater Worcester communities. The data includes undergraduate and graduate student involvement with volunteering, service-learning, internships and other pre-professional placements, research, and federal work-study assignments in the community. In 2009-10, there were almost 17,000 student placements with 1,065 organizations, totaling more than 1.16 million hours. More specific information about the Consortium’s Community Placement Survey is available online.
In addition, Consortium established social networking strategies to engage students off campus and introduce them to Worcester – a creative city with urban energy which boasts culturally diverse entertainment and dining opportunities. Over the past few years, the Consortium began the process of establishing new social traditions for its students. One of the more successful efforts has been the Shrewsbury Street College Shuffle – an afternoon in September when about 1,500 students sample the foods of approximately 25 restaurants along Worcester’s restaurant row. The Consortium also partnered with Hanover Theatre to offer performances that are marketed specifically to college students. This past year, it garnished enough financial support from members and Sprint to offer its first concert.
For the past three years, to complement off-campus events and efforts to get students more engaged socially, the Consortium has supported Friday and Saturday evening free bus/shuttle services. The Woo buses operated from 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. and attracted more than 3,000 riders last year.
Finally, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium is pleased to be a founding partner in the Commonwealth’s efforts to retain more of its graduates. In a public-private partnership coordinated by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and in tandem with the launch of their new “Stay Here” campaign, the Consortium is actively engaged in efforts to increase internship opportunities for both students and employers.
The Colleges of Worcester Consortium recognizes that in these challenging economic times, its collective efforts must help to increase jobs and attract more businesses to the Commonwealth. Its commitment is to continuously monitor this education and workforce pipeline and see how the higher education community of Greater Worcester can help contribute to realizing national and state goals. The Consortium’s coordinated efforts will continue to patch any of the leaks along this pipeline, ensure that all students succeed and that regional workforce needs are met with well-qualified candidates.
Class of 2010 by Degree & Major
Institution Key: AC - Assumption College; AMC - Anna Maria College; BC - Becker College; CHC - College of the Holy Cross; CSVMTU - Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University; CU - Clark University; MCPHS - Mass. College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences; NC - Nichols College; QCC - Quinsigamond Community College; UMMS - University of Mass. Medical School; WPI - Worcester Polytechnic Institute; WSU - Worcester State University
Degree Key: A - Associate’s Degree; B - Bachelor’s Degree; C - Certificate; CAGS - Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study; CT - Teaching Certificate; D - Doctoral Degree; M - Master’s Degree
Institution | Degree | Major | Graduates |
AC | C | Accounting | 3 |
AC | C | Communications | 1 |
AC | C | Graphic Design | 1 |
AC | C | Human Resource Management | 6 |
AC | C | Paralegal Studies | 1 |
AC | C | Professional Management | 3 |
AC | A | Business Administration | 1 |
AC | A | Social Sciences | 1 |
AC | B | Accounting | 63 |
AC | B | Biology | 27 |
AC | B | Biology & Biotechnology | 1 |
AC | B | Biotechnology/Molecular Biology | 7 |
AC | B | Business Administration | 9 |
AC | B | Chemistry | 6 |
AC | B | Classics | 1 |
AC | B | Computer Science | 4 |
AC | B | Economics | 13 |
AC | B | Economics with Business Concentration | 12 |
AC | B | English | 38 |
AC | B | English Writing & Mass Communications | 28 |
AC | B | Environmental Science | 3 |
AC | B | French | 5 |
AC | B | German | 1 |
AC | B | Global Studies | 4 |
AC | B | Graphic Design | 3 |
AC | B | History | 29 |
AC | B | Human Services & Rehabilitation Studies | 49 |
AC | B | Humanities | 1 |
AC | B | International Business | 13 |
AC | B | Italian Studies | 3 |
AC | B | Latin American Studies | 3 |
AC | B | Liberal Studies | 11 |
AC | B | Management | 44 |
AC | B | Marketing | 46 |
AC | B | Mathematics | 15 |
AC | B | Music | 3 |
AC | B | Organizational Communication | 33 |
AC | B | Philosophy | 10 |
AC | B | Political Science | 25 |
AC | B | Psychology | 58 |
AC | B | Social Sciences | 9 |
AC | B | Sociology | 14 |
AC | B | Spanish | 16 |
AC | B | Theology | 5 |
AC | B | Visual Arts - History | 4 |
AC | B | Visual Arts - Studio | 4 |
AC | M | Business Administration | 33 |
AC | M | Counseling Psychology | 20 |
AC | M | Rehabilitation Counseling | 35 |
AC | M | School Counseling | 27 |
AC | M | Special Education | 13 |
AC | CAGS | Rehabilitation Counseling | 11 |
AMC | C | Computer Forensics & Investigations | 1 |
AMC | C | Paralegal Studies | 4 |
AMC | A | Nursing | 16 |
AMC | B | Art & Business | 2 |
AMC | B | Art Education | 1 |
AMC | B | Business Administration | 13 |
AMC | B | Catholic Studies | 1 |
AMC | B | Computer Information Science | 1 |
AMC | B | Criminal Justice | 21 |
AMC | B | English | 1 |
AMC | B | English Language Arts | 3 |
AMC | B | Environmental Science | 1 |
AMC | B | Fire Science | 40 |
AMC | B | Graphic Design | 2 |
AMC | B | Health Science | 2 |
AMC | B | Human Development/Human Services | 11 |
AMC | B | Human Growth & Development | 1 |
AMC | B | Humanities | 3 |
AMC | B | Legal Studies | 4 |
AMC | B | Liberal Studies | 3 |
AMC | B | Media Communications | 1 |
AMC | B | Music | 1 |
AMC | B | Music Education | 5 |
AMC | B | Music Therapy | 2 |
AMC | B | Nursing | 13 |
AMC | B | Paralegal Studies | 3 |
AMC | B | Piano Performance | 1 |
AMC | B | Political Science | 1 |
AMC | B | Psychology | 8 |
AMC | B | Self-Designed Program | 1 |
AMC | B | Social Work | 12 |
AMC | B | Sport Management | 2 |
AMC | B | Voice Performance | 2 |
AMC | M | Business Administration | 19 |
AMC | M | Counseling Psychology | 10 |
AMC | M | Criminal Justice | 22 |
AMC | M | Early Childhood Education | 7 |
AMC | M | Elementary Education | 7 |
AMC | M | Emergency Management | 4 |
AMC | M | English Language Arts | 6 |
AMC | M | Justice Administration | 7 |
AMC | M | Kodaly | 1 |
AMC | M | Occupational & Environmental Health & Safety | 1 |
AMC | M | Pastoral Ministry | 6 |
AMC | M | Public Administration | 33 |
AMC | M | Teacher of Visual Art | 7 |
AMC | CAGS | Criminal Justice | 1 |
AMC | CAGS | Psychology | 15 |
AUC | C | Vegetarian Culinary Arts | 1 |
AUC | A | Accounting | 1 |
AUC | A | Business Administration | 1 |
AUC | A | Nursing | 23 |
AUC | B | Accounting | 5 |
AUC | B | Biology | 9 |
AUC | B | Business Administration | 6 |
AUC | B | Business Administration | 6 |
AUC | B | Computer Science | 1 |
AUC | B | Health Science | 4 |
AUC | B | History | 3 |
AUC | B | Liberal Arts | 3 |
AUC | B | Liberal Studies | 1 |
AUC | B | Music Performance | 2 |
AUC | B | Nursing | 4 |
AUC | B | Personal Ministries | 4 |
AUC | B | Psychology | 3 |
AUC | B | Religion | 12 |
AUC | B | Theology | 9 |
AUC | M | Education | 15 |
BC | A | Animal Care | 10 |
BC | A | Business | 1 |
BC | A | Early Childhood Education | 3 |
BC | A | Nursing | 71 |
BC | A | Veterinary Technician | 24 |
BC | B | Biology | 1 |
BC | B | Clinical Medicine (Veterinary) | 5 |
BC | B | Computer Information Systems | 4 |
BC | B | Criminal Justice | 4 |
BC | B | Early Childhood Education | 1 |
BC | B | Elementary Education | 10 |
BC | B | Equine Management | 1 |
BC | B | Financial Accounting | 2 |
BC | B | Forensics/Crime Scene Processing | 1 |
BC | B | Game Design | 8 |
BC | B | Game Programming | 9 |
BC | B | Graphic Design | 14 |
BC | B | Health & Fitness | 12 |
BC | B | Hospitality & Tourism | 6 |
BC | B | Human Resource Management | 3 |
BC | B | Interior Design | 7 |
BC | B | Laboratory Animal Management | 4 |
BC | B | Legal Studies | 3 |
BC | B | Liberal Arts | 1 |
BC | B | Management | 91 |
BC | B | Management/Leadership | 2 |
BC | B | Marketing | 4 |
BC | B | Nursing | 3 |
BC | B | Pre-Veterinary | 10 |
BC | B | Psychology | 28 |
BC | B | Sport Management | 4 |
CHC | B | Anthropology | 9 |
CHC | B | Biology | 53 |
CHC | B | Center for Interdisciplinary Studies | 19 |
CHC | B | Chemistry | 17 |
CHC | B | Classics | 21 |
CHC | B | Computer Science | 1 |
CHC | B | Economics | 99 |
CHC | B | Economics/Accounting | 33 |
CHC | B | English | 100 |
CHC | B | French | 11 |
CHC | B | History | 66 |
CHC | B | Italian | 11 |
CHC | B | Mathematics | 32 |
CHC | B | Music | 8 |
CHC | B | Philosophy | 6 |
CHC | B | Physics | 12 |
CHC | B | Political Science | 91 |
CHC | B | Psychology | 91 |
CHC | B | Religion | 20 |
CHC | B | Russian | 2 |
CHC | B | Sociology | 45 |
CHC | B | Spanish | 31 |
CHC | B | Theatre | 10 |
CHC | B | Visual Art History | 11 |
CHC | B | Visual Art Studio | 19 |
CSVMTU | M | Animals in Public Policy | 5 |
CSVMTU | D | Biomedical Sciences-Infectious Diseases | 1 |
CSVMTU | D | Vet Medicine/Comparative Biomedical Sciences | 1 |
CSVMTU | D | Vet Medicine/Laboratory Animal Medicine | 3 |
CSVMTU | D | Vet Medicine/Public Health | 2 |
CSVMTU | D | Veterinary Medicine | 74 |
CU | B | Ancient Civilization | 5 |
CU | B | Art History | 7 |
CU | B | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 16 |
CU | B | Biology | 24 |
CU | B | Chemistry | 7 |
CU | B | Communication | 4 |
CU | B | Communication & Culture | 33 |
CU | B | Computer Science | 8 |
CU | B | Criminal Justice/Legal Studies | 1 |
CU | B | Economics | 24 |
CU | B | English | 35 |
CU | B | Environmental Science | 16 |
CU | B | Environmental Science & Policy | 1 |
CU | B | Environmental Studies | 1 |
CU | B | French | 3 |
CU | B | Geography | 21 |
CU | B | Global Environmental Studies | 10 |
CU | B | Government & International Relations | 20 |
CU | B | History | 28 |
CU | B | Human Resource Development | 1 |
CU | B | International Development & Social Change | 29 |
CU | B | Management | 34 |
CU | B | Mathematics | 2 |
CU | B | Music | 3 |
CU | B | Philosophy | 6 |
CU | B | Physics | 4 |
CU | B | Political Science | 15 |
CU | B | Psychology | 106 |
CU | B | Screen Studies | 10 |
CU | B | Social Services | 1 |
CU | B | Sociology | 28 |
CU | B | Spanish | 8 |
CU | B | Studio Art | 11 |
CU | B | Theater Arts | 5 |
CU | B | Women's & Gender Studies | 3 |
CU | M | Biology | 2 |
CU | M | Chemistry | 1 |
CU | M | Communication | 34 |
CU | M | Community Development & Planning | 27 |
CU | M | Economics | 8 |
CU | M | Education | 47 |
CU | M | English | 12 |
CU | M | Environmental Science & Policy | 25 |
CU | M | Finance | 83 |
CU | M | Geographic Information Science | 3 |
CU | M | Geography | 9 |
CU | M | GIS for Development & Environment | 7 |
CU | M | History | 2 |
CU | M | Information Technologies | 17 |
CU | M | Interdisciplinary | 2 |
CU | M | International Development & Social Change | 27 |
CU | M | Management | 101 |
CU | M | Physics | 3 |
CU | M | Psychology | 4 |
CU | M | Public Administration | 24 |
CU | CAGS | Interdisciplinary | 1 |
CU | D | Biology | 4 |
CU | D | Chemistry | 3 |
CU | D | Economics | 5 |
CU | D | Geography | 9 |
CU | D | History | 2 |
CU | D | Interdisciplinary | 1 |
CU | D | Physics | 1 |
CU | D | Psychology | 8 |
MCPHS | B | Nursing | 30 |
MCPHS | D | Pharmacy | 140 |
NC | A | Business | 11 |
NC | B | Accounting | 27 |
NC | B | Arts & Entertainment Management | 2 |
NC | B | Business Communication | 3 |
NC | B | Criminal Justice Management | 12 |
NC | B | Economics | 4 |
NC | B | English | 1 |
NC | B | Finance | 11 |
NC | B | General Business | 67 |
NC | B | History | 4 |
NC | B | Human Resource Management | 5 |
NC | B | Legal Studies in Business | 1 |
NC | B | Management | 14 |
NC | B | Management Information Systems | 3 |
NC | B | Marketing | 24 |
NC | B | Mathematics | 2 |
NC | B | Psychology | 6 |
NC | B | Sport Management | 37 |
NC | M | Business | 64 |
NC | M | Leadership | 3 |
QCC | C | Accounting Assistant/Finance Assistant | 14 |
QCC | C | Applications Specialist | 3 |
QCC | C | Automotive Maintenance & Light Repair | 3 |
QCC | C | Biotechnology Technician | 9 |
QCC | C | Business Administration | 10 |
QCC | C | Clerical Office | 4 |
QCC | C | Computer Aided Design | 4 |
QCC | C | Computer Forensics | 8 |
QCC | C | Database | 1 |
QCC | C | Dental Assisting | 8 |
QCC | C | Direct Support | 3 |
QCC | C | Early Childhood Education for Assistant Teachers | 2 |
QCC | C | Electronics Technology | 3 |
QCC | C | EMT Paramedic | 3 |
QCC | C | Energy Utility Technology | 17 |
QCC | C | Food Service Management | 1 |
QCC | C | Hospitality Management | 6 |
QCC | C | Human Services | 20 |
QCC | C | Infant/Toddler Training | 1 |
QCC | C | Law Enforcement | 8 |
QCC | C | Manufacturing Technology | 2 |
QCC | C | Medical Assisting | 6 |
QCC | C | Medical Office | 19 |
QCC | C | Network Specialist | 9 |
QCC | C | Personal Computer Specialist | 7 |
QCC | C | Practical Nursing | 63 |
QCC | C | Surgical Technology | 3 |
QCC | C | Web Applications | 4 |
QCC | A | Allied Dental Services - Health Sciences Option | 1 |
QCC | A | Applied Arts - Computer Graphic Design | 14 |
QCC | A | Automotive Technology | 3 |
QCC | A | Basic Engineering | 18 |
QCC | A | Business Administration Career | 47 |
QCC | A | Business Administration Transfer | 114 |
QCC | A | Complementary Health | 3 |
QCC | A | Computer Information Systems | 8 |
QCC | A | Computer Systems Engineering Technology | 13 |
QCC | A | Criminal Justice | 79 |
QCC | A | Dental Hygiene | 30 |
QCC | A | Early Childhood Education | 42 |
QCC | A | Electromechanical Technology | 5 |
QCC | A | Electronics Technology | 6 |
QCC | A | Fire Science | 5 |
QCC | A | General Studies | 131 |
QCC | A | Hotel/Restaurant Management | 11 |
QCC | A | Human Service Degree | 41 |
QCC | A | Liberal Arts | 56 |
QCC | A | Manufacturing Technology | 2 |
QCC | A | Medical Support Specialist - Medical Assisting | 7 |
QCC | A | Nurse Education | 100 |
QCC | A | Occupational Therapy Assistant | 13 |
QCC | A | Paramedic Technology | 10 |
QCC | A | Radiologic Technology | 15 |
QCC | A | Respiratory Care | 9 |
QCC | A | Telecommunications Technology | 19 |
UMMS | M | Adult Acute/Critical Care Nurse Practitioner | 12 |
UMMS | M | Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner | 11 |
UMMS | M | Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacy | 2 |
UMMS | M | Family Nurse Practitioner | 12 |
UMMS | M | Immunology & Virology | 1 |
UMMS | M | Nurse Educator | 2 |
UMMS | M | Population-Based Research | 1 |
UMMS | M | Translational Research | 3 |
UMMS | D | Advanced Practical Nursing Leadership | 4 |
UMMS | D | Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacy | 5 |
UMMS | D | Cancer Biology | 8 |
UMMS | D | Clinical & Pop Health Research | 6 |
UMMS | D | Doctorate in Nursing | 2 |
UMMS | D | Immunology & Virology | 7 |
UMMS | D | Interdisciplinary Graduate Program | 12 |
UMMS | D | Medicine | 101 |
UMMS | D | Millennium PhD Program | 1 |
UMMS | D | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | 1 |
UMMS | D | Neuroscience | 6 |
WPI | B | Actuarial Mathematics | 17 |
WPI | B | Aerospace Engineering | 28 |
WPI | B | Biochemistry | 27 |
WPI | B | Biology & Biotechnology | 47 |
WPI | B | Biomedical Engineering | 42 |
WPI | B | Chemical Engineering | 55 |
WPI | B | Chemistry | 12 |
WPI | B | Civil Engineering | 64 |
WPI | B | Computer Science | 64 |
WPI | B | Electrical & Computer Engineering | 73 |
WPI | B | Engineering Physics | 1 |
WPI | B | Environmental Engineering | 6 |
WPI | B | Environmental Policy & Development | 1 |
WPI | B | Humanities & Arts | 1 |
WPI | B | Industrial Engineering | 17 |
WPI | B | Interactive Media & Game Development | 35 |
WPI | B | Interdisciplinary | 2 |
WPI | B | Management | 5 |
WPI | B | Management Engineering | 22 |
WPI | B | Management Information Systems | 16 |
WPI | B | Manufacturing Engineering | 2 |
WPI | B | Mathematical Sciences | 8 |
WPI | B | Mechanical Engineering | 148 |
WPI | B | Physics | 11 |
WPI | B | Psychological Science | 1 |
WPI | B | Robotics Engineering | 10 |
WPI | B | Society, Technology & Policy | 2 |
WPI | B | System Dynamics | 3 |
WPI | M | Applied Mathematics | 5 |
WPI | M | Applied Statistics | 3 |
WPI | M | Biochemistry | 1 |
WPI | M | Biology & Biotechnology | 4 |
WPI | M | Biomedical Engineering | 16 |
WPI | M | Bioscience Administration | 3 |
WPI | M | Business Administration | 23 |
WPI | M | Chemical Engineering | 3 |
WPI | M | Civil Engineering | 16 |
WPI | M | Computer Science | 25 |
WPI | M | Construction Project Management | 4 |
WPI | M | Electrical & Computer Engineering | 43 |
WPI | M | Environmental Engineering | 6 |
WPI | M | Financial Mathematics | 7 |
WPI | M | Fire Protection Engineering | 36 |
WPI | M | Industrial Mathematics | 2 |
WPI | M | Information Technology | 22 |
WPI | M | Interdisciplinary | 16 |
WPI | M | Manufacturing Engineering | 23 |
WPI | M | Marketing & Technical Innovation | 10 |
WPI | M | Materials Science & Engineering | 15 |
WPI | M | Mathematics for Education | 4 |
WPI | M | Mechanical Engineering | 48 |
WPI | M | Operations & Information Technology | 1 |
WPI | M | Operations Design & Leadership | 13 |
WPI | M | Physics | 3 |
WPI | M | Power Systems Management | 2 |
WPI | M | System Dynamics | 2 |
WPI | M | Systems Engineering | 26 |
WPI | D | Biomedical Engineering | 1 |
WPI | D | Biotechnology | 1 |
WPI | D | Chemical Engineering | 2 |
WPI | D | Chemistry | 2 |
WPI | D | Civil Engineering | 2 |
WPI | D | Computer Science | 4 |
WPI | D | Electrical & Computer Engineering | 8 |
WPI | D | Fire Protection Engineering | 1 |
WPI | D | Manufacturing Engineering | 3 |
WPI | D | Materials Science & Engineering | 5 |
WPI | D | Mathematical Sciences | 2 |
WPI | D | Mechanical Engineering | 1 |
WPI | D | Physics | 2 |
WSU | B | Biology | 37 |
WSU | B | Biotechnology | 12 |
WSU | B | Business Administration | 167 |
WSU | B | Chemistry | 17 |
WSU | B | Communication | 52 |
WSU | B | Communication Sciences & Disorders | 35 |
WSU | B | Community Health | 15 |
WSU | B | Computer Science | 12 |
WSU | B | Criminal Justice | 52 |
WSU | B | Early Childhood Education | 18 |
WSU | B | Economics | 8 |
WSU | B | Elementary Education | 13 |
WSU | B | English | 21 |
WSU | B | Geography | 6 |
WSU | B | Health Education | 21 |
WSU | B | History | 39 |
WSU | B | Mathematics | 10 |
WSU | B | Natural Science | 14 |
WSU | B | Nursing | 51 |
WSU | B | Occupational Studies | 13 |
WSU | B | Psychology | 129 |
WSU | B | Sociology | 11 |
WSU | B | Spanish | 3 |
WSU | B | Urban Studies | 12 |
WSU | C T | Early Childhood Education | 4 |
WSU | C T | Education | 68 |
WSU | CT | Elementary Education | 8 |
WSU | M | Biotechnology | 8 |
WSU | M | Community Health Nursing | 5 |
WSU | M | Early Childhood Education | 3 |
WSU | M | Education | 1 |
WSU | M | Elementary Education | 6 |
WSU | M | English | 3 |
WSU | M | Health Care Administration | 19 |
WSU | M | Health Education | 7 |
WSU | M | History | 12 |
WSU | M | Leadership & Education Administration | 18 |
WSU | M | Management | 4 |
WSU | M | Middle School Education | 4 |
WSU | M | Middle/Secondary Education | 2 |
WSU | M | Moderate Special Needs | 5 |
WSU | M | Nonprofit Management | 6 |
WSU | M | Occupational Therapy | 17 |
WSU | M | Reading | 5 |
WSU | M | School Psychology | 9 |
WSU | M | Secondary Education | 19 |
WSU | M | Spanish | 5 |
WSU | M | Speech Language Pathology | 28 |
WSU | CAGS | School Psychology | 9 |
7361 |
Featured 2010 Graduates
The members of the Class of 2010 featured here all elected to remain in the Greater Worcester area after graduation and landed jobs before completion of their degree. They represent a growing number of Consortium graduates whose higher education experience - both academic and cultural - convince them of the value of living and working in the region.
Anna Maria College
Sarah Kelly
Sarah Kelly ‘10 of Rochdale graduated from Anna Maria College with a BA in Social Work. Sarah selected AMC for its close-knit community and well-respected education program. As a freshman, she intended to study education and become a teacher. However, as she began her course of study, she found her professional calling down a different path. “I began my college career thinking that I wanted to teach,” explains Sarah. “After taking a social work course, I knew that I found my true passion.” One of the few accredited bachelor’s programs in the area, the AMC Social Work program provides students with an in-depth study of the profession and over 425 hours of field work, which prepares them to enter the job market upon graduation. For Sarah, the AMC social work program became a life-changing experience.
With a desire to help others, Sarah became a leader on campus, serving as an officer of the AMC Social Action Group. She played an integral role in many of the organization’s programs, including hosting a holiday party for foster children in the Department of Child Services, serving meals at the Mustard Seed, and coordinating clothing drives to benefit Abby’s House. At the College’s 2010 commencement, Sarah was presented with the Bishop Timothy J. Harrington Award, which recognizes a graduating senior who has demonstrated compassionate service in the promotion of peace and justice. Sarah was acknowledged for her compassion for individuals in need and her commitment to social justice.
Upon graduation, Sarah took a position with Community Healthlink, Inc. in Worcester as a case manager in the organization’s Tenancy Preservation Program. Working at Community Healthlink was one of Sarah’s field service placements when she was studying at AMC. Her professionalism and knowledge resulted in a full-time position.
Sarah Kelly has already given much to the Worcester community. As a student she was involved in various service-learning and internship projects. As a trained professional, she will continue to be a leader in providing services and compassion to those in need.
Assumption College
Julia Gaudet
Julia Gaudet ‘10 of Seekonk majored in marketing with a minor in sociology at Assumption College. Even as a first-year student, Julia knew she wanted to live and work somewhere between Worcester and Boston after graduation. Her professional goal was to work in advertising or philanthropy.
“At Assumption, I was actively involved both on and off campus. Among other activities, I volunteered at not-for-profit organizations and led my own mentor/student-based program. Also, I was an active member of Residential Life and a student leader for three years. These experiences were exciting, rewarding and, at times, very challenging. However, I was able to learn and take these lessons with me beyond my student experience at Assumption. I was able to build and maintain many relationships with staff, administrators and peers. Overall, by taking chances and getting involved, I was able to allow myself to grow not only on an academic level at Assumption, but also as an individual as well.
“Assumption offered me many opportunities that began in the classroom and extended to my close relationships with professors, administrators and peers. The College supports students and wants everyone to get the most out of their experience. I was able to work very closely with Career Services on campus, to find an entry-level position that worked for me. It was a long journey, considering the state of the economy, but through my own dedication and the aid I got from Career Services I was able to find and be hired as an assistant account executive at Staples, Inc. in Framingham.
“With its small classes, dedicated professors and numerous activities on campus, Assumption provides students with many opportunities to learn and grow. I would recommend that students think about how they want to get involved in campus life -- whether it is through sports, academic groups or student leadership – and then reach out to administrators and peers to join right away. Getting involved opens so many doors for students at Assumption; I truly feel that it shapes their overall college experience and their lives after graduation.”
David W. Graham, Jr.
A resident of Northbridge, David Graham ‘10 became a business management major at Assumption College with a goal – a high-impact career in business with a company that gets involved with the community.
“Throughout my college years I knew I wanted to work at a company where I could learn the business and develop professionally. Starting my career in the insurance field was always on my radar. It became my number-one choice after I learned more about The Hanover Insurance Group here in Worcester where I am now a business analyst. It’s one of the leading property and casualty insurers in the country, and it’s committed to making an impact in the community, with a special focus on youth and education.
“My time at Assumption shaped me both personally and professionally. Being a business studies tutor in the academic support center, president of my hall council and a member of the student finance committee on campus helped me strengthen my organization and leadership skills.
“In today’s business world, college graduates must be able to adapt to an ever-changing environment. Assumption taught me to be a critical and independent thinker. By combining classroom concepts with real-world experience, Assumption prepared me to apply and expand on my education.
“I would recommend Assumption to today’s high school seniors because its small class size and dedicated professors enable students to get the most out of their education. In addition, events hosted by the Student Activities Office and clubs provide students with inexpensive options for fun. Assumption is a great choice for any student who wants to be part of a close and supportive academic college community.
“I chose to remain in central Massachusetts because it offers an amazing social atmosphere for a young professional. With the DCU Center, Hanover Theatre, Worcester Art Museum and some top restaurants in the area, Worcester provides all the amenities of a larger city, such as Boston, at a more affordable price.“
Atlantic Union College
Clarissa Dacil
Clarissa Dacil ‘08, an Atlantic Union College (AUC) graduate, works on a team of microbiologists, ensuring the pharmaceuticals that millions of people depend on are of the highest possible quality. “I work for Aerotek, which placed me at a biopharma facility in Devens,” Dacil said. “We ensure the quality of the pharmaceuticals by performing environmental monitoring. We swab the surfaces of the facility to pick up any possible samples of microscopic life and particles, incubate them to promote growth of anything that is present, and document our findings. We also test the quality of the water being used at the site.”
Her team makes sure its site maintains a clean and safe environment for the production of pharmaceuticals. If Dacil’s team discovers contaminants, a cleaning crew sterilizes the area. Dacil said pharmaceuticals can easily be compromised by bacteria and other microscopic specimens.
She has done well in this demanding job because of her intense education at AUC. “AUC specifically prepared me for work as a microbiologist,” Dacil said. “I gained a great deal of knowledge through both theoretical and hands-on studies. The lab classes made me very familiar with important techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, asceptic identification, classification, incubation, and counting, and the spreading of bacteria. This made me comfortable when I began work.”
In addition to a challenging academic course load, which included microbiology and genetics studies, she enjoyed extracurricular activities such as singing in the Black Christian Union Choir and playing intramural basketball.
Dacil, a devout Seventh-day Adventist Christian, said her time at AUC was literally divine. “I believe God chose AUC for me. AUC prepared me for the professional world in ways that can hardly be described in words. It offered me a well-rounded education.”
Kate Kilbourn and Jason Knopp
Biology majors Kate Kilbourn ‘10 and Jason Knopp ‘10 are out to preserve the Town of Lancaster’s natural environment. Since March, the students have worked with the Groton-based Nashua River Water Shed Association (NRWA). Their job is to certify a vernal pool in the middle of Lancaster State Forest and is part of their senior science research project at Atlantic Union College (AUC). The certification will prevent developers from cutting down trees, draining water, leveling the land, or building on it in any way.
“Vernal pools appear in the spring and dry up in the summer,” Kilbourn said. “They serve as critical breeding grounds for frogs, salamanders, insects, and fairy shrimp. You know you’ve got a vernal pool if you find fairy shrimp. They cannot breed in permanent bodies of water because the fish would eat their eggs and there are no fish in a vernal pool.”
The first step of their research was to trek into Lancaster State Forest and establish the presence of important species in the body of water to prove it is a vernal pool. The main entrance to the forest is located on Lunenberg Road (Route 70). The vernal pool is about the size of a football field, and was formed by melting snow and heavy spring rains. Kilbourn and Knopp quickly discovered the frogs, salamanders and fairy shrimp. “Now we have to provide the Town with GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) coordinates for the pool, a topographical map of it, and a Google earth image,” Knopp said.
While vernal pools mean life to fairy shrimp, Kilbourn said they indicate to scientists that the surrounding ecosystem is very delicate and needs to be protected from development. “Once a vernal pool is certified it is afforded more protection [from contamination and deforestation] under the Wetlands Protection Act,” said Martha Morgan, Water Programs director for the NRWA. “Fairy shrimp are the big species, but there are also blue-spotted salamanders, and wood frogs.” Morgan said the Nashua River Watershed Association has supervised the work of Kilbourn and Knopp.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “This project was undertaken in connection of the settlement of an administrative enforcement action, In the Matter of Atlantic Union College, Docket Nos. CWA-01-2009-0020 and EPCRA-01-2009-0021, taken on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act and EPCRA.”
In August of 2008, an oil leak from a broken generator seal got into a nearby brook unbeknownst to the College. Morgan said AUC paid a fine to the Massachusetts State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), paid for the cleanup, and funded the certification of the vernal pool.
The project will secure the quality of the local environment, Morgan said “It’s a great project for the NRWA and a great project for the Town,” she said. “It benefits the Town because it makes the law preserve the natural environment.”
“We work with the NRWA and they work with the local and state government,” Knopp explained. “Documenting the vernal pool protects the Town from residential, commercial and industrial development in the area where the pool is located.”
Biology Professor Tim Trott said the project gave Kilbourn and Knopp valuable real-world scientific research experience. “We, in the sciences, are very excited about it as it really is the perfect community engagement/service learning project.”
Becker College
Sara Stacey
Becker College students are spirited, with a determination that marks their growth toward graduation. Sara Stacey ‘10 is one such graduate who took the fullest advantage of opportunities afforded by the college’s supportive, close-knit community.
Stacey came to Worcester from Biddeford, ME and immersed herself in college life by taking on work-study, two years as a resident assistant and becoming Student Government Association treasurer. Joining the Community Service Club introduced her to many more classmates and took her to new communities on the Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Collegiate Challenge.
Internships are a crucial path toward employment and often result in strong community ties. All Star Incentive Marketing Agency in Sturbridge cemented their relationship with the graphic design graduate by hiring her after her senior internship.
“My experience as a resident assistant and being involved with student government strengthened my team-work skills; now I use those skills every day.” Stacey says living and working in multi-cultural Greater Worcester has been a major life change; she has been welcomed and is thriving in her new community.
Jonathan Samuelson
Jonathan Samuelson grew up in Charlton. He has the unique satisfaction of someone who was able to follow their dream by getting an education and working in the place they are happy to call home.
“This is where I grew up so I will always have a sense of home in central Massachusetts,” says Samuelson. “Massachusetts offers a little bit of everything, plenty of countryside if that’s what you enjoy or a great city with plenty to offer.”
Like many Becker students, Samuelson worked while attending college. While earning his bachelor’s degree in veterinary science, he had plenty of opportunity to gain hands-on experience working in his chosen field. After completing internships and service-learning placements at various animal health facilities, he joined GTC Biotherapeutics, where he works now as a farm technician.
At GTC, Samuelson works primarily with a herd of dairy goats, “feeding, milking, cleaning and performing various animal husbandry tasks,” he said. “I like working with the animals, and goats are very friendly,” says Samuelson. “Sometimes they are little too curious for their own good. I also enjoy getting to work outside most of the day with some great people.”
College of the Holy Cross
Yachira Torres
Yachira Torres was born in Puerto Rico and came to the U.S. when she was just four years old. She grew up in Worcester, lived in Plumley Village, and went to North High School.
The first person in her family to attend college, she was an English major at the College of the Holy Cross. A member of the Class of 2010, Yachira has accepted a position in the Fellows Program at the Nativity School of Worcester, a two-year commitment serving as an advisor, tutor, proctor and coach.
“The best way to give back is to go back,” says Torres. “I look forward to applying the things that I have learned at Holy Cross to better serve my community. I know that Worcester’s youth want young leaders to look up to as a source of inspiration.”
The Nativity School is an independent, Jesuit middle school that provides a quality, all-scholarship education to under-served boys of all faiths. The idea of establishing a Nativity School in Worcester came from the senior administration at Holy Cross. The College championed the school in the Worcester community, and its faculty, staff and students continue to be closely involved by volunteering in numerous ways.
Active in the Worcester community while at Holy Cross, Torres was a student coordinator who oversaw many initiatives that brought Holy Cross volunteers together with North High students – from staffing the after-school homework center to hosting the Collegiate Success Institute (CSI), which helps prepare low-income high school students for college or the work force. Through the program, North High students visit Holy Cross twice a week, where they learn about the college application process, receive assistance filling out financial aid paper work, improve their interviewing skills, and participate in career prep and corporate workshops. Torres says she wishes this program existed while she was a student.
Torres received the 2010 Young Leader Award at the Telegram & Gazette’s Visions Awards ceremony for her work as a mentor in the CSI. She was also an instructor for the Plumley Village Girls Empowerment Group, a program with 25 girls, ages 12 to 15, who meet twice a week to discuss issues that affect them, such as self-esteem and body image. Torres is currently serving as a young alumni representative on the Holy Cross Board of Trustees.
Clark University
Laura Faulkner
Clark is known for fostering a strong sense of community. Clark graduate Laura Faulkner ‘10, of western Massachusetts, was fortunate enough to fully integrate herself into this network of alumni, faculty and students.
This past year, she worked at Clark’s Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise under the guidance of Director James Gomes, Sociology Professor Robert Ross, and Psychology Professor Denise Hines. The experience provided her with an opportunity to engage in one of Clark’s signature hallmarks: use-inspired research.
Faulkner researched social policy, state budgetary constraints, workforce development programming and demographics, and was able to lead a team of undergraduates in researching the recession and its impact on families. She presented this research to legislators and their staff in March 2010.
“This opportunity allowed me to grow as an independent researcher and secure invaluable connections with individuals affiliated with Clark, such as the Mosakowski Institute Director Jim Gomes,” she said. “Clark offers a multitude of opportunities for students who choose to take advantage of networking and research which allows students to work closely with faculty and staff.”
Faulkner, who recently received her BA in political science, is living and working in Greater Worcester and is enrolled in Clark’s Accelerated BA/Master’s Program. She is taking evening courses through Clark’s College of Professional and Continuing Education (COPACE) and will receive a Master’s Degreee in Public Administration (MPA) next spring.
Faulkner has accepted a part-time position as an administrative assistant working for former Clark Trustee Lauren Stiller Rikleen at the Bowditch Institute for Women’s Success (a subsidiary of the law firm Bowditch & Dewey LLP). According to Faulkner, her passion for workforce development, specifically pertaining to the advancement and retention of women, “fit the Bowditch Institute’s mission perfectly.”
“When I was given the job offer for a part-time position researching women’s retention and advancement in the workplace, Generation Y in the workplace, and social media/webpage maintenance, I jumped at the opportunity to work for Ms. Rikleen and the Bowditch Institute,” she said.
Jaime E. Adler
Clark alumna Jaime Adler ’09, MSPC ’10 was attracted to Clark because of its diverse student body, academic programs and commitment to community service. She declared a double major in Communication and Culture and Women and Gender Studies.
“I was interested in Clark’s Communications Program because it is theoretical, and centered on social culture rather than the media,” she said.
“I have always been interested in gender issues and being able to major in it at Clark gave me a strong foundation in the theory and new eyes through which to see society.”
While at Clark she was co-director of VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood, Planned Parenthood’s student affiliated group. Jaime was also a head resident advisor for three years and helped organize V-Week, part of the events leading up to a performance of “The Vagina Monologues.” During her sophomore year, she worked for the Clark Fund and did cold calling to alumni and donors, raising thousands of dollars. She also gained experience off campus, interning and volunteering with Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts as a grassroots intern for several years and interning for Project: Think Different, a nonprofit media literacy organization targeting education to inner-city youth.
While she pursued her MSPC through Clark’s Accelerated BA/Master’s Program, she worked as a graduate assistant in the Career Services Office and in the Disability Office, assisting students with resumes, cover letters, career questions, disability needs, academic probation and academic advising. She also volunteered at the Rape Crisis Center of Central Massachusetts as a counselor and as an outreach intern with Worcester’s Healthy Start Initiative.
“It has been a lot of fun exploring Worcester over the past five years and getting to know all of the city’s gems and hot spots,” she said.
Adler recently became aware of an opportunity to work for the Office of State Senator Harriette L. Chandler (D-Worcester) through a Clark alumnus who was leaving the position.
“Since Sen. Chandler is a Clark alumna herself she knows the value of a Clark education. She and I have many of the same social interests and this position as a communications director on her staff will be an excellent opportunity for me to use the skills I learned at Clark, both through undergrad and grad school,” said Adler.
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Adam Boardman, DVM
After more than eight years as a news producer at Boston’s Channel 5 and Channel 7, Adam Boardman knew he needed a change. One idea kept re-entering his mind: becoming a veterinarian like he dreamed as a child. With a degree from Ithaca College, as well as some pre-requisite science courses from Harvard’s extension school and Northeastern University, Adam applied to New England’s only veterinary school and enrolled in the Class of 2010.
His first impression of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine’s campus, he says, was like something out of a book. The stand-alone campus, some 596 acres in Grafton, is picturesque. “I drove up Route 30, with the trees hanging over the road and changing colors in the fall, and I thought to myself, this is exactly what a veterinary school should look like,” he says. Located 35 miles west of the university’s undergraduate campus in Medford, the veterinary school also impressed him with the variety of facilities dedicated to animal health: a hospital for large animals, a stand-alone wildlife clinic, clinical and basic science research operations, and one of the nation’s busiest small animal hospitals.
While here, the now-Dr. Boardman learned from a hands-on faculty who not only teach, but also staff the school’s three on-campus clinics. “By the time I got to my clinical rotations during my fourth year, I already knew most of the faculty,” he says. He also participated in the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association and helped organize two of the national organization’s symposia. In addition, he volunteered for the Student Livestock Organization – and after an overnight on “heifer watch,” got to see a calf born at the school’s on-campus farm.
Dr. Boardman now works alongside a 1993 graduate of the Cummings School, Dr. Stuart Bleck, at Bleck’s Family Friends Veterinary Hospital in Boxboro. The decision to remain in Greater Worcester was easy, he says – it’s near his family in West Hartford CT and near his friends in Boston. But the region itself also has a great deal to offer. “The people in this area are great, they love their pets, and they take good care of them,” he says. “They’re very down to earth and easy to communicate with.”
Lindsey Martell, DVM
Growing up in New England, Dr. Lindsey Martell always knew she wanted to study at Tufts’ veterinary school and become a veterinarian. Just ask her parents, whom she told at the age of five about her goal. The New Hampshire native earned a bachelor’s degree from Drew University in biology and environmental science, and then set her sights on becoming a veterinarian specializing in horses with a degree from Tufts.
While undergoing her first clinical rotation in anesthesia at the school’s Foster Hospital for Small Animals, however, she had a sudden change of heart about her equine-focused ambitions. “I was assisting with an induction on a dog, before he went in for surgery,” she says. “And I looked up and said, ‘I could do this for the rest of my life.’” With the goal of becoming a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist, Dr. Martell stayed on at the Cummings School as an intern in the Foster Hospital’s anesthesia service – and hopes to undertake a residency afterward.
While she was a candidate for her doctor of veterinary medicine degree, Martell was quite active in campus life - serving as vice president of the school’s Alpha Psi fraternity, volunteering at the Tufts Wildlife Clinic and helping to host events for the campus chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Now living in Northbridge, Dr. Martell says there is no place she’d rather call home. “In terms of veterinary medicine, the Northeast is a great area to practice. Pets are really part of the family, and we get to do things here that you don’t get to do elsewhere,” she says. “I love the country atmosphere here in Grafton, but there’s also plenty of city life right nearby.”
Mass. College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Nicholas Lucier
Being in an accelerated PharmD program, there isn’t a lot of time left for other activities. That is why Nicholas Lucier ’10 of Leominster had to make the most of what little time he did have. During his three years at MCPHS, he worked a few shifts a week at Rite Aid Pharmacy. He felt it was important to experience the real-world application of what he was learning in the classroom. “It is one thing to hear about it from a lecturing professor and another thing entirely to encounter it in the real world,” he says. Nicholas was able to travel to the APhA (American Pharmacists Association) annual meetings held in San Diego, San Antonio, and Washington, DC where he was able to connect with pharmacy students from around the country and learn the different challenges they were facing in their home states. These experiences helped Nicholas become a well-balanced student and now a well-balanced pharmacist.
Nicholas is currently working at Rite Aid Pharmacy. He was lucky enough to be an intern with them for the three years he was in school, and after graduation, they offered him a job. For now, he is a floater pharmacist. He doesn’t have a store of his own yet, so he goes to the different stores in the district to fill in where needed. He has worked from Pepperell to Milford, and everywhere in between. “It is great to travel to the different towns and meet different people,” he says. “Rite Aid also gave me the opportunity to become a certified immunizing pharmacist. Now that flu season is here, the days are getting busier.” At first he was nervous giving people shots, not knowing how they would react. But now it has become second nature. He also enjoys getting out from behind the counter and spending time with the customers. Some of them are surprised to realize that he can do more than “just count pills.” Nicholas is just one of many graduates showing patients what the “New Pharmacist” can do.
Nichols College
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. The two Nichols seniors profiled below told us they felt “very prepared” to meet the competition head on, thanks, in part, to the Professional Development Seminar’s focus on practice interviews and the development of resumes and portfolios, as well as the Office of Career Services ramped-up effort with recruiting sessions and job clubs. They made intelligent career decisions by taking incremental, critical steps to hone their talents and skills. And they strategically planned to get what they want by “getting out there,” putting in long hours at internships (some multiple), making contacts in their area of career choice, and staying focused on the goal of realizing a return on their educational investment.
Sara Bailey
Sara Bailey ’10 of Athol brings her field hockey team leadership skills to her job. As a field hockey star, Sara holds two Nichols career records: most goals (50) and most points (115). She made an equally aggressive off-the-field effort to find an experiential, paid internship at Graham, Hockings & Shepherd, PC in Worcester which ultimately opened doors for an accounting career. She arranged her schedule in the spring to take classes in the morning and intern in the afternoon.
An accounting/management major, Bailey used her student-athlete accomplishments as a conversational ice-breaker when interviewing for an entry-level accounting position. “Interviewers were particularly interested in discussing my time-management skills and discipline juggling both academics with sports,” she comments.
Bailey recalls how she was with her parents when she got a call from Nichols alum and Greenberg, Rosenblatt, Kull & Bitola Vice President David Mayotte ’91, stating that she had gotten a job at his firm with a handsome salary package with full benefits. She is the first member of her Athol family to graduate from a four-year college, and her parents were ecstatic.
Bailey’s advice to other seniors: “Get your face out there and shake a lot of hands.”
Derek Cassell
Derek believes new business is just a call away at Liberty Mutual’s Auburn office.
In the summer of his junior year as a marketing major, Oxford native Derek Cassell ‘10 hit the jackpot when he starting working in a paid internship for $18/hr. at the fifth largest P&C insurance company in the United States, Liberty Mutual in Auburn. He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, a sales manager for Liberty, by prospecting for new business and working closely with branch sales representatives.
Cassell states that his favorite professor, Larry Muller, prepared him for his new business career, as well as the practice he received doing mock interviews and writing resumes, part of his coursework in Nichols’ four-year Professional Development Seminar.
Cassell started his full-time position after graduation at a base salary of $40K during several months of intensive training. Then, his salary will incrementally decrease until it is substantially dependent on commissions.
Cassell’s advice to other seniors: “Everyone you meet is a potential employer…or customer!”
Quinsigamond Community College
John Huynh
Many inspiring stories begin at Quinsigamond Community College (QCC). In the case of John Huynh, his remarkable path continued through QCC when he enrolled in the fall of 2002 only months after arriving from Vietnam to reunite with his wife. While his life partner and true love is what brought him to Worcester, John professes a sincere passion for computers as well. A man of few words, John says simply, “I love computers.”
Having already earned a BS in computer information systems in his native Vietnam, John decided to pursue an associate’s degree in computer systems engineering technology (CSET) at QCC to familiarize himself with an entirely new programming language.
John is now using the skills he obtained in the CSET program at Viet-net Travel, a small business at the intersection of Green and Plymouth streets in Worcester. John began working there in September 2007. As with many students who attend QCC, John worked while he chipped away at his degree on a part-time basis. Viet-net Travel Agency is a Vietnamese-owned business that offers mainly Southeast Asian families affordable rates on flights around the world. As a customer service representative, John has many responsibilities. He quipped, “I do everything here. Fix computers. Answer phones. They keep me busy.”
The combination of his coursework at QCC and work experience prepared John to be a “jack-of-different-trades” at Viet-net Travel. When asked to name a professor who really prepared him to succeed beyond QCC, John found it difficult to name his absolute favorite. Initially, he named three faculty members. When pressed to pick one of them, he responded, “I liked Betty Lauer [CSET coordinator] a lot.” After a brief pause, he smiled and offered, “Charu [Charulata Trivedi, associate professor of CIS] too!”
John Huynh’s journey is a remarkable love story that culminated with an associate’s degree this past May. Given his love affair with computers, it is fair to assume that John will find his way back into the classroom sooner rather than later to stay abreast of developments in the field.
UMass Medical School
Marie King, MD, PhD
From community college to medical school – public education allowed this MD/PhD to reach her goals. For Marie King ‘10, graduation on June 6 marked the end of a journey that spanned the breadth of the Massachusetts higher education system, beginning in 1996 at Quinsigamond Community College and culminating at the University of Massachusetts Worcester, where she earned her MD/PhD degree. In the process, she has shown what public education can do for residents with a dream – and the passion to fulfill that dream.
King, a Spencer native, didn’t enroll in college after high school and for six years did “all the jobs you do when you don’t have an education.” She worked as a waitress and a third-shift machine operator but always knew she wanted to go to medical school, so she began by enrolling at QCC.
Finishing at the top of her class, King won a scholarship to UMass Amherst. In 2001, she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, and then completed a master’s degree in molecular and cellular biology in 2003.
Her ultimate goal, however, was always to become a physician. She applied to several medical schools across the nation. When she learned that she was accepted to UMass Worcester, she knew it was where she wanted to be. “UMass Worcester has a great reputation for nurturing and supporting students,” said King. “It has a top research program and is committed to fostering a learning environment that allows students to reach their potential.”
In July King began her residency in emergency medicine at UMass Memorial Health Care. After 15 years in academics, King is looking forward to doing her residency in Worcester. “This is a special place for me,” said King. “A lot of people talk about going back home after medical school and residency. I’m lucky that I’m able to stay here and help the people of my community.”
King acknowledges that without the availability of a quality public higher education system in Massachusetts – from community college to medical school – she might not have been able to achieve the goals she set 15 years ago. “People don’t appreciate the impact that public education has on people, but for me it provided an option for realizing my goals.”
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Andrew Bartley
Andrew Bartley ‘10 is a graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he majored in biology and biotechnology, concentrating in cell and molecular biology and genetics.
Bartley focused his academic research on biotechnology and sustainability issues. All WPI undergraduate students are required to complete two research-driven projects, the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) and the Major Qualifying Project (MQP), undertaken in the junior and senior years, respectively. Through the IQP, WPI students – whether they are pursuing studies in science, engineering, technology management, or the humanities – gain experience in tackling problems that lie at the interface of science, technology, social issues, and human needs. This unique, interdisciplinary requirement brings together students from across campus to research and address real challenges that affect people and communities at home and around the globe. The MQP, meanwhile, is a professional-level design or research experience. Generally undertaken in teams, and often sponsored by corporations or other external organizations, this capstone project is an integral element of WPI’s project-enriched education, which offers exceptional preparation for successful and rewarding lives and careers.
Bartley’s junior-year project helped raise awareness in response to sustainability issues facing the communities in the Interstate 495/Metrowest region by promoting a “Green Infrastructure Toolkit.” His senior-year project focused on HIV-related research.
He remains active in volunteering and participating in the university’s Greek Life programs as a member of WPI’s Theta Chi fraternity. Some of the honors Bartley garnered as an undergrad include being named the WPI Greek Advisory Council’s Humanitarian of the Year, Greek Officer of the Year, and Risk Manager of the Year. He was also recognized with Theta Chi’s Epsilon Chapter’s MVP and Helping Hand awards.
A native of Durham, ME, Bartley now works as a research associate at Worcester-based biotechnology company EpigenDx and is enrolled in WPI’s MBA program in biotechnology management. He chose to work and continue his education in Worcester, he says, because “the cost of living in Worcester is pretty low, and there are still all the perks of living in a city, like great restaurants, culture, jobs, a variety of businesses nearby, and public transportation. Plus, Worcester is also still close enough to travel to Maine to see my family on weekends.”
Audra Sosny
Audra Sosny ’10 graduated from WPI, where she majored in industrial engineering. Born and raised in Worcester, Sosny has decided to stay in Worcester, having landed a business analyst job at The Hanover Insurance Group.
During her junior year at WPI, Sosny completed an internship with Bedford-based iRobot Corp., where she worked on the development of an advanced bomb-defusing prototype. The internship stemmed from a survey she conducted for her junior-year research project, the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP). Her experience with iRobot continued as, through her senior-year Major Qualifying Project (MQP), she helped create a more efficient work environment by recommending ways to increase cross-program collaboration at the company.
Sosny chose to study and work in Worcester for the chance to achieve her educational and career goals. The opportunities at WPI and The Hanover were too great to pass up, she explains, because their locations are only a few miles from home. “Worcester is a connection point, a link to what I desire for my recreational, educational, and career experiences.
“Worcester has much more to offer its residents and visitors in addition to being a great location,” stressed Sosny, who was active in WPI’s Greek Life programs. “It’s a great city to launch your career. You will find an environment where local businesses seek to hire local people.
A member of The Hanover’s Future Leaders Program, Sosny adds: “There is no shortage of opportunity in Worcester; the only limits are self imposed. I am proud to be part of the city’s movement to sustain talent in the area. I would not change my childhood, education or future career here in Worcester. I’m lucky to have what I want in my ‘back yard.’”
Worcester State University
Jon Flood
Jonathan Flood ‘10, a business administration major who graduated from Worcester State University, said he is delighted to have found a job in his chosen career so soon after graduation. “My goal was to obtain a job in higher education and I did.” Flood said he applied for jobs all across the Commonwealth and landed a position at the Quinsigamond Community College Bookstore within days of his graduation. Already, he is learning more about the higher education environment and looks forward to his future. “I love my job at QCC,” he said.
Flood was a hard-working student at Worcester State University. He was an orientation leader, financial aid office assistant and worked for the Student Center. In addition, he was awarded the Abigail Adams MCAS Scholarship, The McGinn Family Scholarship, the Charles and Esther Golub Scholarship and the Class of 1959 Endowed Scholarship.
Worcester State University Financial Aid Director Jayne McGinn, who employed Jonathan as a student worker said, “(He) is a very articulate young man with a lot of potential and an excellent work ethic.” McGinn was impressed by his perseverance. He came to school every day by bus through good weather and bad whether he was feeling well or not because getting his degree was so important to him,” she said. “Even when he did not have classes Jonathan would be on campus doing schoolwork, working in the Financial Aid Office, helping out in the Commuter Lounge, or working as an orientation staff member. He is an excellent example of a commuter who really made his mark at WSU,” McGinn added.
Kathryn Fokas
Kathryn Fokas ’10, a graduate of Worcester State University, landed a job as a research assistant in the Addictions Research Department at Butler Hospital, a private psychiatric hospital in Providence, RI, within weeks of her WSU graduation. Her work is also affiliated with Brown University Medical School as the psychologists who oversee her research projects are Brown faculty and the research is funded by Brown grants.
Fokas is working on a study examining the effect of an exercise treatment on participants’ ability to quit and stay off cigarettes. “There is no way I would have gotten this job if it weren’t for the independent research work I did with Dr. Soysa as part of my WSU psychology major,” she said. Her WSU research also led to three poster presentations at national conferences – rare for an undergraduate student. “These opportunities were the result of the psychology faculty reaching out to and referring me. Overall, I would say that the opportunities I received through the personal attention you get at WSU were what allowed me to stand out enough to get this job,” said Fokas.
She also presented the results from her WSU honors thesis at the Association for Psychological Science (APS) conference in Boston last May. Fokas had a perfect 4.0 GPA upon graduation and earned the Lt. Colonel James F. Sheehan ’55 USMC Ret. Academic Excellence Award each of her four years at WSU.
2009-10 Financials
Each year, about 75 percent of our operating budget is derived from federal grants which support our work, providing higher education access services for first-generation, low-income students and adults. For more information, please access our 2010 audited Financial Statements.
2009-10 Sources of Funds | |
Federal Grants | $2,971,200 |
Dues & Fees | $731,545 |
Other Grants/Contracts | $158,963 |
Interest Income | $30,851 |
Sponsorships | $40,300 |
Other | $84,310 |
2009-10 Uses of Funds | |
Wages, Taxes, Benefits | $1,538,695 |
Sub-Grantee Pass-Through | $1,857,666 |
Operations | $492,636 |
Professional Services | $43,006 |
Insurance | $15,785 |
Depreciation | $25,701 |
Other | $95 |
Joint Purchasing Group | Total Purchases |
2003 | $4,396,164 |
2004 | $3,247,622 |
2005 | $4,117,556 |
2006 | $4,447,302 |
2007 | $6,342,846 |
2008 | $5,440,900 |
2009 (no oil contract) | $3,843,828 |
2009-10 Board of Directors
Board Position | Name | Member Institution |
Chairperson | Fr. Michael C. McFarland, SJ | College of the Holy Cross |
Vice Chair & Chair of Higher Education Access & Retention Committee | Dr. Gail Carberry | Quinsigamond Community College |
Past President | Dr. Janelle C. Ashley | Worcester State College |
Treasurer & Chair of Chief Financial Officers Committee | Mr. Christian McCarthy | Assumption College |
Clerk & Chair of Chief Academic Officers Committee | Dr. Michael Malloy | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences |
Chair of Chief Student Affairs Officers Committee | Ms. Janet Begin Richardson | Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
Chair of External Relations Committee | Ms. Linda Carre Looft | Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
| Dr. Jack P. Calareso | Anna Maria College |
| Dr. Francesco Cesareo | Assumption College |
| Dr. Norman Wendth | Atlantic Union College |
| Dr. Joseph W. Bascuas | Becker College |
| Dr. John Bassett | Clark University |
| Dr. Deborah T. Kochevar | Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University |
| Mr. Charles Monahan | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences |
| Dr. Debra M. Townsley | Nichols College |
| Dr. Michael F. Collins | University of Massachusetts Medical School |
| Dr. Dennis D. Berkey | Worcester Polytechnic Institute |