Alden Awards to be Presented at March 29 Event

Worcester, MA – The Colleges of Worcester Consortium, Inc. will host the first ever Celebration of Higher Education in Central Massachusetts on Thursday March 29 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Mechanics Hall.

The event will feature the inaugural presentation of the George I. Alden Awards for excellence in higher education and education access. A campus-based educational excellence award will be presented in addition to a community-based higher education access award. The educational excellence award seeks to recognize a campus-based program that reflects the shared values, goals and visions of the Consortium and the Alden Trust, emphasizing creativity and promotion of educational excellence in higher education, collaboration, and the utilization of shared resources. The higher education access award is designated for an individual or organization based in central Massachusetts that has championed access to higher education for nontraditional students and adults.

A cocktail hour will be held at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. The award presentation will begin approximately at 7:15 p.m. In addition to the awards presentation, Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray will be formally recognized and will present the higher education agenda for the Commonwealth.

The presenting sponsor for this event is Sovereign Bank. Additional sponsors are Academic Finance Corporation (AFC), the Telegram & Gazette, Bowditch & Dewey, The Education Resources Institute (TERI), the College Board, and Webster Five. Special thanks is also given to the George I. Alden Trust.

Individual tickets are $100 each. Tables of 10 are available at $1,000 each with additional tables of 10 at $750 each. To purchase tickets, please contact Gail Dupuis at (508) 754-6829 ext. 3022 or e-mail gdupuis [at] cowc [dot] org by March 22, 2007.