On behalf of the trustees, faculty and staff of Worcester State College, congratulations on your soon to be/or completed academic degree. On May 17, 2009, at 1:00 p.m., we will celebrate your achievement and welcome you into a fellowship of WSC graduates dating back to 1876 when the first class of students graduated from what was then called the Worcester Normal School.

The hallmarks of this special fellowship are commitment to rigorous academics and service to others. You have benefitted from our renowned and gifted faculty. We have benefitted from your many academic contributions and your incredible service to others. So many graduates before you have gone on to distinguish themselves in the community in their careers and in their service to others. I am confident that as you continue your journey, you will also hold fast the values of honor and service. Our future depends on your leadership.

Please stay connected to Worcester State College. We are here to assist you in your professional and personal development and give you the satisfaction of helping future generations of students. Relationships made during times of academic and personal growth become a source of joy and inspiration over the course of a lifetime.

David Starr Jordan said, “Wisdom is knowing what to do next; skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it.”  I am confident that you have all of the wisdom, the knowledge and the virtue to build a bright future for yourselves, your families and your communities.

With warmest best wishes for your future,

Janelle C. Ashley

President