Letter from the President

Dear Alumni and Friends of the University,

At Worcester State University we have always asked, “How can we best prepare students for the world that awaits them?” Looking back 150 years at our first graduating class, I’m reminded that real-world experiences have always led to our graduates’ success, even as we develop a new co-operative education framework for today’s students.

Our earliest Worcester Normal School students taught in the city’s schools as part of their curriculum. Those work experiences prepared students for their professions, even as it offered them a competitive advantage for teaching positions. Today, bridging the gap between coursework and careers is more important than ever. Potential students seek a strong return on their college investment, and employers seek career-ready employees.

Worcester State is already bridging students’ coursework to the working world in a number of ways. Through partnerships with the Nativity School and the Guild of St. Agnes, the School of Education places students in paid positions. Through the Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice, Dr. Adam Saltsman (Urban Studies) has student cohorts complete intensive training to assist with actual asylum cases in Worcester. The Aisiku STEM Center recently supported its largest-ever student researcher group with paid stipends through the Advancement Office, while the John J. Binienda Center offers the Worcester Civic Leaders Program for select undergraduates who receive $4,000 in state funding for participating in a year-long leadership development program featuring service on local nonprofit boards. By deepening our ties with regional employers and alumni-led businesses, we are creating a pipeline of talent that benefits both students and the regional economy.

As we embark upon our next 150 years, we ask: How can we make “earn while you learn” the model for every Lancer? We take inspiration from longstanding co-op programs offered by universities like Northeastern while establishing one that is uniquely Worcester State. We seek to move beyond isolated internships toward a structured, campus-wide framework. Promising efforts to involve multiple departments and connect with employers are laying the groundwork.

For example, plans are underway for providing three municipal co-ops, each of which integrates the Urban Studies major with a different WSU department minor program, leveraging our signature MajorPlus framework to ensure students are fully prepared for co-op work with the City of Worcester. In the School of Science, Technology, and Health, employer partnerships were being leveraged to establish paid student work experiences across multiple departments.

I applaud these efforts. They will position Worcester State to capture new state funding, even as we reach out for donor, foundation, and employer support. Our graduates are already among the public higher education system’s highest earners. With a Lancer co-op program in place, they would be well positioned to become the most sought after employees in the state and region.

Sincerely,
Barry M. Maloney
President