
The Worcester State Teaching Garden cultivates skills, connection, and some lovely harvests. Amidst the hustle and bustle of Chandler Street sits a small patch of greenery that is a local hub for education and community engagement. Established in 2011, the Worcester State Teaching Garden is a beloved space used by members of the university and […]
Read Story Worcester State’s Urban Oasis

Worcester State’s historic Tiffany Gates are restored to their full glory. As Worcester State University celebrates its 150th anniversary, a restoration project has turned back the hands of time to unveil the magnificence of a university landmark that stands as a testament to the loyalty of its alumni. In early spring 2024, the university embarked […]
Read Story Making a Grand Re-entry

Students find community, build friendships, and foster school spirit in the university’s residence halls. By Mallory Dupuis ’26 Photos by Nancy Sheehan and Matt Wright ’10 As far back as 1891, Worcester State University had a mission to make on-campus housing a reality for students. The first residence hall on the original St. Ann’s Hill […]
Read Story A Place to Call Home

Environmental science faculty and students partner with the City of Worcester and community organizations to monitor the health of Tatnuck Brook Watershed. Photos by Matt Wright ’10 A bumpy dirt road off June Street in Worcester winds past houses with yards and dogs before it eventually opens up to Patch Reservoir, a 31-acre lake just […]
Read Story Protecting Worcester’s Lakes, Ponds, and Streams

WooServe students roll up their sleeves to help out wherever they are needed in the community. Photos by Nancy Sheehan Over the last year, members of the student club WooServe cheered on runners raising money for multiple sclerosis research, delivered sandwiches to a women’s shelter, and played bingo with residents in an assisted living facility—and […]
Read Story Giving Back

Worcester State’s Speech-Language-Hearing Center serves the community with free, expert, compassionate services. By Taryn Plumb ’04 Imagine knowing what you want to say but not being able to communicate it effectively. For those with speech and hearing disorders, it is a frustrating, daily ordeal. For more than 35 years, the Speech-Language-Hearing Center (SLHC) at Worcester […]
Read Story Bridging Communication

Reflections from beloved professor Maureen C. Stefanini Dr. Stefanini was hired at Worcester State by Helen Shaughnessy in 1967 to train student teachers. She reinvented her career in the 1980s after serving as one of the first female Sloan Fellows at MIT and went on to teach accounting, entrepreneurship, and business leadership for women. At […]
Read Story Pioneering Educator

With their parents’ unwavering commitment to education, the Karanja brothers are stacking up college degrees as a first-gen family. Photos by Matt Wright ’10 A chorus of cheers erupted from around the DCU Center as Ryan Karanja’s name was called during Commencement 2024. His fan club—parents Phil and Phylis, three brothers, and various relatives and […]
Read Story A Family of High Expectations

Since 1874, Worcester State has provided an economic stepping stone for those who are first in their families to attend college. The idea of “first-generation” or “first-gen” college students is a modern construct of higher education—but Worcester State’s history of inclusion and opportunity is a long and storied one that goes back to its founding. […]
Read Story A Proud First-Gen History

For generations, alumni have built, strengthened, and led the Greater Worcester community. Working with addicted youth, Cheryl Donahue ’22 goes home every day knowing she is making a difference in the lives of struggling teenagers. The young people she works with at Motivating Youth Recovery often face enormous obstacles, yet, no matter what, Donahue believes […]
Read Story Worcester State’s Impact at 150