Features

Worcester State students can now reach for the stars thanks to a recent long-term loan of modern and antique telescopes that promise to offer a stellar opportunity for learning and research. The collection was amassed by the late Charles Blumsack, a lawyer and avid amateur astronomer, and includes 18 telescopes, most of them antiques, as […]

As Chief Operating Officer of United Fray, Brittany Rheault ’07 has made a career of bringing fun into other people’s lives. Through inclusive social sports and virtual and in-person programming, Rheault helps build community, strengthen teams, and foster positivity. We spoke with Brittany about the impact of her time playing on Worcester State’s women’s basketball […]

Education Department graduate students journeyed to Kenya last summer for a transformative experience filled with cultural connections, profound reflections and of course, lions, zebras, and giraffes. Led by Christina Kaniu, professor of education, the group included 10 students, mostly teachers working in Central Massachusetts schools, who immersed themselves in the local community while in Kenya, […]

Liberal and Interdisciplinary Studies Assistant Professor Rita Mookerjee’s first full-length collection of poetry, False Offering, published by JackLeg Press in Nov. 2023, addresses topics ranging from religion to pop culture staples to being a person of color growing up in a rural part of Pennsylvania. Mookerjee has studied African literature, post-colonial literature, women’s and gender […]

The messages appeared by the hundreds across Facebook, online and in handwritten notes. Messages of gratitude. Well wishes and good luck. And so many memories of the ways Tara Hancock MS ‘06, during her 18 years in Alumni Relations at Worcester State, has made a difference to students, alumni, and her colleagues. “Wouldn’t have been […]

Worcester native John J. Lynch ’98 has been following the call to write for the big screen since he was kid. His latest short film is gaining attention as it shows in film festivals around the country. Story and photos by Nancy Sheehan John J. Lynch took a gamble on an idea close to his […]

Researchers find consumers are less likely to engage with this fast-spreading technology when they anticipate feeling embarrassed. By Nancy Sheehan You’re searching online for a pain relief remedy. A friendly little chatbot pops up with a smile and announces: “Hi there, I’m Emma. I’ll be happy to help you find the perfect hemorrhoid cream for […]

New LGBTQ+ academic award named for alumni leaders and awarded to accomplished graduating senior and digital animator Griffin Weber. By Deborah Alvarez O’Neil Photos by Matt Wright ’10 In the make-believe world of YouTube show Excellent Entities, the endearing little characters undertake some outrageous hijinks and more than a bit of troublemaking as they vie […]

Al Pettway ’94 still holds the record as Worcester State’s leading all-time basketball scorer. Now, he’s got another historic win to his name: Coach of the 2023 Massachusetts Division I State Basketball Champions North High. On March 19, 2023, Worcester State alumnus and the university’s all-time leading basketball scorer Al Pettway made local history (again!) […]

On June 1, members of the community gathered at Belmont Street School for the unveiling of the Sarah Ella Wilson portrait. In a moving address, Vice Principal Tiana Phillips ‘06, who led the effort to restore the portrait, honored Sarah’s life and legacy. Here are remarks: Today, we gather here to honor a remarkable individual […]