Worcester State Magazine – 150th Anniversary

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 […]

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 […]

Support and mentoring from my professors and fellow students have helped me become who I am. By Aspen Zheng ’24 My four years of study at Worcester State University were a journey toward becoming an independent adult, a scholar, and, most importantly, an optimistic person. I overcame many obstacles but could not have done so […]

At Worcester State, I became part of something greater. Looking back on my time at Worcester State, I think of all of the fond memories that I made. My mind floods with images of the Student Center buzzing with activity on a typical autumn day or of the studious silence enjoyed on the third floor […]

Now let’s be great together. By Hy Ginsberg, Ph.D. Out of all of the places you could have gone, you chose Worcester State. Well done. Great choice! Let me tell you why. First of all, when we hire new faculty here, our top priority is teaching excellence. You might think that’s the case everywhere; it’s […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

Courage, Leadership, Service and Giving Back By President Barry M. Maloney When I look back at the many remarkable individuals who have graduated from Worcester State during our 150-year history, some common themes emerge, and together, they tell the story of who we are as Lancer Nation. It was the Reconstruction Era when our founding […]

Professor of Mathematics, 2010 and 2021 Alden Award Winner In the world of education, the space between ignorance and knowledge can be a daunting and uncomfortable place. However, for Mary Fowler, professor of mathematics, that boundary is not a barrier, but a gateway to growth and learning. Fowler has made it her mission to guide […]