Worcester State Magazine – Fall 2023

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!) […]

Dear Alumni and Friends of the University, What an exciting time to be a student-athlete at Worcester State University! During the 2022-2023 seasons, women’s ice hockey, men’s basketball, and men’s soccer won conference titles; men’s ice hockey made it to the conference championship game for the first time in school history; and both women’s basketball […]

Gissell Hernandez, carrying her daughter Sarai Hernandez, 4, greets family and friends after receiving her graduate degrees on May 12 at Worcester State’s Graduate Commencement and Hooding. Hernandez, who recently accepted a position as a school psychologist with Southbridge Public Schools, earned her master’s of education and education specialist degree in school psychology. “This degree […]

Worcester State University awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the 2023 Commencement to alumna Ann Ash Zelesky ’73, a longtime champion for women in athletics. As a standout student-athlete at Worcester State College, she played on the basketball, softball, field hockey, and volleyball teams. She served as team captain for basketball, softball, and […]

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 […]

When a long forgotten portrait of the longtime Worcester educator and community leader was discovered at Belmont Community School, Worcester’s education and arts community came together to restore the artwork and honor her life’s work. By Rebecca Cross Photos by Matt Wright ’10 A few years ago, Assistant Principal Tiana Phillips ’06 was rooting around […]

As students begin to travel again for study abroad, they are appreciating the life-changing experiences it can offer. By Rebecca Cross Seven weeks into Gabby DeAngelis’s spring 2020 semester abroad in the Czech Republic, the COVID-19 pandemic reached Eastern Europe. Within just a few days, a curfew was in place, restaurants shuttered, shops shut down. […]

A Cape Verdean-American first-generation college graduate, Dianne Langford James inspires present and future generations to break cycles that hold them back from achieving their dreams. By Deborah Alvarez O’Neil Photos by Matt Wright ’10 Dianne Langford James ’03 stepped onto the stage at Worcester State University before an audience of more than 100 high school […]

As the incoming president of the Alumni Association’s Advisory Board, Andrew Ngo ’17 is excited to continue building networking and career advancement opportunities for students and alumni. Ngo, a product manager for digital services at Humana, has been an active member of the university community since his years as a business administration and economics major, […]

Photos by Matt Wright ’10 The Worcester State Alumni Association celebrated the Golden Graduates, alumni who graduated 50 or more years ago, during Reunion Weekend. More than 150 alumni and family members attended, including members of the Class of 1973, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, and a few members of the Class of […]