Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | March 18, 2019 | Worcester Business Journal 9 Reserve your seat today eatdrinkendalz.org Other Events in Your Community: Worcester County Walk to End Alzheimer's September 15, 2019 alzwalkMANH.org April 4, 2019 | Saint Vincent Hospital SEVEN Chefs. ONE Mission. END Alzheimer's Join us for a multi-course, brain healthy dinner prepared by local chefs from our community. Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics W A MAJOR ANNIVERSARY... A NEW BUILDING... A MAJOR COMPANY MILESTONE Whether it's the celebration of a major anniversary or the opening of a new headquarters, Worcester Business Journal's Custom Publishing Division can help you create a custom magazine for your business. Our division's top flight team of writers and designers can help you tell your story – and make your business look great! Based on our unique publishing model, it's surprisingly affordable. Can we create a CUSTOM magazine for you? Call WBJ Custom Corporate Project Director Christine Juetten at 508-755-8004 ext. 270. Worcester Business Journal WBJ Custom Publishing Division Celebrating 50 Years of Growth, Jobs and Development 1 50 Years 1 9 6 5 - 2 0 1 5 C E L E B R A T I N G An advertising supplement to the Worcester Business Journal Shrewsbury Public Library: Building the Next Chapter SHREWSBURY Building the Next Chapter public library e Association of American Colleges & Universities advocates for a course load teaching ethical judgment, oral communication and working in teams. "It's more important now than ever before," said Lynn Pasquerella, the asso- ciation's president. "e best preparation is a liberal arts degree that allows them to be adaptable and flexible, and pre- pares them for a future in which many jobs have not yet been invented." A survey of hundreds of business executives and hiring managers done by the AAC&U found a liberal arts education still prepares students for the workforce, Pasquerella said. But convinc- ing colleges and legislators to stay with that emphasis is not as easy, she said. "We need to make it clear to students and parents the clear line between a lib- eral arts education and career success," Pasquerella said. New areas of study Assumption began enrolling students for the first time last fall in its neuroscience major, meant to prepare students for careers as occupational or physical therapists, optometrists or physician assistants. e neuroscience major extends what had been Assumption dipping its toes in the water of the nervous system science field, with neuroscience concentrations for two other majors: biology and psychology. e college created the Center for Neuroscience, which includes lectures from neuroscientists, summer internship opportunities and community outreach programs. e center was critical for extending the area of study outside the classroom, said Michele Lemons, an associate pro- fessor of biology and the director of the Center for Neuroscience. "It's a really rich community where it's not just the classes," she said. "Classes are important, but they're not everything." Traditional liberal arts will still be central to the coursework for neurosci- ence majors, with the college emphasiz- ing traditional liberal arts courses, like philosophy, a foreign language or ethics. A cybersecurity major starting this fall will prepare students for jobs in health care, finance, insurance or social media – any organization that values its data, said Raymond Albert, the cyber- security program director who joined Assumption last fall from the University of Maine system to lead the new major. "Cybersecurity is very dependent on a well-rounded liberal arts foundation," Albert said. "Our students will be at a significant competitive advantage when they enter the workforce compared to students who are in more technically oriented institutions." Thoughtful changes e broadening of options for majors comes as Assumption is reorganizing its academic departments and looking to rebrand as Assumption University, in order to attract more applicants. President Francesco Cesareo in February announced Assumption was grouping majors into schools: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Nursing, the School of Health Profes- sions and the School of Graduate & Professional Studies. at arrangement will help Assump- tion develop new course offerings. e new majors were added with careful consideration, Keeley said. Any new major must win approval from academic departments, a college curric- ulum board, the faculty senate, adminis- trators and finally, the board of trustees. at process comes aer research of enrollment and job-field data, and an analysis with the college's financial leaders to ensure a new major is feasible. e process took more than a year for the neuroscience major. Assumption hired a consultant who found a potential for growth in the field, Lemons said. For the nursing major, the process starts further back. Assumption has to hire from scratch because it hasn't had any professors in that field until now. Biological and biomedical sciences 65,915 89,984 113,749 73% Business 311,574 365,133 371,694 19% Computer and information sciences 54,111 43,066 64,405 19% Education 105,451 104,008 87,217 -17% Engineering 64,707 76,356 106,850 65% Health professions and related programs 80,685 143,463 228,896 184% Liberal arts and sciences, general studies, and humanities 43,751 46,717 43,661 0% 2004-05 2010-11 2015-16 %Change '04-'16 The number of liberal arts degrees has been flat for the past decade, while many other majors, particularly in health and biomedical sciences, have soared in popularity. Bachelor's degrees conferred in the U.S., by field of study

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