Worcester Business Journal

later, the incoming class of 2028 at its T.H. Chan School of Medicine is 235, according to data provided by UMass Chan. On top of the School of Medicine for would-be doctors, UMass Chan now has graduate schools for nursing and biomedical sciences. UMass Chan's full- time enrollment in fall 2024 was 1,359, according to data collected by WBJ's Research Department. Additionally, at that time, the school employed 535 full-time and 3,576 part-time faculty, figures that by far outpaced any other of the 14 colleges and universities in Central Massachu- setts. "No one could have imagined how the medical school has grown or its impact, and from my vantage point, Michael Collins' fingerprints are on so many of its achievements," said Meehan. roughout his tenure, Collins has raised $865 million for the university, more than any other chancellor in UMa- ss history, Meehan said. Earlier this year, Collins secured $35 million, the third-largest donation in the UMass system's history, from the Florida-based Paul J. DiMare Founda- tion to support the school's research into neurodegenerative and genetic diseases, particularly ALS. e university has subsequently named its $350-million, 350,000-square-foot research building in DiMare's honor. at came aer Collins secured the largest donation in the history of the UMass system in 2021, when e Morningside Foundation donated $175 million. at resulted in the entire med- ical school and its three graduate schools being named aer the Chan family of Hong Kong. But these kinds of fiscal accomplish- ments don't catch Collins' eye when he looks over his 18 years at UMass Chan. Instead, he sees the faculty and students he has helped attract to its campus as some of his most career-defining achievements. "If we didn't have great people here, if we didn't have very committed faculty, if we didn't have outstanding learners, if we didn't have a committed staff, people wouldn't invest in us. I mean, that's just the reality," said Collins. FOCUS HIGHER EDUCATION e end of an era Dr. Michael Collins is leaving an historic legacy at UMass Chan. His successor will face a new world of challenges. Marty Meehan, presi- dent of the University of Massachusetts system BY MICA KANNER-MASCOLO WBJ Staff Writer J uly 1, 2026 will mark Dr. Michael Collins' last day as chancellor of UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, putting a period on the end of an historic 19-year tenure shaping the state's first and only public medical school. Announced on June 24, Collins' upcoming resignation comes as the medical school potentially faces millions in cuts to its National Institutes of Health funding. is deficit, stemming from the President Donald Trump Adminis- tration's proposed caps to NIH funding, and additional threats to further slash funding to universities sticking with their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, leaves UMass Chan in a time of financial limbo. But this federal turmoil had no effect on Collins' decision to step down. Aer celebrating his 70th birthday this year, Collins decided leaving the role at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year would still give him time to be an active and vigorous member of the UMass Chan community, as he intends to stay on as a professor. "I'll teach. I'll mentor. I'll help raise money. I'll do whatever the new chan- cellor and the president of the university think could be helpful," Collins said. As the Central Massachusetts commu- nity reflects on Collins' legacy and waits to see who will succeed him as the leader one of the region's anchor institutions, UMass President Marty Meehan and healthcare leaders emphasize UMass Chan's future success depends on its next chancellor's ability to cultivate talent, face federal challenges head-on, invest in primary care, and commit to diversity, equity, and inclusion. "UMass Chan Medical School is the engine that drives the economy of Central Massachusetts by virtue of its employees, by virtue of the amount of money that is spent locally, by virtue of its affiliation with UMass Memorial hospital," said Meehan, who leads the five-campus University of Massachusetts system, including UMass Chan. An historic legacy Collins has stood at the helm of this engine since assuming his chancellor role in an interim capacity in 2007 and then permanently in 2008. e medical school's first class grad- uated 16 doctors in 1974. Now, 50 years Dr. Michael Collins is the longest-serving chancellor in the UMass system's history. When he steps down, he will have led UMass Chan for 19 years. 12 Worcester Business Journal | July 28, 2025 | wbjournal.com PHOTO | WBJ FILE

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