Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal • Book of Lists 2016 www.wbjournal.com A D V E R T I S E M E N T F ounded in 1874 as a teacher-training school, Worcester State University has grown to become a liberal arts and sciences institu- tion, championing academic excellence in a diverse, student-centered environment. With 55 major and minor academic pro- grams spanning the humanities and sciences, Worcester State University fosters scholarship, creativity and global awareness. Our fastest growing academic program is Criminal Justice; our most academically competitive programs include Nursing, as well as Occupational Therapy. The University offers interdisciplinary pro- grams in Urban Studies and Visual and Performing Arts and star faculty are evident in departments as varied as Chemistry, English, Mathematics and Philosophy. Worcester State University offers a growing honors program and 4+1 accelerated master's degree options, 31 master's degrees and graduate certificates and an expanding set of continuing education programs. The Princeton Review ranks Worcester State as one of the nation's 75 "Best Value" public universities and has named us a "Best in the Northeast" for 12 consecutive years. With dedicated faculty from some of the top universi- ties in the world, Worcester State offers students small class sizes, a wide range of experiential learning oppor- tunities and study-away options throughout the United States and around the globe. Worcester State University's faculty are active scholars in their fields and share a deep dedication to the process of teaching and learning. Faculty-guided undergraduate student research is a strong characteristic of the University's academic life and is featured annually through its Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity. Clinical and field placements offer further opportuni- ties for experiential learning, as do internships with government agencies, small businesses and major employers, including Bank of America, AMC Corp., Genzyme, Staples, Unum and UMass Medical Center. Worcester State student teachers worked over 27,000 hours in area classrooms in a recent year. Community service is another way Worcester State students gain real-world experience. In 2015, WSU earned the Carnegie Foundation's Community Engagement classification, a designation that recognizes the University's broad and deep commitment to engag- ing students in the community. For the 2015 -16 school year, 2,229 WSU students contributed 161,594 hours of service or volunteer work to 545 community partners. Worcester State also serves the community through a number of programs and institutes, including the Speech Language Hearing Center, which addresses a wide range of hearing and speaking issues; the Latino Education Institute, which serves Latino schoolchildren and their families; the Intensive English Language Institute, which provides high quality ESL classes to the community; the Intergenerational Urban Institute, which works to eliminate hunger and pro - vides tutoring for elderly immigrants; and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which offers free tax fil- ing services for low- and middle-income individuals. The University plays a significant role in the cultural economy, as well. In addition to its art gallery, lectures, and music and theater productions throughout the year, Worcester State is allied with the Worcester Center for Crafts and has partnerships with the Worcester Art Museum and Hanover Theatre. As a public institution, Worcester State University embraces the belief that widespread access to high- quality educational opportunities empowers students with the knowledge and skills necessary for lives of pro- fessional accomplishment, engaged citizenship and intellectual growth. "Our greater community benefits from the engagement with our students, staff and faculty and our students benefit from great hands-on learning experiences," notes President Barry M. Maloney. "They also forge rich networks that will help them in their future career development. We are com - mitted to both increasing and deepening our engagement with our greater community and contributing to the vital- ity of the Central Massachusetts region." n W O R C E S T E R , M A Worcester State University Address: 486 Chandler St., Worcester, MA 01602 Phone: 508-929-8000 Website: www.worcester.edu Product or Service: Higher education No. of Students: 6,306 Head of Company: Barry M. Maloney, President Year Founded: 1874 Worcester State University Promoting Scholarship, Partnership and Leadership for a Changing World P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y

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