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30 2017 Economic Forecast • www.wbjournal.com • Worcester Business Journal E d u c a t i o n Student search Central Massachusetts colleges and universities will get creative in their push to grow their bases A s Central Massachusetts col- leges and universities com- pete with each other and with others across the coun- try for students, making school more affordable and reaching outside of the traditional student population without sacrificing quality are new goals. Schools in the region will continue to emphasize affordability and reach out to different kinds of stu- dents, including older adults, in order to grow their bases. More articulation agreements Articulation agree- ments, where schools partner to provide seam- less transfer pathways for students, grew in 2016, and this national trend will continue. Whether it's agree- ments with a price stamp on them – like the $30,000 deals between the area's community col- leges and some four-year public universities – or others that create easier trans- fer pathways, like the agreements Nichols College is involved in to bring in non-traditional transfers from out of state, expect to see more articulation agree- ments in the coming year. Emphasis on diversity and inclusion In these polarized times, there is an urgency among Central Massachusetts colleges and universities to bring all voices to the table. This idea got a high profile nod in 2016 when Worcester Polytechnic Institute hired its first chief diversity officer, Michelle Jones-Johnson, who is tasked with increasing diver- sity among faculty and staff and making diversity and inclusion a part of every conversation on campus. Other local schools, including Clark University, the College of the Holy Cross, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, also have people in a similar. In order to become more attractive to potential students and faculty and unify their existing cam- pus communities, colleg- es in the area will contin- ue to make this a priority. Uncertain recruitment of international students After the divisive elec- tion, in which President- elect Donald Trump made several statements resulting in unease among immigrants, private colleges with significant portions of international students might see a lag in their overseas recruitment efforts. Since international students usually pay top dollar for their education, there could be an impact on schools' bottom lines. Ryan Forsythe, vice president of enrollment management, Worcester State University, which has articulation agreements with Quinsigamond Community College and Mount Wachusett Community College. UMass Medical School opening Springfield location Worcester's UMass Medical School announced in December that it is opening its first-ever satellite location in Springfield in a partnership with Baystate Health. The new facility will be the permanent home for UMMS-Baystate, the newly created regional campus of UMMS. The campus will serve up to 25 students -- out of the 162-student class of 2021 -- in a new, specialized track of study focused on population-based urban and rural community health, or PURCH. These students will become experts in the needs of these urban and rural communities. These students will complete their basic courses at the Worcester campus, while completing clinical requirements at the UMMS-Baystate Health campus in Springfield, according to UMass Medical. To serve these students, new classrooms are being constructed at 3601 Main St. in Springfield. When completed, the 6,300-square-foot facility will be exclu- sively used by UMMS-Baystate students. Based in western Massachusetts, Baystate Health is a not-for-profit health- care organization serving over 750,000 people. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y Top education stories of 2016 BY LAURA FINALDI Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer Nichols College Michelle Jones-Johnson The new $24-million student center at Clark University, which wants to attract older students Officials from UMass Medical School, Baystate Health and the city of Springfield came together in December for the announcement of a new UMass location. Continued on Page 32 W