2009-2010 Assumption College Community Benefits Report

2009 – 2010 Community Benefits Report

Community

INVESTMENT: AN INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT

Photo courtesy of Worcester Telegram & Gazette

ASSUMPTION COLLEGE MISSION STATEMENT Assumption College, grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition, strives to form graduates known for critical intelligence, thoughtful citizenship and compassionate service. We pursue these ambitious goals through a curriculum grounded in the liberal arts and extending to the domain of professional studies. Enlivened by the Catholic affirmation of the harmony of faith and reason, we aim, by the pursuit of the truth, to transform the minds and hearts of students. Assumption favors diversity and ecumenically welcomes all who share its goals.

ASSUMPTION COLLEGE Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. President

Rev. Dennis M. Gallagher, A.A. Vice President for Mission

Francis M. Lazarus, Ph.D. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Evan E. Lipp Vice President for Enrollment Management

Christian W. McCarthy Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

Thomas E. Ryan Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Catherine M. WoodBrooks, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs

For more information about this Community Benefit Report: Paul Belsito Executive Assistant for Government/Community Relations Assumption College, 500 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609 pbelsito@assumption.edu 508.767.7478

Table of Contents Commitment to Education..........2-3 Community Resource..................4-5 Voluntary Engagement................6-7 Community Engagement............8-9 A Cultural Resource.................10-11 Fast Facts...................................... 12

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Since 1904, Assumption College has been part of the fabric of Worcester. Our students and our graduates have contributed their time and talents in nonprofit agencies, education, healthcare, government and businesses of every size, in every field. Our faculty and staff are deeply committed to the community and can be found serving on boards and offering their expertise as volunteers.

As an institution of higher education, we have consistently demonstrated our commitment to the development of individuals in our community. Our involvement with the Worcester public schools and the Catholic schools in our region is a natural alignment of our mission and the needs of our community. We will continue to explore opportunities and implement programs that encourage Worcester’s young people to achieve their full potential.

Our contributions to the City belie our size. We have an undergraduate population of approximately 2,100 students and a modest endowment of less than $75 million, which contributes only two percent to our operating budget.

Yet last year alone, our students spent approximately 120,000 hours volunteering in and around Worcester. We have 220 staff and faculty living in Worcester proper and another 252 living in Worcester County, paying taxes and supporting local merchants. Economically, Assumption expends about $5 million every year with local vendors. Over the last 10 years, we have invested more than $85 million on capital improvements, hiring local contractors and purchasing from local vendors to develop our campus.

All that we have achieved has been done while maintaining a strong sense of fiscal responsibility to our students and their families. More than 90 percent of our students receive some form of financial aid, and in last year’s economic downturn we provided more financial aid than ever to our current students. The size of our endowment requires that we support our operations through tuition, not endowment income. We must maintain a very conservative stewardship of our resources.

We take our responsibility to be good citizens of this community very seriously. We regularly open our campus to community groups like W.I.S.E. and the Worcester Children’s Chorus, and we serve as a polling site. We are proud of what we have accomplished and we look forward to a future that continues to attract bright, young minds to Worcester – and retain them after graduation.

“ All that we have achieved has been done while maintaining a strong sense of fiscal responsibility to our students and their families.

More than 90 percent of our students receive some form of financial aid, and in last year’s economic downturn we provided

Sincerely,

more financial aid than ever to our current students.”

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. President

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. President 2009 – 2010 Community Benefits Report

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“ The Transition Program students enjoy being at Assumption. They socialize with each other and with the Assumption students in the food court in the campus

LIFE Transition in

center and in the library, and they exercise in the recreation center.

They are part of the College community and they are more independent in this setting.”

William Skelton ’10 Transition Program Intern Assumption College Graduate Student

EACH SEMESTER SINCE 2008, Assumption College has opened its campus and provided a classroom to the Worcester Public Schools’ (WPS) Transition Program for students, ages 18 to 22, with intellectual and other disabilities. The Transition students learn life skills – how to get a job, manage money, cross a street and take public transportation, among other vital competencies – all in an age-appropriate environment.

The innovative partnership forged between Assumption’s department of human services and rehabilitation studies and the public school district began on a trial basis and has expanded each year as now nearly 30 Transition students, their parents and the program faculty adapt and grow in their new location.

“The Assumption College site has been a wonderful opportunity to provide young adults with disabilities the experience of being in a community – a typical community setting with peers their own age – learning life skills and living life,” says Jerri Roach Ostergard, district-wide transition specialist for the Worcester Public Schools. “This has been a win-win situation for WPS and Assumption because it also has afforded Assumption graduate students the opportunity to complete their rehabilitation internships and practicums on campus with WPS students.”

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By state law, the Transition students are allowed to remain in Worcester’s high schools until age 22. In the past year, 30 of the school district’s 120 Transition students have met at Assumption several days a week – in 2010 – 2011 they have access to campus five days a week. Students have individualized schedules that determine how often they are on campus – some may participate in a transition class taught by WPS staff and/or meet with their rehab counselor (an Assumption graduate student) to work on a career plan. Students are free to explore and utilize the campus facilities in their free time.

“The Transition Program students enjoy being at Assumption,” says William Skelton ’10, who was an undergraduate at the College and is now a graduate student in Assumption’s rehabilitation counseling program. He interns with the Transition Program. “They socialize with each other and with the Assumption students in the food court in the campus center and in the library, and they exercise in the recreation center.

They are part of the College community and they are more independent in this setting.”

Honing their life skills at Assumption enables the WPS Transition students to build their confidence, interact with young people their own age and develop the practical skills needed for independent living. Exporting the Transition Program to an off-site location started as a phone request from an Assumption graduate to a favorite professor. It continues to develop a life of its own.

COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION Assumption College is committed to working with the Worcester Public Schools (WPS) and the Catholic schools in this region to enhance educational opportunities in formal academic settings and afterschool programs. We also offer professional development workshops and tuition discounts for teachers with the WPS, the Diocese of Worcester and the Nativity School. *Some of the schools and programs we work with are:

Adopt-A-Student Mentoring Program

Nativity School of Worcester

African Community Education

New Citizen Center

Algonquin Regional High School

Norman E. Day School – Westford

American Antiquarian Society

North Middlesex Regional High School

Ashland High School

Northbridge Middle School

Auburn High School

Oak Middle School – Shrewsbury

Auburn Middle School

Oakmont Regional High School

AVID Partnership with Worcester Public Schools

R.J. Grey Jr. High School – Acton

Bellingham High School

Rainbow Child Development Center, Inc.

Boys & Girls Club of Worcester

Seven Hills Charter School

Chocksett Middle School

Shrewsbury High School

Individual Determination) Program is a

Clinton Elementary School

Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services, Inc.

vital partnership among local businesses,

Collegiate Success Institute (CSI)

South Grafton Elementary School

Dawson Elementary School (Holden)

Southbridge High School

the colleges and the Worcester Public

Devereux School

St. Peter-Marian Central Catholic High School

Schools. Assumption has been a strong

Douglas High School

St. Peter’s Elementary School

partner working with The Hanover as we

Framingham High School

Sutton Public Schools

Franklin High School

The New England Center for Children

seek to improve high school graduation

G. Stanley Hall School

Trottier Middle School

rates and significantly boost the number

Higher Education Resource Center

Wachusett Early Childhood Center

of public school graduates who attend

Jewish Community Center

Wachusett Regional High School

Leicester Middle School

Westborough High School

college. Assumption College students

Marlboro Int. Middle School

Worcester Community Action Council

Mayo Elementary School (Holden)

25 Worcester Public Schools (WPS) – elementary, middle, high school and charter schools

Mountview Middle School (Holden) Natick High School

* This is a partial list.

“ Support of the AVID (Advancement Via

serve as role models to encourage students to succeed.”

Linda McGowan Director of Community Relations, The Hanover Insurance Group President, The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc.

2009 – 2010 Community Benefits Report | 3

“ Encouraging outreach through community service learning expands and enriches the academic environment for our undergraduates.

Providing opportunities for them to invest their time, energy and interest off campus deepens the understanding and cooperation between Assumption and our neighbors. It also helps to identify needs within the Worcester community that the College has the human resources to address.”

Professor Susan Perschbacher, Founding Director, Community Service Learning, Assumption College

CREATING

of Hope a culture

WHEN IMMIGRANTS ARRIVE in the United States it can be a stressful time, and it is especially difficult for those who don’t know English. The James A. Caradonio New Citizens Center (NCC) in Worcester assists families and children faced with adapting to a whole new culture.

87-page guide provides basic information about services that can assist newly arrived Worcester public school students and families as they adjust to their new lives. The Assumption students wrote in the guide, “As students, we are committed to strengthening the social bonds of our community.”

Assumption College Spanish Professor Esteban Loustaunau and his community service learning class (CSL) have helped to make the transition easier for the Spanish-speaking immigrants at the NCC. He encouraged the students in his Spanish class to help NCC students develop their own voices.

“Encouraging outreach through community service learning expands and enriches the academic environment for our undergraduates,” says Professor Susan Perschbacher, founding director of Community Service Learning at Assumption. “Providing opportunities for them to invest their time, energy and interest off campus deepens the understanding and cooperation between Assumption and our neighbors. It also helps to identify needs within the Worcester community that the College has the human resources to address.”

“I was teaching a course on literature and culture about how Mexicans fought for their rights and developed a voice of their own,” said Loustaunau. “I wanted to show Assumption students how they can be effective and positive citizens in their community.”

Assumption offered 21 CSL classes in a variety of academic disciplines during the 2009 – 2010 academic year. These classes enable students to take classroom theory and apply it to benefit various nonprofit organizations around Worcester. These volunteer activities, which are a rich tradition at the college, benefit the community and the students.

In addition to volunteering, the students collaborated with the NCC to develop an online resource guide, the Reference Guide for New Immigrant Families. The

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The NCC is the beneficiary of this broader view of learning. The Worcester public school students who arrive from other countries with significant academic issues due to migration, lack of education, and/or civil disruptions in their home country have the advantage of a warm, welcoming center. The NCC gained the resources of Professor Loustaunau and his dedicated students. Ultimately, the students succeeded beyond the professor’s expectations. “They had the opportunity to utilize their Spanish language skills and they got a better sense of the power of their own voices.”

A COMMUNITY RESOURCE Assumption College undergraduate and graduate students contribute to the vitality and well-being of the greater Worcester region through many internships, practicums and capstone projects. *Organizations in the Worcester community that have benefited from this work are:

“ Over the last several years, the interns from Assumption College who have worked with us at the Small Business Service Bureau, Inc. have played an integral role in our research and legislative advocacy on issues ranging from health care reform and cost control to taxes and other critical small business issues. They have all been bright, enthusiastic and energetic.”

Francis R. Carroll, Chairman and Founder, Small Business Service Bureau, Inc.

Adcare Hospital

Grafton Job Corps

The New England Center for Children

African Community Education

Greater Worcester Habitat for Humanity

The Province of St. Mary of the Capuchin Order

Almost Home

Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts

Training Resources of America

Alternatives Unlimited

Heifer International Overlook Farm

United States Air Force

American Antiquarian Society

Horizons for Homeless Children

University of Massachusetts Medical School

American Cancer Society

Jeremiah’s Inn

Wachusett Regional High School

American Red Cross – Blood Drive

Jewish Community Center

WCUW/91.3FM

Auburn High School

Jewish Healthcare Center

Webster Square Day Care Center

Autumn Woods

Lutheran Home

Worcester Animal Rescue League

Belmont Street School – School Supply Drive

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

Worcester Art Museum

Better Business Bureau

Massachusetts State Police

Worcester Business Journal

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Worcester

Mass Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Worcester Chamber of Commerce

Boys & Girls Club

New Citizens Center (WPS)

Worcester Community Action Council

Burncoat Middle School

Notre Dame Du Lac

Worcester County District Attorney’s Office

Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging

Pernet Family Services

Worcester County Food Bank

Central Massachusetts Convention and Visitors Bureau

PIP Shelter

Worcester County Juvenile Probation Department

Central Massachusetts Top Soccer/Youth Soccer

Planting the Seed Foundation School Supply Drive

Worcester County Superior Court Probation Department

City Living Magazine

Plumley Village – Individual Income Tax Assistance

Worcester Magazine

Colleges of Worcester Consortium

Programs for People

Worcester Oral Women’s History Project

Community Healthlink

Rainbow Child Development Center

Worcester Public Library

Department of Children and Families

Refugee Apostolate

Worcester Public Schools

Department of Public Utilities

Salvation Army

Worcester Sharks

Deveraux School

Seven Hills Foundation

Worcester Telegram and Gazette

Dismas House

Small Business Service Bureau

Worcester Tree Initiative

Elder Services of Worcester

St. Francis Catholic Worker House

Worcester Youth Center

Florence House

St. Peter Central Catholic School Mentoring

Worcester Youth Guidance Center – CHL

Friendly House

The Bridge of Central Massachusetts

Y.O.U., Inc.

Friends of Newton Hill

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Business Empowerment Center

YWCA

G. Stanley Hall School

The Mercy Centre

Girls Inc. of Worcester

The Mustard Seed

* This is a partial list.

the

IMPORTANCE

Volunteer of being a

PAINTING A HOUSE FOR Rebuilding Together Worcester. Coordinating craft days at Worcester Housing Authority facilities. Caroling at the Lutheran Home. Raising money and awareness for the homeless.

Assumption students can be found at locations around Worcester and throughout the county volunteering for “One Shots.”

“ Assumption cares deeply about building good citizens and the Reach Out Center (ROC) helps to carry out that mission. For some students, we are exposing them to issues dealing with race or poverty for the first time. Volunteering helps them understand social issues on a personal level and encourages them to apply their knowledge and skills to make a difference.”

Carleen Roy-Butler, Director, Assumption College Reach Out Center

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“’One Shots’ allow students to choose the kind of activity that appeals to them and volunteer for just one day,” says Molly Eastman ’10, a student service director at the college’s Reach Out Center (ROC). As a student service director, Molly worked with various organizations and agencies to identify their needs and coordinate schedules. Then she recruited Assumption students who wanted to participate.

“The different organizations are so passionate about what they do, the students often find that it is contagious,” Molly explains. “The students enjoy being involved in the community and they feel very appreciated.”

In addition to “One Shots,” many Assumption College students choose to volunteer with the same agency or organization on a weekly basis, establishing a close relationship with the staff and the people who benefit from the services. Over the course of the year, Assumption students volunteer thousands of hours through the ROC, which was established almost 25 years ago to direct a concerted effort to have an impact on the Worcester community.

“Assumption cares deeply about building good citizens and the ROC helps to carry out that mission,” said Carleen Roy-Butler, director of the center. “For some students, we are exposing them to issues dealing with race or poverty for the first time. Volunteering helps them understand social issues on a personal level and encourages them to apply their knowledge and skills to make a difference.”

But community service did not just begin with the ROC, nor does it end there. Community Service Learning courses have entire classes working closely with Worcester agencies or nonprofit organizations to assist those in need. And if you look at the history of Assumption, the tradition of volunteerism has always been part of the culture. People like Maurice “Moe” Boisvert ’66, president and CEO of Y.O.U., Inc. are proud to have been part of that.

“I actually started my career in child welfare as a teenager at Assumption Prep. I continued while at Assumption College, where that tradition of volunteerism has created a wonderful legacy,” said Moe. Enthusiasm is contagious. The Reach Out Center knows just how to harness it.

VOLUNTARY ENGAGEMENT Whether students volunteer in the Reach Out Center (ROC), Campus Ministry, as a member of an intercollegiate athletic team, or a community service learning class, they offer their skills, talents and heart to make a difference in the community. *Some of the agencies that benefit from this spirit of generosity are:

Abby’s House

Salvation Army

AIDS Project Worcester

SEND Service Trips:

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts Boys & Girls Club Coats for Kids to benefit Children of Worcester Public Schools Community Harvest Farm Dismas House Habitat for Humanity Harvest Local Food Festival Higher Education Resource Center (HERC) Hounds for Haiti (Fundraising Response to Earthquake) John’s Street Baptist Church Kids’ Café at the Boys and Girls Club Kids’ Klub at Great Brook Valley Light the Night Walk Lutheran Home Make-A-Wish Foundation Massachusetts Veterans Shelter Mexico Mission Trip – Mexico City Multiple Sclerosis Walk N.E.A.D.S. Nativity School of Worcester Operation Helping Hands – New Orleans Pernet Family Services PIP Shelter Pop Warner Football Princess Boutique Rainbow Childhood Development Afterschool Rainbow Childhood Development Center Preschool Rebuilding Together Worcester

Bethlehem House – Washington, DC Catholic Charities Helping Hands – New Orleans, LA Food and Friends – Washington, DC Mission On the Bay – Bay St. Louis, MS Our Daily Bread – Baltimore, MD Romero Center – Camden, NJ Sandtown Habitat For Humanity – Baltimore, MD Special Olympics Special Olympics – Seven Hills St. Jude’s Hospital – Up ‘Til Dawn St. Paul’s Food Pantry St. Peter’s Mentoring Program St. Vincent’s Hospital Student Government Day of Service Susan G. Komen Pink Zone

“ I actually started my career in child welfare

The Mustard Seed

as a teenager at Assumption Prep.

TOPSoccer

I continued while at Assumption College,

Training Resources of America UMASS Memorial Hospital Worcester County Food Bank – Annual Food Drive Worcester Housing Authority Worcester Public Schools: Annual Book Drive

where that tradition of volunteerism has created a wonderful legacy,” Maurice “Moe” Boisvert ‘66 President and CEO of Y.O.U., Inc.

Chandler Street School – Athletic/Recreation Program Flagg Street School – BIGS Program Nelson Place – Book Buddies Positive Directions at South High School YWCA – Stand Against Racism Participant * This is a partial list.

2009 – 2010 Community Benefits Report | 7

WORKING

W.I.S.E. with the community is

ASSUMPTION PROACTIVELY SEEKS opportunities and responds to requests that align the mission of the College and the needs of the community. One particularly strong example of this mission-driven outreach is the Worcester Institute for Senior Education (W.I.S.E.).

“ W.I.S.E. represents the College’s commitment to lifelong learning and also fulfills a need throughout Central Massachusetts for an educational opportunity that empowers older people and enhances their personal development.”

Charlene L. Martin, Ed.D. Former Dean of Continuing Education, Assumption College Director, W.I.S.E.

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W.I.S.E. began in 1993 as a specialized continuing education program for senior citizens. Today the program enrolls nearly 500 elder students each year in more than 60 noncredit courses in most major academic disciplines. In addition to classes, W.I.S.E. offers its members lectures, day trips, adventures abroad and other intellectual, cultural, and fine and performing arts-related activities.

“Assumption College has been proud to offer space and administrative support as the host campus of W.I.S.E. since its inception,” says Charlene L. Martin, Ed.D., current director of W.I.S.E and former dean of Continuing Education at Assumption. “W.I.S.E. represents the College’s commitment to lifelong learning and also fulfills a need throughout Central Massachusetts for an educational opportunity that empowers older people and enhances their personal development. Members of W.I.S.E. are an inspiration to all of us as they pursue their passion for learning.”

“We don’t offer ‘how-to’ classes,” says Maddie Levine, president of W.I.S.E. “We offer academic classes in art, history and other subjects, but there are no exams. We also offer lectures, trips and other special events. One of our members is 101 and she still attends W.I.S.E. classes.

“We offer classes for people who have the time to continue their learning. We’re giving something back to the community. We couldn’t be more grateful to Assumption for the great support.”

As a member-run organization, participants are actively involved in developing the educational programs that will be offered. They come to the Assumption campus and hear speakers, such as Nobel Prize-winning researcher Craig Mello. Assumption’s Office of Career and Continuing Education continues to provide administrative support for the program.

“W.I.S.E. has been a lifesaver for me,” says Sam Chafetz, age 92 and a former W.I.S.E. president.“ It keeps my mind active because we offer classes that are academic and stimulate the mind. I’ve enjoyed every class I’ve taken. We don’t waste our time doing hobbies.

We’re so appreciative of how well we are received on Assumption’s beautiful campus.”

Lifelong learning is part of the mission of Assumption College – and the College proudly offers programming and resources that encourage and support intellectual curiosity at every age within our local community.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Assumption proactively goes out to engage with the community and encourages members of the community to come to the campus. *Here are just some of the opportunities the College offers:

“ I’ve been volunteering with Light the Night since I was a student at Assumption. I’ve seen it grow and expand at the College and in the community. I’m proud to be a board member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society because I have experienced the good work they do and I want to help them succeed in their mission.”

Justin Smith ’03, Board Member, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Senior Assistant Director of Admissions, Assumption College

Al-Anon Army ROTC Dive Training Assumption College Latino Festival Athletic Clinics City of Worcester Polling Location Citywide Ecumenical Prayer Services Duck Day Annual Welcome First Night Worcester Annual Meeting Genesis Club of Worcester Hector Reyes House Annual Meeting Jordan Furniture Adoption Event Kids to College Program Latino Dollar for Scholars Event Learn to Swim Programming Light the Night Walk – Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Nativity School Pernet Family Services Science Olympiad SEARCH Retreats (Diocesan Confirmation Retreats) Seven Hills Foundation Society of Professional Communicators Special Olympics Stand Up Speak Out Leadership Conference – NCCSA

Worcester Diocesan School Board

Step and Drill Competition

Worcester Diocesan School Professional Development

College Community Connection Program

United Way Dollar Diva Event

Worcester Economic Club

Doherty High School Advanced Placement Testing

United Way Women’s Initiative

Worcester Institute for Senior Education – W.I.S.E.

Worcester Chamber of Commerce

Worcester Public School Professional Development

Worcester Tree Initiative

Worcester Children’s Chorus Host

Worcester Regional Research Bureau – T.S. Green Awards

YouthNet Summer Olympics

Worcester Public Schools:

Teaching American History Training

* This is a partial list.

2009 – 2010 Community Benefits Report | 9

CONTRIBUTIONS

heart and soul to the life of the mind,

“ Assumption College has a long

tradition of inviting the community to attend academic and cultural events on our campus. It is essential to expose our students to new ideas and artistic endeavors that expand their worldview. We believe that the community also appreciates these types of experiences and they are a welcome part of our intellectual vibrancy.”

Louise Carroll Keeley, Ph.D. Associate Provost, Assumption College

The President’s Lecture Series is open to all and focuses on important ethical, spiritual and human issues.

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ONE OF THE BENEFITS of having a vibrant liberal arts college like Assumption in Worcester is the dynamic cultural life that it shares with the city.

Worcester County residents are invited to campus to enjoy, many times at no charge, the cultural wealth of the College community.

“Assumption College has a long tradition of inviting the community to attend academic and cultural events on our campus,” says Louise Carroll Keeley, Ph.D., associate provost. “It is essential to expose our students to new ideas and artistic endeavors that expand their worldview.

We believe that the community also appreciates these types of experiences and they are a welcome part of our intellectual vibrancy.”

Throughout the year, Assumption’s HumanArts Series offers renowned performers, singers, lecturers, musicians and poets to Worcester residents at no charge. The President’s Lecture Series offers a roster of distinguished speakers ranging from a philosophy professor who explores race relations to a former U.S. Ambassador.

Individual academic departments regularly invite experts in their disciplines to address pertinent topics of the day.

The d’Alzon Arts Series showcases the works of talented artists. “The d’Alzon Library offers the larger Worcester community the opportunity to see professional art exhibits spanning a range of viewpoints and styles, from naturalistic realism to sculptures made from found objects,” says Carrie Nixon, art professor. “Each d’Alzon show has an opening celebration with brief artists’ talks. The exhibits then stay up for approximately six weeks, which allows ample time for viewing and even re-viewing.”

In addition, student performances provide the opportunity to enjoy the fine and performing arts.

Each spring, the Department of Art, Music and Theatre stages its annual musical at the magnificent Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. This four-performance event, which attracts thousands to downtown Worcester, is made possible through the College’s generous multi-year financial commitment to the restoration of the theatre. The spring musical OLIVER! captivated theatergoers as nearly 100 Assumption students and Central Massachusetts residents performed this heartwarming show to more than 5,000 people.

“I believe that the close relationship between Assumption and the Hanover Theatre offers people throughout the Worcester region a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the performing arts in an amazing location for an unbeatable price,” says Troy Siebels, executive director of the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. “We are proud to be associated with Assumption.”

Students also offer a variety of other on-campus performances, including A Capella, AC Chorale, AC Upstage (theater group), AC’s step group and Assumption Asylum (sketch comedy group).

The Worcester Children’s Chorus, which features Worcester-area children (8 – 16 years), also calls Assumption College home. Assumption provides the children’s chorus with rehearsal space at no charge.

Assumption may be small in its undergraduate population, but it is huge in talent.

A CULTURAL RESOURCE

“ Assumption College has played a large part in the development of the Worcester Children’s Chorus (WCC) by offering us a place of residency. We feel very fortunate to have such wonderful

Being part of the Worcester community requires a give and take that ultimately benefits those individuals living in this community. *Offering cultural programming is an important part of the Assumption contribution:

facilities at our disposal, and it is my belief that coming onto the beautiful campus raises the bar

Theatre Performances:

Supporter:

for our students’ expectations of their WCC experience. They recognize that this opportunity is special and that more is expected of them in such an environment.”

Jennifer Kane, Worcester Children’s Chorus Artistic Director

Hanover Theatre Performance of OLIVER!

Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts

Assumption College Performance of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”

Centro Las Americas – Film Festival

HUMANARTS Series:

First Night Worcester Colleges of Worcester Consortium

Peter Sluski, violin and Michelle Graveline, harpsichord

Worcester Art Museum

Balint Karosi, Organist

Worcester Local First

The Triveni School of Dance

Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Breakfast

Sena Jeter Naslund, writer

Mayor’s Interreligious Breakfast

Borislav Strulev, cello accompanied by Julain Milkis, clarinet, & Sima Kistanovich, piano

Worcester Women’s History Project

Jeff Taylor, lecturer New England Ringers, Christmas Handbell Concert Worcester Chamber Music Society Monica Schmitter, Lecturer The Bluegrass Gospel Project The Berkshire Hills Music Academy President’s Lecture Series: Rev. Robert E. Barron, S.T.D. Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., S.T.D., Ph.D. George Yancy, Ph.D. Maryann Cusimano Love, Ph.D. Rev. James V. Schall, S.J., Ph.D. Host : Worcester Children’s Chorus The Step and Dance Competition Shakespeare Conference “Love and Honor in Shakespeare” Annual Rabbi Klein Lecture Series

D’Alzon Art and Poetry Series: ART SHOWS Richard Paul Hoyer Carrie Nixon Student Art Show Lynn Simmons Lucy Marcigliano POETRY READING Victor D. Infante & Dorinda Wegener Dan Lewis & David Thoreen Jonathan Blake & Bill O’Connell Matt Hopewell & Jeff Siegrist Jim Fay & Francine D’Alessandro Student Poetry Reading * This is a partial list.

OLIVER! featured local children and adults as well as Assumption students. It attracted thousands to the Hanover Theatre.

2009 – 2010 Community Benefits Report | 11

FAST Facts :: 1904

:: $5 million

:: 2,113

:: $60 million

Year Assumption College was founded by the Augustinians of the Assumption

Number of undergraduates

:: 483

Number of graduate students

:: 195

Number of continuing education students

:: 472

Number of staff and faculty living in the city of Worcester and the surrounding county

:: 90+

Percentage of undergraduates who receive some financial aid from Assumption

“ Higher education is a strong economic engine within Central Massachusetts. Worcester County is home to 13 colleges and universities, nine of which, including Assumption, have located their main campuses within the city limits.”

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. President

12 | 2009 – 2010 Community Benefits Report

:: 120,000

Number of hours students volunteer annually

Amount that Assumption spends with local vendors annually

Amount Assumption has spent on capital improvements in the last 10 years

:: 39/44

Number of majors/minors in the liberal arts and sciences, business and professional studies

:: $1.3 million

Amount of institutional aid to students from Worcester

:: $4.4 million

Amount of institutional aid to students from Worcester County

:: $285,000

Annual water and sewer usage taxes paid to the City of Worcester

:: 1,180

:: $42,000

:: 50+

:: $2,750

:: 90

:: $10,000

Number of undergraduates participating in community service

Percentage of 2010 graduates who had an internship while at Assumption

Percentage of students who live on campus for all four years

Amount of yearly property tax paid to the City of Worcester

Annual commitment to the “Adopt an Island” beautification project in Lincoln Square

Annual investment to provide shuttle service for Assumption students to patronize local shops and restaurants

Assumption College 500 Salisbury Street Worcester, MA 01609 508.767.7478 www.assumption.edu

Printed on recycled paper.