Our Community Investment:
Transforming Lives 2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report
A ssumption C ollege 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
FAST facts :: 1904
:: $38 million
:: 2,024
:: 40/44
Year Assumption College was founded by the Augustinians of the Assumption
Number of undergraduates
:: 203
Number of CE students
:: 531
Number of graduate students
Amount Assumption has spent on capital improvements in the last 10 years
Number of majors/minors in the liberal arts and sciences, business and professional studies
:: $1.4 million
Amount of institutional aid to students from Worcester
:: 491
:: $5.5 million
:: 95+
:: $265,000
:: 115,000
:: $42,000
Number of staff and faculty living in the city of Worcester and surrounding towns
Percentage of undergraduates who receive some form of financial aid
Number of hours students volunteer annually
:: 1,864
Number of volunteer placements in organizations throughout Worcester County
:: 90
Percentage of students who live on campus for all four years
:: $8.4 million
Amount Assumption spent with local vendors ’10 – ’11
Amount of institutional aid to students from Worcester County
Annual water and sewer usage taxes paid to the City of Worcester
Amount of yearly property tax paid to the City of Worcester
:: $25,000
Annual commitment to the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts
:: $2,750
Annual commitment to the “Adopt an Island” beautification project in Lincoln Square
:: $10,000
Annual investment to provide shuttle service for Assumption students to patronize local shops and restaurants
A M essage
from the
P resident
Each year, Assumption College students, faculty and staff demonstrate their commitment to the Worcester community. We view our relationship with the community as a powerful partnership. One of the key attributes of this partnership is our students’ efforts to transform the lives of residents of Worcester, while focusing on their own personal transformation to adulthood. As Assumption College strives “to form graduates known for critical intelligence, thoughtful citizenship and compassionate service,” we continue to seek opportunities and implement programs that encourage our students to utilize their knowledge and skills to benefit the broader Worcester community. In the following pages you will see the many partnerships that have transformed the lives of our students as well as residents of our great community – with one of the highlights being in the area of education. Our student-teachers can be found in elementary, middle and high school classrooms. Our volunteers are helping run many of the afterschool programs. Our education graduates move into teaching at the local schools and our graduate programs attract teachers and counselors from throughout the region to further their education. Our faculty members provide programming to assist local teachers become stronger. We offer scholarships to local students to attend Assumption College. We share a deep commitment to the education of the students in Worcester public schools and the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Worcester. We will continue to explore opportunities and implement programs that build Worcester youth and encourage them to achieve their full potential. While Assumption is considered a small college, our contributions to Worcester cast a wide net. Our student population is approximately 2,700 undergraduate, graduate and continuing education students, and yet last year alone, our students spent approximately 115,000 hours volunteering in and around Worcester. We have over 600 employees working at Assumption, most of whom call Worcester County their home. It is essential that Assumption College remains fiscally responsible to our students and their families. More than 95 percent of our students receive some form of financial aid, and we provide numerous scholarships and other types of aid to local students. Last year, the College provided more than $5.5 million in institutional aid to students from Worcester County, $1.4 million of which went to Worcester residents. Our commitment to fiscal responsibility has allowed us to provide necessary aid to students, in order that they too, can have the ability to transform their lives. We are proud to be a part of the fabric of the Worcester community since 1904. We have many exciting challenges and opportunities ahead of us, and we look forward to finding innovative solutions.
“ We continue to seek opportunities and implement programs that encourage our students to utilize their knowledge and skills to benefit the broader Worcester community.” Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. President
Sincerely,
Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. President 2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report
| 1
“ Assumption College’s education students are fantastic. They have a fine blend of theory and practical application that helps them hit the ground running in the classroom so that when they arrive to teach our pupils, they are not overwhelmed. Clearly, Assumption’s professors and innovative curriculum have prepared them well.” Thomas Brindisi Principal Heard Street Discovery Academy, Worcester
COMMUNITY in the classroom
SERVICE IS INTEGRAL to the mission of Assumption College; it plays a critical role in the formation of graduates who are proactive, conscientious and engaged in the world around them. Over the past year, Assumption students have volunteered an impressive 115,000 hours in and around Worcester and the world. Community service is part of the curriculum. It is part of the students’ social lives. It is a part of the Assumption experience. Assumption’s education students, curriculum and faculty are outstanding examples of how the College interacts with and contributes to Worcester and the surrounding areas. Assumption undergraduates and graduate students take the knowledge and skills gained at the College and bring those into classrooms and leadership positions in education. Our faculty not only prepare the next generation of teachers, they also work with current teachers to enhance their resources and perform research to improve education overall. Education is a passion at Assumption. Assumption Offers Support in the Classroom An Assumption education prepares students to handle myriad challenges that today’s teachers face, and our faculty know that on-the-job training is a key element in the students’ development. Through a semester-long, senior-year field experience, approximately 50-60 Assumption undergraduates student-teach under the guidance of a classroom teacher and a College supervisor, in accordance with state regulations. Casey Handfield ’97 is principal of Auburn High School and a part-time lecturer in Assumption’s education
2 | 2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report
program. He has a unique perspective to share as an Assumption alumnus, a faculty member and employer of Assumption graduates. “There are several factors that make Assumption graduates highly sought after in the field of education,” he said. “First, the expectations for Assumption students are extremely high as only top-notch students are accepted. Second, the professors’ passion for education is palpable and infectious; this in turn makes students want to bring the same zest for learning to their classrooms. Third, the balance of theory and practical application in the classroom is second to none in Massachusetts.” Assumption starts hands-on learning early – even in the first year College students may begin working with local school children. For almost 15 years, Assumption and Heard Street Discovery Academy in Worcester have partnered for the study of biology for educators. At least twice during the semester, Grade 5 pupils from Heard Street come to the College biology laboratory, and Assumption students teach the pupils inquiry-based science lessons, in the College setting. “My students are paired with an Assumption student to complete a specific series of experiments at the College,” said Andrew Mugg, teacher at Heard Street. “This is a great opportunity for my students. Assumption College students come prepared with a clear plan, and through positive interactions, they leave my students with confidence and a strong knowledge base of the scientific process. Heard Street School truly benefits from this collaboration.”
Another course, EDU 365: Teaching Students with Special Needs, has a section that is organized around the concept of community service learning. The community service learning class works with Columbus Park Elementary School, Forest Grove Middle School, Wachusett Regional High School, St. Peter Central Catholic School, and other local schools. Students in this course read to pupils; provide one-on-one tutoring; lead small group activities and lessons; facilitate social interactions between students with and without disabilities; and assist teachers in the classroom. Assumption Offers Support for Local Educators Assumption has cultivated collaborative partnerships with 30 local public and Catholic schools. By offering professional development workshops and tuition discounts for teachers, Assumption College has become a rich source of practice, knowledge and mentoring in the field of education. The College also offers Nativity School fellows special graduate school opportunities. Professor Diane Myers works with area schools to provide training for schools that want to develop or enhance their current positive behavioral support system. She has worked with Worcester’s Sullivan Middle School, Carver, Holliston and West Boylston public schools. Several faculty have partnered with private and parochial schools to provide special education support and professional development. For one year, they collaborated on a partnership with the Nativity School in Worcester to provide a series of professional development workshops. For two years, they worked with St. Peter’s Central Catholic School, providing a comprehensive consultation and professional development workshops on special education for the pre-K-8 school. Professor Ellen Koretz, Assumption’s Field Placement Coordinator, works with the Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton, the
Massachusetts Department of Youth Services and Special Education in Institutional Settings, to provide in-service training and follow-up on-site visits to administrators, supervisors, special educators and classroom teachers to support inclusion of incarcerated youth in classrooms. Assumption Offers Support for the Future of our Children Assumption’s Education faculty have also partnered with schools and/or pre-K-12 colleagues for research to help develop better teaching skills. Professor Cathleen Stutz developed a research partnership with Lynn Leschke and Susanne Rubenstein, English teachers at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden. For four years, they have studied the development of new English teachers, specifically exploring how they develop as writing teachers. Now going into their fifth year of research, Professors Paula Fitzpatrick and Nanho Vander Hart have partnered with Columbus Park and Worcester Arts Magnet elementary schools to investigate the impact that handwriting instruction has had on the pupils’ fluency and comprehension of academic subjects. Fitzpatrick and Vander Hart, who held a workshop to present the research findings to both schools, will continue this year to collect data.
“ St. Peter’s has been fortunate to enter into partnerships with Assumption College over the years. One of our most successful was a series of professional development opportunities for our faculty regarding students with special needs. The St. Peter’s staff greatly appreciated the lectures and discussions that helped us evaluate new strategies.
Assumption’s partnership with the Colleges of Worcester Consortium (COWC) to offer subject-specific methods courses has been popular. To date, it has been a successful partnership, pulling resources across all campuses to provide benefits to COWC students.
Faculty members are quick to reference
Each year, Assumption students and faculty engage Worcester students and teachers in the process of learning and growing. It is part of our role as a proud member of this community.
Meg Kursonis Headmaster St. Peter Central Catholic Elementary School
the materials, books and ideas that were shared. As a result, a strong bond was created between the two schools.”
2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report
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C ommitment
to
E ducation
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. We were proud to support the Mayor’s Task Force on Latino Education. *Some of the schools and programs we work with are: Adopt-A-Student Mentoring Program
Mayo Elementary School (Holden)
Worcester Public Schools:
African Community Education
Mayor’s Latino Education Task Force
Burncoat High School
Algonquin Regional High School
Mountview Middle School (Holden)
City View School
American Antiquarian Society
Natick High School
Chandler Elementary School
Ashland High School
Nativity School of Worcester
Columbus Park Preparatory Academy
Auburn High School
New Citizen Center
Doherty High School
Auburn Middle School
Norman E. Day School – Westford
Elm Park Elementary School
Auburn Youth and Family Services
North Middlesex Regional High School
Flagg Street School
AVID Partnership with Worcester Public Schools
Northbridge Middle School
Forest Grove Middle School
Bellingham (MA) High School
Oak Middle School – Shrewsbury
Grafton Street School
Boys & Girls Club of Worcester
Oakmont Regional High School
Heard Street Discovery Academy
Chocksett Middle School
R.J. Grey Jr. High School – Acton
Jacob Hiatt School
Clinton Elementary School
Rainbow Child Development Center, Inc.
McGrath Elementary School
Collegiate Success Institute (CSI)
Seven Hills Charter School
Midland Street School
Dawson Elementary School (Holden)
Shrewsbury High School
Nelson Place Elementary School
Devereux School
Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services, Inc.
Norrback Elementary School
Douglas High School
South Grafton Elementary School
North High School
Forest Avenue School (Hudson)
Southbridge High School
Roosevelt Elementary School
Framingham (MA) High School
St. Peter-Marian Central Catholic High School
South High School
Franklin High School
St. Peter’s Elementary School
Sullivan Middle School
Glenwood Elementary School
Sutton Public Schools
Thorndyke Road School
G. Stanley Hall School
The New England Center for Children
Union Hill School
Grafton High School
Trottier Middle School
Wawecus Road School
Higher Education Resource Center
Wachusett Early Childhood Center
Woodland Academy
Jewish Community Center
Wachusett Regional High School
Worcester Arts Magnet
Leicester Middle School
Westborough High School
Worcester East Middle
Marlboro Int. Middle School
Worcester Community Action Council
Worcester Technical High School Y.O.U., Inc. * This is a partial list.
4 | 2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report
V oluntary E ngagement 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
ANNA HUNT ‘12 BEGAN VOLUNTEERING as a first-year student through the College’s Reach Out Center (ROC) at Abby’s House, a multi-service organization that serves homeless and battered women and children. For the last few years, Anna has committed herself to empowering at-risk teenage girls with dignity and hope, life skills and tutoring through the Positive Directions program at South High School and Girls with DREAMS (Determination, Respect, Energy, Action, Motivation and Spirit) at the Assumption Center. The Worcester native says that her volunteer experiences with the ROC have profoundly affected her and helped her to better understand social issues on a deeper level. “When you leave campus [to volunteer], you experience things that you’d never experience otherwise,” says Hunt. “It makes you thankful for what you have.” While Hunt had reservations about the idea of working with teenagers, she now looks forward to devoting her career to troubled teens. “I want to work in a high school or anything to do with teens; it’s my passion now,” says Hunt, who is majoring in psychology with a concentration in education and human services.
SEND Service Trips:
AIDS Project Worcester
Bethlehem House – Washington,DC
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts
Food and Friends – Washington, DC
Boys & Girls Club
Habitat For Humanity and Redlands Christian Migrant Association – Immokalee, FL
Coats for Kids to benefit Children of Worcester Public Schools
Our Daily Bread – Baltimore, MD
Community Harvest Farm
Romero Center – Camden, NJ
Dismas House
Sandtown Habitat For Humanity – Baltimore, MD
Girls with DREAMS
Urban Immersion Service – Minneapolis, MN
Habitat for Humanity
Operation Helping Hands and New Orleans City Park – New Orleans, LA
Harvest Local Food Festival John’s Street Baptist Church Kids’ Café at the Boys and Girls Club Kids’ Klub at Great Brook Valley Light the Night Walk 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 Pop Warner Football Positive Directions at South High Princess Boutique Rainbow Childhood Development Afterschool Rainbow Childhood Development Center Preschool Rebuilding Together Worcester Salvation Army
Habitat For Humanity – Norristown, PA Our Daily Bread – Philadelphia, PA Re-Member – Pine Ridge Reservation, SD 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 The Mustard Seed TOPSoccer Training Resources of America UMASS Memorial Worcester County Food Bank – Annual Food Drive Worcester Housing Authority Worcester Public Schools: Annual Book Drive Chandler Street School Flagg Street School Nelson Place Positive Directions at South High School YWCA – Stand Against Racism Participant * This is a partial list.
2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report | 5
Community Engagement FROM PROVIDING RECREATIONAL SPACE for Worcester’s YouthNet to offering continuing education for senior citizens, Assumption proactively seeks opportunities to meet the needs of the community across the age continuum. YouthNet provides neighborhood-based recreational, educational and cultural activities for Worcester’s underserved youth, ages 11-15. The summer program offers educational, sports, fine arts and cooking activities, and special events including field trips, talent shows, dances and cookouts. For several years, Assumption has been hosting YouthNet’s annual summer Olympics, where more than 200 youth competed in events such as swimming, basketball, tug-of-war, obstacle courses and relay races. At the other end of the spectrum, the College offers specialized continuing education and programming for senior citizens within our local community. The Worcester Institute for Senior Education (W.I.S.E.) enrolls nearly 500 senior citizens 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 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: Al-Anon
Society of Professional Communicators
Army ROTC Dive Training
Special Olympics
Assumption College Latino Festival
Stand Up Speak Out Leadership Conference – NCCSA
Athletic Clinics
Step and Drill Competition
City of Worcester Polling Location
United Way Dollar Diva Event
students. Holding the YouthNet
Citywide Ecumenical Prayer Services
Worcester Children’s Chorus Host
Olympics at Assumption provides
Duck Day Annual Welcome
Worcester Diocesan School Board
First Night Worcester Annual Meeting
Worcester Diocesan School Professional Development
Photograph of YouthNet Youth taken by Alma Matos.
“ Assumption College is a positive atmosphere for at-risk middle school
a safe place in an educational
Genesis Club of Worcester
Worcester Diocesan Science Fair
environment for these students to
Hector Reyes House Annual Meeting
Worcester Institute for Senior Education – W.I.S.E.
start thinking and seeing things in
Kids to College Program
Worcester Public School Professional Development
Latino Dollar for Scholars Event
Worcester Regional Research Bureau – T.S. Green Awards
Learn to Swim Programming
Worcester Public Schools:
a different way. The program could not operate as successfully as it does
Light the Night Walk – Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
College Community Connection Program
and to this scale if it weren’t for
Nativity School
Doherty High School Advanced Placement Testing
Assumption opening its doors to offer its fabulous pool and gym area.” Bonnie Pulver Director, YouthNet Worcester
6 | 2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report
Pernet Family Services Science Olympiad SEARCH Retreats (Diocesan Confirmation Retreats) Seven Hills Foundation
Teaching American History Training YouthNet Summer Olympics * This is a partial list.
C ommunity R esource EVERY SEMESTER approximately 25 students enroll in the Internship in Business course and gain hands-on experience at companies throughout Central Massachusetts. Nicolas Gonzalez ’12 experienced first-hand all that goes into being a part of the Disaster Department of the Worcester Chapter of the American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts through his recent internship.
Refugee Apostolate Salvation Army Seven Hills Foundation Small Business Service Bureau St. Francis and St. Therese Catholic Worker House
“When I started my internship at the American Red Cross, I thought it was going to be a desk job and that I wouldn’t make much of a differences. But I was wrong,” says Gonzalez. “When fires occurred, I was called to help out the firefighters and families by providing assistance, food and any necessities that they needed to stay safe.” 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: Adcare Hospital
Florence House
African Community Education
Friendly House
Almost Home
Friends of Newton Hill
Alternatives Unlimited
G. Stanley Hall School
American Antiquarian Society
Girls Inc. of Worcester
American Cancer Society
Grafton Job Corps
American Red Cross – Blood Drive
Greater Worcester Habitat for Humanity
Auburn High School
Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts
Autumn Woods
Heifer International Overlook Farm
Belmont Street School – School Supply Drive
Horizons for Homeless Children
Better Business Bureau
Jeremiah’s Inn
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Worcester
Jewish Community Center
Boys & Girls Club
Jewish Healthcare Center
Burncoat Middle School
Lutheran Home
Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging
Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
Central Massachusetts Convention and Visitors Bureau
Massachusetts State Police
Central Massachusetts Top Soccer/Youth Soccer
Mass Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
City Living Magazine
New Citizens Center (WPS)
Colleges of Worcester Consortium
Notre Dame Du Lac
Community Healthlink
Pernet Family Services
Department of Children and Families
PIP Shelter
Department of Public Utilities
Planting the Seed Foundation School Supply Drive
Devereux School
Plumley Village – Individual Income Tax Assistance
Dismas House
Programs for People
Elder Services of Worcester
Rainbow Child Development Center
St. Peter Central Catholic School Mentoring The Bridge of Central Massachusetts The Martin Luther King, Jr. Business Empowerment Center The Mercy Centre The Mustard Seed The New England Center for Children The Province of St. Mary of the Capuchin Order Training Resources of America United States Air Force University of Massachusetts Medical School Wachusett Regional High School WCUW/91.3FM Webster Square Day Care Center Worcester Animal Rescue League Worcester Art Museum Worcester Business Journal Worcester Chamber of Commerce Worcester Community Action Council Worcester County District Attorney’s Office Worcester County Food Bank Worcester County Juvenile Probation Department Worcester County Superior Court Probation Department Worcester Magazine Worcester Oral Women’s History Project Worcester Public Library Worcester Public Schools Worcester Sharks Worcester Telegram and Gazette Worcester Tree Initiative Worcester Youth Center Worcester Youth Guidance Center – CHL Y.O.U., Inc. YWCA * This is a partial list. 2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report | 7
C ultural R esource 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: Theatre Performances: Hanover Theatre Performance of Children of Eden Assumption College Performance of “The Fifth Sun” HumanArts Series:
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 the cultural wealth of the College community, often at no charge. The d’Alzon Arts Series, in particular, showcases the works of talented artists and offers the larger Worcester community the opportunity to see professional art exhibits and hear poetry readings throughout the academic year. Each d’Alzon show has an opening celebration with a brief talk from the artist. The exhibits then stay up for approximately six weeks, which allows ample time for the community to view and re-view. “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.”
ART SHOWS Richard Paul Hoyer Carrie Nixon
Peter Sluski, violin and Michelle Graveline, harpsichord
Student Art Show
Balint Karosi, Organist
Lucy Marcigliano
The Triveni School of Dance Sena Jeter Naslund, writer Borislav Strulev, cello accompanied by Julain Milkis, clarinet, & Sima Kistanovich, piano 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 Host (HOME): Worcester Children’s Chorus The Step and Dance Competition Shakespeare Conference “Love and Honor in Shakespeare” Assumption College is proud to Support a number of cultural organizations including: Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts Centro Las Americas – Film Festival First Night Worcester Colleges of Worcester Consortium Worcester Art Museum Worcester Local First Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Breakfast Mayor’s Interreligious Breakfast Worcester Women’s History Project
8 | 2010 – 2011 Community Benefits Report
D’Alzon Art and Poetry Series:
Lynn Simmons 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.
Assumption College 500 Salisbury Street Worcester, MA 01609 508.767.7478 www.assumption.edu