News from and for Our Loyal Supporters - June 2008

Keenans Make WSC History

Seven years after Steven Keenan ’63 and his wife, Jacqueline, first named WSC as a beneficiary of $1 million from their charitable remainder unitrust, the couple has made College history by increasing the amount to over $2 million. It is the largest gift ever made to the College, and it will substantially increase the Worcester State Foundation’s unrestricted endowment. Steve and Jackie said they increased their gift because they believe WSC espouses many of the causes they believe are important, including education, nursing, and human rights. “It’s a way of affecting many people over a long period of time,” said Steve, who graduated the year the Board of Education voted to drop the word “teachers” from the College’s name. “We’re hoping this will encourage students to go out and do socially responsible things, such as teaching and nursing.” Nearly 134 years after the College was founded, alumni support is very important because the College is now state-supported, rather than state-funded, he added.

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Historical Reunion Weekend at WSC

This year’s Worcester State College Reunion Weekend-—the first reunion held during the Opportunity for a Lifetime campaign-—was particularly memorable as several alumni and families of alumni announced their creation of endowed scholarships, representing $125,000 in private donations that will assist future WSC students with college costs. These special announcements, made during annual reunion dinners Saturday night, ensured that Reunion Weekend for the classes of 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, and 1973 made College history.

Michael and Nancy Moran, the son and daughter-in-law of alumni Donald P. ’58 and Mary (Walsh) ’57 Moran, made a surprise announcement at the 1958 class dinner that they have established The Donald and Mary Moran Endowed Scholarship. Francis J. Crimmins formally announced The Francis Crimmins Endowed Scholarship, which he has created in honor of his 50th reunion. At the 1953 class dinner, Robert Mullin, Ed.D., announced his creation of The Eileen and William Mullin Memorial Scholarship to honor his parents. He was followed by the family members of alumnus James P. McSherry, Ed.D., who shared the news that they have created the Jim McSherry ’53 Endowed Scholarship in honor of his 55th reunion. They join classmate Mary Jane Howard and her husband, Don, a member of the class of 1951, who established an endowed scholarship in honor of Mary Jane’s 55th reunion.

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Scholarship Tea Raises Record Amount for Scholarships

Presented with the occasion to join WSC in honoring Worcester’s Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Leonard Morse, more than 150 friends, family members, and colleagues gathered May 4 at the Student Center for the 14th annual Scholarship Tea. The event raised a record of over $23,000 in scholarship aid. “This is a milestone, a tremendous accomplishment, and a fantastic and fitting tribute to our honoree, Dr. Morse,” said Camilla H. Caffrey, assistant vice president of Institutional Advancement. [Read more] 

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WSC Celebrates 132nd Commencement

A packed crowd at the DCU Center celebrated WSC’s 132nd Commencement on May 18. The ceremony marked the awarding of 855 bachelor of art and science degrees to undergraduate students and master’s degrees to 216 graduate students. Five members of the class of 2008 were commissioned as officers in the United States Armed Forces. Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray articulated the importance of the college to the city and the region—and to his own family—in his keynote address. “My father’s generation was the first in his family to have the opportunity to go to college. And for my dad, that college was Worcester State.” Murray’s father, who received his bachelor’s degree in 1968 and master’s degree in 1971, went on to teach high school history for 37 years. Click here to view the commencement photo gallery.

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Campaign Committee Members Learn Ways They Can Keep Momentum Going

“We are near the end of a wonderful, historic year at Worcester State College!” announced Vice President of Institutional Advancement Thomas M. McNamara to members of the Opportunity for a Lifetime Campaign Committees at the June 12th meeting. In addition to learning about the College’s and campaign’s milestones, committee members heard about several significant gifts that are close to being finalized and some campaign-related events that will be held in the summer and fall.

Three breakout sessions were offered during the second half of the meeting: a volunteer solicitors training, faculty/staff campaign planning, and campaign communications overview.

• Volunteer solicitors were encouraged to make their own generous pledge before asking others to give, share their reasons for making such a commitment, and do their homework prior to a face-to-face solicitation visit by knowing the campaign story thoroughly, especially the case statement.
• Committee members who attended the faculty/staff campaign session agreed that participation at any level will be key to this effort, one to two kickoff gatherings should be held in September, and that payment methods should be as simple as possible.
• Those who chose the campaign communications session reviewed how they can use the case statement, video, electronic newsletters, factsheets, some one-pagers, the College’s website, and campaign website to prepare to talk up the campaign with people they know.

In particular, they were encouraged to read the case statement, the most comprehensive explanation of the campaign. Committee members left with a renewed sense of excitement and new level of confidence about the second year of the campaign.

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