- Fall 2021: Easing the Safety ProtocolsFall 2021: Easing the Safety Protocols ke.dunbar Fri, 04/16/2021 - 11:49 The University today announced its aspirations of the return of in-person classes and more students residing on campus amid an easing of the safety protocols this coming fall, if conditions allow. “We are hopeful that the virus will wane in its prevalence so we may collectively transition to a new normal of post-pandemic campus life,” said Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., president of Assumption. “The uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic has required each of us to make unprecedented and abnormal sacrifices for the benefit of the common good. Those sacrifices have been a challenge for our community, but the selfless efforts that define the Assumption spirit endured. The University community is grateful for the continued patience of students and their families, as well as faculty and staff, since last March.” VACCINATION REQUIREMENT (AND EXEMPTIONS) Pivotal to welcoming as many students as possible back to campus this fall is achieving a minimum 90 percent vaccination rate of the campus community. To reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and the possibility of acute illness if you are infected, the University will require that all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated by Monday, August 9. Students must be fully vaccinated two weeks prior to their return to campus. To be fully vaccinated, individuals must have received all required vaccine doses and two weeks have passed after the final vaccination. Exemptions for religious, medical reasons, or moral or freedom of conscience objections.will be considered on a case-by-case basis. ACADEMICS & ENJOYING THE ON-CAMPUS EXPERIENCE If Commonwealth guidelines and the public health situation allow, and if 90 percent of the campus community is vaccinated, the fall 2021 semester will differ from the 2020 fall semester in the below ways: The Academic Calendar (Subject to change based on the health conditions in the fall) Returning students will move into residence halls by class year on Saturday, August 28 and Sunday, August 29 (it is anticipated that a quarantine will not be necessary for those who are vaccinated). In-person classes will begin on Monday, August 30. Students will again enjoy a day off on Labor Day and a return of the Columbus Day midterm break in October. Campus Experience Students who are vaccinated may be permitted to visit other residence halls and leave campus at their convenience. Public gatherings and gatherings within residence halls will be accommodated in accordance with Commonwealth guidelines. Maximum residential student occupancy will increase to 75 percent, or more, if permitted by the Commonwealth. Most classes will be held in-person with additional students permitted in classrooms, which will be determined by Commonwealth social distancing guidelines for the fall. Social distancing, wearing masks, daily symptom tracking, and regular testing will likely continue. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will follow the isolation protocol. Fully vaccinated individuals who have close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual will not need to quarantine unless symptomatic. Those not fully vaccinated who come into close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual will be required to quarantine. President Cesareo added that the University’s decisions and safety protocols have been implemented to promote the health and safety of our campus community during a time of uncertainty and fluctuating conditions, which remains paramount as the University moves toward loosened protocols in the fall. AU sign for web.jpgAssumption announced its aspirations of returning of in-person classes, more students residing on campus, and easing of the safety protocols this coming fall, if conditions allow. General Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Office of Communications
- Teaching While Black: From Enslaved to EducatorTeaching While Black: From Enslaved to Educator ke.dunbar Thu, 04/15/2021 - 09:08 Fanny Jackson Coppin, Oberlin College’s second Black female graduate and its first Black instructor, was a lifelong educator and activist. John Frederick Bell, Ph.D., assistant professor of history, will deliver a virtual lecture on Coppin’s life and legacy entitled, “Teaching While Black: The Life and Lessons of Pioneering Educator Fanny Jackson Coppin,” on Tuesday, April 20 at 7 p.m., as part of the Shrewsbury Public Library’s Social Justice Talks series. Prior to the Civil War era, no African American woman had earned a bachelor’s degree or had been appointed to teach a class of white students. Coppin managed to do both and much more. Though born into slavery, she went on to spend more than three decades as principal of Philadelphia’s Institute for Colored Youth (now Cheyney University). Prof. Bell will explore how Coppin’s life, filled with adversities and achievements, shaped her teaching philosophy. According to Prof. Bell, Coppin dismissed disparities in students’ means, backgrounds, and preparation and instead operated on the premise that every child had the ability to learn. “Fanny Jackson Coppin’s story illustrates the value of same-race role models for students of color,” said Prof. Bell. “She thrived as an educator in part because her students knew that she shared their struggles. They respected her for overcoming enslavement, resisting discrimination, and earning a college degree at a time when almost no women did.” Bell added that today, Black individuals—and people of color generally—remain underrepresented as teachers at all levels of the American education system. “Students of color now represent over half the American public school population, yet teachers of color account for only 17 percent of American public school faculty,” he explained. “We can speculate on the consequences of this gap for student learning and social development. What is clear, however, is that Fanny Jackson Coppin’s remarkable career points to the transformative possibilities that can arise when women of color command the classroom.” Prof. Bell’s research examines the intersecting histories of race, education, and social reform in 19th century America. His forthcoming book, Degrees of Equality: Abolitionist Colleges and the Politics of Race, will be published by Louisiana State University Press next year. The lecture is open to the public but registration is required. To register for the event, click here. Fanny Jackson Coppin web.jpgJohn Frederick Bell, Ph.D., assistant professor of history at Assumption, will explore the life and legacy of Fanny Jackson Coppin in a lecture entitled, “Teaching While Black: The Life and Lessons of Pioneering Educator Fanny Jackson Coppin,” on Tuesday, April 20 as part of the Shrewsbury Public Library’s Social Justice Talks series. HistoryFaculty Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Office of Communications
- A Conversation with E.J. Dionne: The GOP and Modern American PoliticsA Conversation with E.J. Dionne: The GOP and Modern American Politics ke.dunbar Tue, 04/13/2021 - 15:10 E.J. Dionne, political scientist and syndicated columnist with The Washington Post, will discuss the place of ideas in modern American politics during a virtual lecture presented by Assumption University on Thursday, April 22, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. In 1981, the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a Democrat, wrote: “Of a sudden, the GOP has become a party of ideas.” Dionne, a nationally known and respected commentator on politics, will ponder the validity of Sen. Moynihan’s statement as well as discuss the status of ideas in American politics today during this event, a conversation with Assumption Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Greg Weiner, Ph.D. Dionne is the W. Averell Harriman Chair and Senior Fellow for Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, as well as a government professor at Georgetown University and a visiting professor at Harvard University. He is also a syndicated columnist for The Washington Post and appears weekly on National Public Radio and regularly on MSNBC; he has also appeared on a number of PBS programs, including News Hour with Jim Lehrer. Dionne began his career as a reporter with The New York Times, where he spent 14 years reporting on politics from around the world, including stints in Albany, Washington, D.C., Paris, Rome, and Beirut. He joined The Washington Post in 1990 as a reporter and has been writing his column since 1993. He is the author, editor, and co-editor of several books, including his most recent, Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite to Save Our Country (St. Martin’s Press). Other works include One Nation After Trump: A Guide for the Perplexed, the Disillusioned, the Desperate, and the Not-Yet Deported (co-authored with Norman J. Ornstein and Thomas E. Mann, 2017), and Why the Right Went Wrong: Conservatism – From Goldwater to the Tea Party and Beyond (2016). His book, Why Americans Hate Politics (1991), was nominated for the National Book Award and won The Los Angeles Times book prize, and Newsday called it “a classic in American political history.” A native of Fall River, Dionne is a graduate of Harvard University and received his doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. The lecture is sponsored by the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Center for Scholarship and Statesmanship at Assumption University. The Center aims to cultivate thoughtful citizens who are inspired by the late senator’s example to appreciate the link between ideas and action. Established in 2018, the Center is funded by generous grants from the Thomas W. Smith Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The virtual lecture is free and open to the public. For more information or to obtain a Zoom link, please contact Jillienne Church js.church@assumption.edu. EJ DIonne web.jpgPolitical scientist and syndicated columnist with The Washington Post E.J. Dionne will discuss the place of ideas in modern American politics during a virtual lecture on April 22.Political Science Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Office of Communications
- How Can We Rebuild the Institutions of American Life?How Can We Rebuild the Institutions of American Life? ke.dunbar Tue, 04/13/2021 - 11:09 What are the roles of institutions in American life? Yuval Levin, Ph.D., director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), will discuss this question and more during “A Conversation with Yuval Levin,” a virtual lecture presented by Assumption University on Thursday, April 15, at 7:00p.m. via Zoom. Levin, a widely published and esteemed public intellectual, will discuss the role of institutions in American life, what imperils them, and what can be done to fortify and rebuild them, in a conversation with Assumption Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Greg Weiner, Ph.D. Levin will also explore the legacy of the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and his decades of contributions to the journal The Public Interest. The legacy of Sen. Moynihan is the inspiration for the work and scholarship of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Center for Scholarship and Statesmanship at Assumption University. The Center, which was established in 2018 and is funded by generous grants from the Thomas W. Smith Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, endeavors to cultivate thoughtful citizens who are inspired by Sen. Moynihan, a true scholar-statesman who appreciated the convergence of and link between ideas and action. Levin is the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy at AEI as well as the founding and current editor of National Affairs. He is also a senior editor of The New Atlantis and a contributing editor to National Review. He served as a member of the White House domestic policy staff under President George W. Bush and held the positions of executive director of the President’s Council on Bioethics and a congressional staffer at the member, committee, and leadership levels. Levin, who is frequently interviewed on radio and television, has published numerous essays and articles in national publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Commentary. He is the author of several books on political theory and public policy, most recently A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream (Basic Books). He holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago. The virtual lecture is free and open to the public. For more information or to obtain a Zoom link, please contact Jillienne Church js.church@assumption.edu. levin for web.jpgYuval Levin, Ph.D., director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, will discuss the roles of institutions in American life during a virtual lecture on April 15. Political Science Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Office of Communications
- Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post Columnist George F. Will to Deliver 2021 Commencement AddressPulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post Columnist George F. Will to Deliver 2021 Commencement Address ke.dunbar Mon, 04/12/2021 - 16:28 Pulitzer Prize-winning and nationally syndicated Washington Post columnist George F. Will will deliver the Commencement address during Assumption University’s 104th Commencement exercises on Sunday, May 9 at 10 a.m. at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester. Will and Vincent Strully, Jr., founder and CEO of the New England Center for Children, will receive honorary degrees during the ceremony. Will is a veteran journalist with more than 40 years of experience. His newspaper column has been syndicated by The Washington Post since 1974, and appears twice a week in more than 440 newspapers. He also serves as a regular contributor to MSNBC and NBC News. Will previously served as the Washington editor of National Review magazine (1973-76) before becoming a regular contributing editor of Newsweek magazine (1976-2011). In 1981, Will was a founding panel member on ABC’s This Week and spent over three decades providing regular commentary. He subsequently spent three years with Fox News, where he appeared regularly on Special Report and Fox News Sunday. Will was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in his newspaper columns in 1977. “Assumption University is honored to welcome George Will as our Commencement speaker as his extensive career and knowledge will serve as an inspirational example to the graduates of the Class of 2021,” said Assumption University President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “His insight is valued nationally among readers and his colleagues, and widely respected by a number of national publications and networks, many of which rely on his expertise for their reporting. Mr. Will’s appreciation of the intrinsic link between thought and action, and Mr. Strully’s dedication to serving those in the autism community, in which he has dedicated the last 45 years advocating and working for both children and adults with autism and related disorders. Mr. Will’s and Mr. Strully’s commitment to bettering the communities in which they live are valuable examples our graduates will find useful and motivational as they embark on their own journeys of finding a life and vocation of meaning as thoughtful, compassionate citizens.” Will is a member of the advisory board of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Center for Scholarship and Statesmanship at Assumption University, which was established in 2018 to cultivate thoughtful citizens who are inspired by the late senator’s example to appreciate the link between ideas and action. Will, who was a friend of the late Senator Moynihan, called him “the most accomplished intellectual in 20th-century American politics” who “gave to our democracy the inestimable gift of a good example -- of brave and clear thinking amid the tumults of democracy.” Will has published many books, including his most recent work, The Conservative Sensibility (2019). Altogether, eight collections of Will's Newsweek and Washington Post columns have been published, the most recent being One Man’s America: The Pleasures and Provocations of Our Singular Nation (2008). He has published three books on political theory: Statecraft as Soulcraft: What Government Does (1983), The New Season: A Spectator's Guide to the 1988 Election (1987), and Restoration: Congress, Term Limits and The Recovery of Deliberative Democracy (1992). Will has also written extensively on the sport of baseball; his 1990 book, Men At Work: The Craft of Baseball, topped The New York Times bestseller list for two months; in 1998 he released Bunts: Curt Flood, Camden Yards, Pete Rose and Other Reflections on Baseball, a best-selling collection of his previously published as well as new writings on baseball; and in 2014 he published A Nice Little Place on the North Side: Wrigley Field at One Hundred. In July 2000, Will was a member of Major League Baseball's Blue Ribbon Panel, examining baseball economics. Will holds degrees from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, Oxford University, and Princeton University, where he earned his Ph.D. and later served as a trustee. He has taught political philosophy at Michigan State University, the University of Toronto, and Harvard University. Will served as a staff member in the United States Senate from 1970-72 and lives and works in the Washington, D.C., area. Vincent Strully, Jr., Founder and CEO New England Center for Children Strully is the founder and chief executive officer of The New England Center for Children® (NECC®), an internationally recognized leader in autism intervention, research, and professional development. As CEO, Strully directs all aspects of clinical and financial administration, program development, fundraising, facility design, and strategic planning. He has over 45 years of experience working with children and adults with autism and related disorders. In 2007, NECC signed a long-term agreement with The Health Authority of Abu Dhabi to create a comprehensive center in the United Arab Emirates. NECC programs directly impact more than 8,000 students with autism in 34 states and 15 countries. NECC researchers have published over 300 studies in peer-reviewed academic journals. Since 1987, more than 1,500 NECC employees have completed a master’s degree in one of the on-site programs funded by the Center. Strully was named Ernst & Young's Social Entrepreneur of the Year® for New England in 2007 and the Nonprofit Business Leader of the Year award from Worcester Business Journal in 2017. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Western New England University in 2009. The University’s plans for the Commencement have been reviewed and approved by the Worcester Department of Public Health. All Commonwealth COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols will be enforced by DCU Center staff. Should the public health situation decline in the coming weeks, the University will comply with any recommendations by the Worcester Department of Public Health and transition to a virtual ceremony, if necessary. geroge will for web.jpgGeroge F. Will, Pulitzer Prize-winning and nationally syndicated Washington Post columnist, will deliver the 2021 Commencement address during Assumption University’s 104th Commencement exercises on May 9. CommencementGeneral Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Office of Communications
- Renowned Catholic Scholar Robert Royal to Deliver Commencement Address to Class of 2020Renowned Catholic Scholar Robert Royal to Deliver Commencement Address to Class of 2020 ke.dunbar Mon, 04/12/2021 - 16:23 After a year of waiting due to gathering restrictions imposed by the Commonwealth, Assumption will recognize the Class of 2020 during a combined Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 15, at 12 noon, at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester. The Class of 2020, who received their diplomas last year after a virtual Conferral of Degrees ceremony, is the last to graduate under the name Assumption College as the institution transitioned to a University last summer. The Baccalaureate Mass will begin at 12 noon followed by the Commencement Ceremony. Robert Royal, Ph.D., founder and president of the Faith & Reason Institute and editor-in-chief of The Catholic Thing, will deliver the Commencement address during Assumption’s rescheduled 103rd Commencement exercises. Royal and James T. Brett, president and chief executive officer of The New England Council, will receive honorary degrees at the ceremony. Kenneth J. Bates G’90, president and chief executive officer of Open Sky Community Services, will receive an honorary degree and serve as the keynote speaker during a separate ceremony honoring the Career & Continuing Education and School of Graduate Studies graduates of the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021. The ceremony will take place virtually and broadcast after the Class of 2021 Commencement exercises on Sunday, May 9. Royal is a distinguished scholar known for his writings that address questions of ethics, culture, religion and politics, topics he discusses in international lectures, on television and radio stations, and through his work with the Faith & Reason Institute and his online publication, The Catholic Thing. Founded in 2008, The Catholic Thing offers daily columns by renowned Catholic thinkers offering thoughtful insight, commentary and analysis on current events, complementing the work of the Faith & Reason Institute, which seeks to infuse religion into the public discourse through research, conferences, seminars, and publishing of relevant material. According to the organization’s website, the Institute is “the first Washington think-tank devoted to encouraging both of these essential dimensions of our existence,” addressing “questions of economics, politics, public policy, science, technology, the environment, and public culture, from the perspective of both faith and reason” in the context of the richness of Western and Catholic history. “As a Catholic liberal institution of higher learning, faith and reason are fundamental foundations upon which students engage in a thoughtful and intense academic journey in pursuit of knowledge and truth,” said Assumption University President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “Dr. Royal has used his influence as a public figure, through his writing and national media appearances, to engage thoughtful discourse and contemplation of religion and its intersection with modern political issues. Like Dr. Royal, Mr. Bates, who has devoted his career to the Worcester community through his work with Open Sky Community Services, and Mr. Brett, who uses his position at The New England Council to serve as a fierce advocate for crucial issues such as education and healthcare, have used their careers to improve the world in which they live. By honoring these three individuals, our graduates will bear witness to the transformational impact of the Assumption mission. These individuals are examples to which graduates may look as they begin their pursuit of meaningful and purposeful lives with their Assumption education serving as a foundation.” In October 2016, Royal first visited Assumption when the University hosted a unique discussion on Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation on the family, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love). The event featured prominent Catholic scholars and Church leaders analyzing different aspects of the document; Royal provided a layman’s perspective on the Synod. Royal has taught at Brown University, Rhode Island College, and The Catholic University of America, and received fellowships from the Renaissance Society of America to study in Italy as a Fulbright scholar. He has also served as vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and as editor-in-chief of Prospect magazine. He has written numerous essays that have appeared in scholarly journals and has translated books and articles from French, Italian and Spanish, and published several books, including 1492 And All That: Political Manipulations of History; Reinventing the American People: Unity and Diversity Today; The Virgin and the Dynamo: The Use and Abuse of Religion in the Environment Debate; The Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: A Comprehensive Global History; The Pope’s Army; The God That Did Not Fail; and A Deeper Vision: The Catholic Intellectual Tradition in the Twentieth Century. Royal earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree from Brown University and a doctorate in comparative literature from the Catholic University of America. Kenneth J. Bates G’90, President and Chief Executive Officer of Open Sky Community Services Bates has dedicated his career to serving the Worcester community. He was named the 2019 Nonprofit Business Leader of the Year by the Worcester Business Journal for his successful leadership to shepherd the July 2018 merger between The Bridge and Alternatives Unlimited, Inc. The merger resulted in Open Sky Community Services, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting and empowering families and individuals suffering from mental health or substance abuse challenges. Bates joined The Bridge of Central Massachusetts in 2015 and has since developed a strong community presence, which includes helping lead the formation of the new statewide Central Community Health Partnership with AdCare Hospital, LUK, Inc., and Venture Community Services, which provides for those in the greatest of need. He currently serves as vice chairperson of the Board of the Association of Behavioral Healthcare of Massachusetts (ABH); as a board member of Parent Professional Advocacy League (PPAL) and the Children’s League of Massachusetts; is a member of Harrington Healthcare System; a member of the governance committee of Fallon 365 Care ACO; a member of the Steering Committee and Co-Chair of the Mental Health Priority Area of the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester; and co-chair of the Mayor’s Mental Health Task Force in Worcester. He was formerly on the board of the New England Association of Drug Court Professionals. Bates earned his bachelor’s degree from Worcester State University and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Assumption. James T. Brett, President and CEO of The New England Council Brett is a leading advocate for education, health care, financial services and energy issues throughout New England and in Washington D.C. He has served as president and CEO of The New England Council—an alliance of schools, hospitals, corporations and private organizations working to promote economic growth and quality of life throughout New England—since October 1996, during which the organization has experienced significant membership and financial growth. He is also co-host of NECN’s D.C. Dialogue, and previously spent more than 15 years serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. While in the House, he served as chairman of a number of committees. Brett is committed to service, participating on and leading a number of philanthropic organizations, for which he has received several honors and awards, though most notable for his advocacy for the physically and mentally challenged. He currently serves as vice chairman of the National Council on Disability; chairman of the Governor’s Commission on Intellectual Disability; and chairperson of the Massachusetts Disabled Persons Protection Commission. The James T. Brett Chair in Disability and Workforce Development at UMass Boston is the nation’s only endowed chair in disability and workforce development and in 1996 Boston’s Bay Cove Human Services named a new community home for disabled adults “Brett House” in his honor. He has been designated by the Boston Red Sox as a disability advocate and was the driving force behind the Able Act, federal legislation that creates “a savings plan for people with disabilities for future education, training, living expenses, and other supports.” Brett holds degrees from American University, Suffolk University and Harvard University and has been awarded with Papal Honors such as being named a Knight of Malta and Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He and his wife, Patricia, live in Dorchester. The University’s plans for the Commencement have been reviewed and approved by the Worcester Department of Public Health. All Commonwealth COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols will be enforced by DCU Center staff. Should the public health situation decline in the coming weeks, the University will comply with any recommendations by the Worcester Department of Public Health and transition to a virtual ceremony, if necessary. Robert Royal for web.jpgRenowned Catholic Scholar Robert Royal, Ph.D., will address the Class of 2020 at Assumption's commencement ceremony on May 15, 2021. CommencementGeneral Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Office of Communications
- Assumption & The BASE Partnership Provides Full, Partial Scholarships for Inner City StudentsAssumption & The BASE Partnership Provides Full, Partial Scholarships for Inner City Students ke.dunbar Fri, 04/09/2021 - 15:20 Assumption University today announced the signing of a formal partnership with a Boston-based nonprofit that provides academic and athletic higher education opportunities for inner-city students who otherwise would not have the resources to pursue a college degree. The University’s partnership with The BASE, a nonprofit that provides athletic, educational, and career-building resources to enable inner-city student-athletes to pursue a college degree includes four (an increase from two) full-tuition scholarships and four partial scholarships annually to qualified The BASE students. Assumption was one of the first institutions of higher learning to partner with The BASE in 2014, with the first The BASE scholars graduating from the University in 2018. “A critical element of Assumption’s mission, one that has been embedded in the institution since our founding, is to provide individuals from all backgrounds with access to higher education,” said Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., president of Assumption University. “At Assumption, these students will be supported in their pursuit of a Catholic liberal education that seeks to awaken in each student a sense of wonder and purpose as they encounter a world of ideas through their academic and extracurricular programs, both inside and outside of the classroom.” The Assumption and The BASE collaboration has yielded notable outcomes. The BASE scholars who have graduated from Assumption have secured impressive positions. Nick Call ’19 serves as a senior associate in portfolio operations for Bain Capital in Boston; Phil Gaines ’19 is a project engineer for Erland Construction; and Alex Richardson ’19 serves as community relations assistant for the Worcester Red Sox. “I started The BASE because I wanted to shift the narrative regarding urban youth and show that urban talent is American talent,” explained Robert Lewis, Jr., founder and president of The BASE, who served as commencement speaker and received an honorary degree from Assumption in 2019. “Assumption’s continued support of The BASE and its belief in our students is changing the game for urban young people. Together, we’re providing student-athletes with the opportunity to obtain a college degree and the chance at building a brighter future, but we’re also changing hearts and minds across the country in demonstrating the true power of education.” Lewis founded The BASE Boston in 2013, a program built upon the foundation of his success as a coach of the Boston Astros, which he began coaching in the 1970s. What started with only a handful of Boston-area youth now extends across the United States; Lewis established The BASE Chicago, and launched annual Urban Sports Classics in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. Richardson, a Rehoboth native who didn’t think he would even attend college until he encountered The BASE, joined the Worcester Red Sox after completing a productive internship while he was a student at Assumption. “My time at The BASE and Assumption have shaped me into the person I am today and helped turn an urban kid’s dreams into reality,” said Richardson, who said his time at Assumption instilled the importance and value of service, something that guides him in his professional pursuits. “I try to incorporate compassion and serving others into my daily life and job. I am blessed to have a career that combines my love and passion for the sport of baseball and allows me the privilege to have an impact on my community by paying it forward and giving back to others.” In addition to increasing the number of scholarships, the University will offer a number of on-campus visit opportunities for The BASE students to learn more about Assumption. They include an annual BASE Day visit; receptions with the University President; and a presence at The BASE’s Annual College and Career Fairs. FCC- Robert Lewis Commencement 2019 for web.jpgAssumption University President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., and The BASE Founder Robert Lewis, Jr., at Assumption's 2019 Commencement, in which he served as the keynote speaker. Assumption and The BASE have signed a formal partnership that provide partial and full tuition scholarships to inner-city students, expanding the academic and athletic higher education opportunities for whose who would not otherwise have the resources to pursue a college degree.General Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Office of Communications
- President Cesareo's Easter MessagePresident Cesareo's Easter Message mguilfoyle Sun, 04/04/2021 - 10:12 If you missed President Francesco C. Cesareo's Easter message shared on Holy Thursday, please click below. Chapel of the Holy Sprirt.jpg
- Assumption Offers Seamless Transition, Uninterrupted Study for Becker StudentsAssumption Offers Seamless Transition, Uninterrupted Study for Becker Students ke.dunbar Mon, 03/29/2021 - 20:08 In an effort to support those students affected by the unfortunate closure of neighboring Becker College, Assumption has announced that the University and Becker have signed an agreement to offer Becker students the opportunity for an uninterrupted continuation of their degree programs. Assumption will provide a seamless transition for eligible Becker students majoring in six areas: computer science, graphic design, management, nursing, pre-physical therapy, and psychology. “It is our hope that this agreement will ease the burden of Becker students who are now seeking alternatives to their course of study in pursuit of a degree,” said Assumption President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “We understand the unique challenges faced by Becker students as they search for a new institution to continue their degree programs or for a new institution at which to begin their college careers. Assumption has entered into an agreement with Becker to ensure eligible students who wish to pursue their education at Assumption will be able to do so without interruption and with the full support of the University’s admissions, academic, and student life teams.” Per the arrangement, those students who meet Assumption’s criteria and were enrolled in a Becker College baccalaureate program in spring 2021 or were accepted for fall 2021 admission to a baccalaureate program at Becker College are eligible to partake in the transfer opportunity or apply to the University. Assumption is offering to Becker students a waiver of all application fees and access to the University’s Instant Decision Day program, in which students (with the exception of nursing students) can obtain an acceptance decision on the spot, eliminating the stress of waiting for an admissions decision. Becker students interested in transferring into the Froelich School of Nursing are subject to Assumption’s eligibility criteria and acceptance is based upon availability of space. Assumption is also extending to Becker students an education at the same net tuition amount they would have paid at Becker during the 2021-22 Academic Year. “The Assumption community is ready to welcome Becker students to campus for a close-knit, engaging experience, much like that offered by Becker, and to support them in their journey to become thoughtful, engaged, and compassionate citizens,” President Cesareo added. For more information, visit the Welcoming Becker Students to Assumption information page. AU-Becker web story.jpgAssumption has announced that the University and Becker have signed an agreement to offer Becker students majoring in six areas--computer science, graphic design, management, nursing, pre-physical therapy, and psychology--the opportunity for an uninterrupted, seamless continuation of their degree programs. General Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Office of Communications
- Assumption’s Clinical Counseling Psychology Program Receives Extended AccreditationAssumption’s Clinical Counseling Psychology Program Receives Extended Accreditation ke.dunbar Mon, 03/29/2021 - 15:20 Assumption University’s Clinical Counseling Psychology graduate program has received an extended accreditation from the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC). The program, which received an initial two-year accreditation in December 2018, is now accredited through December 2028. “This extended national accreditation from MPCAC is a great honor and source of pride for our program,” said Leonard Doerfler, Ph.D., director of the program at Assumption. “Our faculty work tirelessly to provide the best possible experience for our students, who work extremely hard on their coursework and in their internships. This recognition of our high-caliber program is well-deserved, and Assumption University will continue to prepare our students to serve those in the greatest of need in their communities.” The Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling Psychology program trains future counselors to treat individuals with a range of disorders such as ADHD, depression, and substance misuse, among others. Assumption University’s program meets the rigorous educational requirements for licensed Mental Health Counselors in Massachusetts, fully integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) theory and practice across the curriculum. Grounded in the foundations of the Catholic faith, the program emphasizes social justice and community service perspectives. In its 2018 report, MPCAC lauded Assumption for its strong commitment to learning, highlighting the scientist-practitioner model, as well as the comprehensive training provided to students in the program, making them highly sought-after individuals upon graduation. The MPCAC is a highly regarded accreditation organization with a strong mission to “accredit academic programs that provide science-based education and training in the practice of counseling and psychological services at the master’s degree level, using both counseling andpsychological principles and theories as they apply to specific populations and settings.” MPCAC.jpgAssumption University’s Clinical Counseling Psychology graduate program has received an extended accreditation from the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) and is now accredited through December 2028. CounselingPsychology Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Lily O’Connor ‘21