Three Recognized with Distinguished Alumni Awards for Enduring Commitment to Assumption, Their Communities, and Professions
Three Recognized with Distinguished Alumni Awards for Enduring Commitment to Assumption, Their Communities, and Professions
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Sat, 05/28/2022 - 23:25 Founding Dean Emeritus of the Grenon School of Business Awarded Honorary Alumni Award for Initiatives to Position Assumption Students for Post-graduate Success The University’s Office of Alumni Relations has announced the 2022 recipients of its annual awards in recognition of extraordinary members of the Assumption community for their achievements, commitment and devotion to the University. The 2022 recipients, who received their awards during Reunion Weekend on Saturday, June 11, Greg Ugalde, Esq. ’82, Tim Cooney ’62, Tracy Baldelli ’15, and Founding Dean Emeritus of the Grenon School of Business, Joe Foley. For more information on Reunion, please visit the Reunion page. Greg Ugalde, Esq. ’82 will receive the Fr. Louis Dion, A.A. ’35 Outstanding Achievement Award, given annually to an Assumption graduate who demonstrates exceptional achievement in their profession. Ugalde serves as president and chief legal officer of T&M Building Co. Inc., one of Connecticut’s largest home builders. Since its founding in 1962, T&M Homes has built more than 4,000 homes in over 45 communities, specifically for trade-up and first-time buyers. He is also the founder and owner of GFU Investments, LLC, a builder/developer minority-owned business that focuses on urban development and workforce housing. Ugalde is the National Association of Homebuilder’s (NAHB) 2021 Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Directors and has been active in the NAHB leadership structure at the local, state, and national levels throughout his career. He served as the NAHB State Representative from Connecticut; moderator of the State Representatives; and national area chairman for his region. Locally, he served as president of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association (HBRA) as well as on its board and was named the Local and State Builder of the Year in 2000. Ugalde is a three-time HBRA Distinguished Service Award recipient; served as chairman of the Connecticut Developers Council; and received Connecticut’s state home building industry’s highest honor, the Charles J. LoDolce Award. As a student at Assumption, Ugalde served as class president for all four years. As a dedicated alumnus, he served as chair of the Hartford Alumni Club, the Alumni Board 1990-95, is a longtime member of the President’s Council, and currently serves as an Alumni Ambassador. Tim Cooney ’62 will receive the Jack L. Bresciani '72 Outstanding Alumni Award, which is bestowed upon an individual who has distinguished themselves by their outstanding dedication and service to Assumption University. Cooney’s service to the University includes volunteering as a class agent; being a steadfast supporter of the Fr. Bissonnette Golf Tournament; serving on several reunion committees; and is a longtime supporter of Assumption Cooney has served as director of the Central Massachusetts Safety Council (CMSC) since 1975. Through several selfless endeavors, he has established himself as an individual committed to serving his community, including as a member of the Worcester City Council from 1980 to 2000 and as mayor in 1987. As an active supporter of the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, he created a free driver’s education course to assist Worcester youth living in, or below, the poverty line. His efforts enabled 80 Worcester youth to earn their learner’s permits, providing a path to obtain their driver’s licenses, as well as empowering them to gain independence, responsibility, self-esteem, and acquire a job. Tracy Baldelli ’15 will receive the Young Alumni Award, recognizing an Assumption graduate who received their degree within the last 10 years who has demonstrated professional and/or civic accomplishments through their career and/or service to their community, and continued devotion to the University. Baldelli, a 2020 recipient of the Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty Award, currently serves as a major gifts officer at Providence College. Prior to Providence, she served is multiple roles in annual giving and leadership giving at WPI. In these roles at WPI, Baldelli exceeded senior class gift goals, developed a five-year implementation plan for a culture of campus-wide philanthropy, and raised major gifts from alumni and parents. Baldelli has committed herself to the Worcester community, serving as a board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester since 2017, joining as the youngest board member in the Club’s history. She led the Club’s first-ever fundraising Gala in Elm Park in 2019, raising more than $150,000 in new revenue. She has volunteered with the United Way of Central Massachusetts’ Women’s Initiative Program, UMass Chan Medical School’s Winter Ball, and The CASA Project, Inc. Baldelli has also stayed involved with the Foundation for Metrowest’s Youth in Philanthropy Program, having participated in the program during her senior year of high school. Designed for students to act as a board of directors where they review grant proposals, fundraise, conduct site visits, and award grants, Baldelli instructed two courses during the pandemic, one in her hometown of Southborough, MA. In addition to her community service, Baldelli continues to support Assumption as an Alumni Ambassador and through her membership in the President’s Council. As a recipient of the Neafsey Picard Family Endowed Scholarship, Baldelli recognizes the power of philanthropy and paying it forward for the next generation of Greyhounds. Joe Foley CPA, CGMA, MBA, P’10, Founding Dean Emeritus of the Grenon School of Business, will receive the Honorary Alumni Award, awarded to non-graduates of Assumption University, in recognition of their outstanding devotion and commitment to the institution. Dean Emeritus Foley has served Assumption and its students for 43 years, retiring at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 academic year. In this unique and influential role, Dean Emeritus Foley has hired and supported exemplary faculty and developed new programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dean Emeritus Foley has also committed himself to engaging business alumni through visiting speaker programs, internships and career development activities such as experiential learning to benefit students. He is also recognized with the Honorary Alumni Award for his tireless efforts to connect Assumption alumni from the past with current students and the Office of University Advancement. These connections have yielded several advantages for students such as the Lagarce Trading Room – funded by a former student of Dean Emeritus Foley’s and his wife (Jeff ’76 and Susan Daley Lagarce ’80) - which is equipped with Bloomberg Terminals. He has also engaged influential and successful graduates to serve on the Grenon School of Business Advisory Council Dean Emeritus Foley’s fundraising initiatives and programs will forever connect alumni to Assumption University while providing students distinct advantages throughout their undergraduate studies.
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Founding Dean Emeritus of the Grenon School of Business Awarded Honorary Alumni Award for Initiatives to Position Assumption Students for Post-graduate Success
The University’s Office of Alumni Relations has announced the 2022 recipients of its annual awards in recognition of extraordinary members of the Assumption community for their achievements, commitment and devotion to the University. The 2022 recipients, who received their awards during Reunion Weekend on Saturday, June 11, Greg Ugalde, Esq. ’82, Tim Cooney ’62, Tracy Baldelli ’15, and Founding Dean Emeritus of the Grenon School of Business, Joe Foley.
For more information on Reunion, please visit the Reunion page.
Greg Ugalde, Esq. ’82 will receive the Fr. Louis Dion, A.A. ’35 Outstanding Achievement Award, given annually to an Assumption graduate who demonstrates exceptional achievement in their profession. Ugalde serves as president and chief legal officer of T&M Building Co. Inc., one of Connecticut’s largest home builders. Since its founding in 1962, T&M Homes has built more than 4,000 homes in over 45 communities, specifically for trade-up and first-time buyers. He is also the founder and owner of GFU Investments, LLC, a builder/developer minority-owned business that focuses on urban development and workforce housing.
Ugalde is the National Association of Homebuilder’s (NAHB) 2021 Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Directors and has been active in the NAHB leadership structure at the local, state, and national levels throughout his career. He served as the NAHB State Representative from Connecticut; moderator of the State Representatives; and national area chairman for his region. Locally, he served as president of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association (HBRA) as well as on its board and was named the Local and State Builder of the Year in 2000. Ugalde is a three-time HBRA Distinguished Service Award recipient; served as chairman of the Connecticut Developers Council; and received Connecticut’s state home building industry’s highest honor, the Charles J. LoDolce Award.
As a student at Assumption, Ugalde served as class president for all four years. As a dedicated alumnus, he served as chair of the Hartford Alumni Club, the Alumni Board 1990-95, is a longtime member of the President’s Council, and currently serves as an Alumni Ambassador.
Tim Cooney ’62 will receive the Jack L. Bresciani '72 Outstanding Alumni Award, which is bestowed upon an individual who has distinguished themselves by their outstanding dedication and service to Assumption University. Cooney’s service to the University includes volunteering as a class agent; being a steadfast supporter of the Fr. Bissonnette Golf Tournament; serving on several reunion committees; and is a longtime supporter of Assumption
Cooney has served as director of the Central Massachusetts Safety Council (CMSC) since 1975. Through several selfless endeavors, he has established himself as an individual committed to serving his community, including as a member of the Worcester City Council from 1980 to 2000 and as mayor in 1987. As an active supporter of the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, he created a free driver’s education course to assist Worcester youth living in, or below, the poverty line. His efforts enabled 80 Worcester youth to earn their learner’s permits, providing a path to obtain their driver’s licenses, as well as empowering them to gain independence, responsibility, self-esteem, and acquire a job.
Tracy Baldelli ’15 will receive the Young Alumni Award, recognizing an Assumption graduate who received their degree within the last 10 years who has demonstrated professional and/or civic accomplishments through their career and/or service to their community, and continued devotion to the University. Baldelli, a 2020 recipient of the Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty Award, currently serves as a major gifts officer at Providence College. Prior to Providence, she served is multiple roles in annual giving and leadership giving at WPI. In these roles at WPI, Baldelli exceeded senior class gift goals, developed a five-year implementation plan for a culture of campus-wide philanthropy, and raised major gifts from alumni and parents.
Baldelli has committed herself to the Worcester community, serving as a board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester since 2017, joining as the youngest board member in the Club’s history. She led the Club’s first-ever fundraising Gala in Elm Park in 2019, raising more than $150,000 in new revenue. She has volunteered with the United Way of Central Massachusetts’ Women’s Initiative Program, UMass Chan Medical School’s Winter Ball, and The CASA Project, Inc. Baldelli has also stayed involved with the Foundation for Metrowest’s Youth in Philanthropy Program, having participated in the program during her senior year of high school. Designed for students to act as a board of directors where they review grant proposals, fundraise, conduct site visits, and award grants, Baldelli instructed two courses during the pandemic, one in her hometown of Southborough, MA.
In addition to her community service, Baldelli continues to support Assumption as an Alumni Ambassador and through her membership in the President’s Council. As a recipient of the Neafsey Picard Family Endowed Scholarship, Baldelli recognizes the power of philanthropy and paying it forward for the next generation of Greyhounds.
Joe Foley CPA, CGMA, MBA, P’10, Founding Dean Emeritus of the Grenon School of Business, will receive the Honorary Alumni Award, awarded to non-graduates of Assumption University, in recognition of their outstanding devotion and commitment to the institution. Dean Emeritus Foley has served Assumption and its students for 43 years, retiring at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 academic year. In this unique and influential role, Dean Emeritus Foley has hired and supported exemplary faculty and developed new programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Dean Emeritus Foley has also committed himself to engaging business alumni through visiting speaker programs, internships and career development activities such as experiential learning to benefit students. He is also recognized with the Honorary Alumni Award for his tireless efforts to connect Assumption alumni from the past with current students and the Office of University Advancement. These connections have yielded several advantages for students such as the Lagarce Trading Room – funded by a former student of Dean Emeritus Foley’s and his wife (Jeff ’76 and Susan Daley Lagarce ’80) - which is equipped with Bloomberg Terminals. He has also engaged influential and successful graduates to serve on the Grenon School of Business Advisory Council
Dean Emeritus Foley’s fundraising initiatives and programs will forever connect alumni to Assumption University while providing students distinct advantages throughout their undergraduate studies.
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- President Greg Weiner Announces 2023 Presidential Award WinnersPresident Greg Weiner Announces 2023 Presidential Award Winners oe.boudreau Wed, 11/22/2023 - 08:55 For the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presidential Awards and Employee Appreciation Ceremony was held in the Tsotsis Family Academic Center Ballroom on November 16th. During the ceremony, four faculty and staff members were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Assumption community. President Greg Weiner opened the ceremony with a speech recognizing not only the hard work of those four individuals who received awards, but also the efforts of all faculty and staff that help to make Assumption thrive. “We acknowledge today and express our appreciation for those who have dedicated their careers to advancing our university’s mission and to providing an excellent education to our students,” he said. “Each honoree recognized this afternoon has not only contributed their time, but has also invested passion, expertise, and energy for the betterment of our community.” The winners of the Presidential Awards for 2023 are as follows: Dr. Samantha Goldman, Associate Professor of Special Education, has received the Paul Ziegler Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship. “Receiving this award is a huge honor, and it means so much to have my scholarly work recognized by the Assumption community,” said Goldman. “My research is focused on access to services for students with disabilities and their families, as well as teacher preparation/training. It is a great feeling to know that others also recognize and value the importance of this area of scholarship. I am extremely grateful to my colleagues in the Education department who nominated me, but also to all the students, families, and educators who have participated directly in my research.” Ms. Melanie Demarais, Associate Vice President of University Advancement, has received the Kathleen M. Murphy Presidential Award for Excellence in Contribution to the Mission. “I was very humbled when I got word that I was going to receive this award,” said Demarais. “I want to congratulate my fellow awardees, because I feel like I am in a very special class of individuals. I’d like to thank my nominators, and of course our University Advancement team. They are great. We are mighty, and we try to support this university as best we can. I want to thank the Assumptionist fathers, brothers, and religious sisters, and they are great friends of mine, and I do try to sparkle whenever I am with them.” Dr. Christian Williams, Assistant Professor of Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies, has received the Michael O’Shea Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. “I am filled with gratitude and reflection as I think about my time at Assumption. My journey within the Assumption community began many years ago, not as an educator, but as a student. Today as I share this space with my former professors, my esteemed colleagues, and my students, the future of this great institution, I am filled with gratitude,” Williams said. “This award is not just a recognition of my work. It symbolizes the collective effort of our community, in nurturing minds and in shaping futures. I thank Assumption University for shaping me as a student, for inspiring me as an educator, and for allowing me to honor and contribute to the journeys of our students. The shared mission of fostering a lifelong journey of learning, passion and purpose is what makes this institution extraordinary.” Mr. Thomas Burke, Media Services Supervisor and Lecturer in Television Arts, has received the Presidential Award for Service. “It is an honor to be recognized with the 2023 Presidential Award for Excellence in Service,” said Burke. “I sincerely appreciate the nomination along with endorsements received from colleagues, students, alumni, and the Assumption University community. I am truly humbled by the outpouring of support.” Along with these four honorees, faculty and staff were also honored with years of service awards, ranging in five-year increments from five to 50 years of service. One faculty member, Kevin Hickey, Chair of the Global Studies minor, was recognized for 50 years of service and employment at Assumption University. MicrosoftTeams-image (8).pngDr. Samantha Goldman, Dr. Christian Williams, Ms. Melanie Demarais, Mr. Tom Burke, and President Greg Weiner at the Presidential Awards ceremony.General Olivia Boudreau
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It’s incredible.” “Our department makes you a unique candidate for grad school or the workforce because it blends together your strengths that you may not be aware of,” said Bachini. “It makes you want to reach out, makes you able to reach out, and I think that’s a really unique trait to our program and speaks volumes to the level and type of practitioner Assumption is creating.” Pica believes that the futures of the human services department at Assumption and the future of the field of human services itself are bright. “I’m thrilled because I see that we have several students who are both accomplished in terms of academics but also because of their service to our profession,” said Pica. “This emphasizes the quality of students and young, aspiring professionals that we have amongst our ranks.” NOHS-pic-katy-dante-large.jpgAssumption students Dante Bachini '24 and Katy Cannistraro '24 at the National Organization for Human Services Conference.General Olivia Boudreau
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- Assumption University Honors Veterans DayAssumption University Honors Veterans Day oe.boudreau Fri, 11/10/2023 - 12:50 On November 7th, in celebration of Veterans Day, Assumption University honored those who have served in the United States Armed Forces, including those within the AU community, with a ceremony in the Atrium of the Tsotsis Family Academic Center. The service included a presentation of the colors and a performance of the National Anthem by Assumption’s Chorale. “Our world is dangerous, and veterans put themselves on the line to keep that danger at bay, so that we have the luxury of learning for learning’s sake,” President Greg Weiner said in his opening remarks. “Simply to say ‘thank you’ feels grossly inadequate…but when all else fails, words are what we have.” After Weiner’s speech, the guest speaker for the event, Gary Senecal, Assistant Professor of Human Services, spoke about his experience as a member of the United States Army Reserve since 2013, specifically his time serving in Somalia to provide medical care to wounded service members. Senecal emphasized how much of an impact serving has had on both his life and his outlook on teamwork and community. “I’ve learned a lot during my time in the service…teamwork, comradery, fulfillment in connection with others,” Senecal said. “I don’t know if I’ve found greater joy than being a part of that tight-knit group of people. This experience of comradery and connection only happens in the military.” Senecal also spoke about his return to campus after service, saying that the Assumption community was able to help with the transition from life in military service back to work as a professor. “When I came back to campus, I cannot begin to describe how welcoming it was,” he said. “There are days when I miss doing the work that I did…nevertheless, I am thankful to have those sentiments placated by having a job that replicates it and allows me to operate daily in the company of friends.” For many years, Assumption has offered programs and resources for students who are veterans of the United States Armed Forces in order to help them adjust to both college life and life outside of military service. Beginning with the creation of the Veterans’ Success Committee, faculty, staff, and students work together to ensure that veterans on Assumption’s campus have everything they need to thrive and be successful. “I had a very difficult time making the transition from a combat zone to college when I got back from Vietnam,” said Michael Rubino, former Chair of the Veterans’ Success Committee and Veterans Recruitment Coordinator. “Because I had that experience, I am now able to help students make that transition.” Due to the number of efforts put forth by the Veterans’ Success Committee, along with other programs across campus, Assumption was honored by Military Friendly as one of the nation’s Top Ten Military Friendly Schools for 2023-2024. According to Military Friendly’s methodology and criteria, factors that determine rankings include: “retention, graduation, job placement, repayment, persistence, and loan default rates.” These efforts include the creation of a veterans’ lounge, located currently in the Information Technology Center, to allow veterans a dedicated space on campus to gather and form communities. Rubino stressed that the lounge is extremely important to the veteran community on campus so they can have a place to connect and relate to one another. “It gives the veterans a place to go to meet one another and so forth and try to work out problems because they all understand each other’s backgrounds,” Rubino said. “I have found oftentimes that veterans who have been in combat zones only feel comfortable talking to other veterans who have been in similar situations.” On Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11th, a ceremony will be held to honor veterans in the Assumption community. This ceremony will be held at halftime of the Assumption Greyhounds football game against Southern Connecticut State, which kicks off at 12:00pm at Brian Kelly ‘83 Stadium. Veterans-AU-Web-2.pngAssumption University community members present the colors at the November 7th Veterans Day ceremony.General Olivia Boudreau
- Nursing Class of 2023 Has 100 Percent NCLEX-RN® Passing RateNursing Class of 2023 Has 100 Percent NCLEX-RN® Passing Rate oe.boudreau Thu, 11/09/2023 - 15:57 Assumption University’s Froelich School of Nursing announced that every member of its first graduating class has passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®) following their graduation from the program this May. The NCLEX-RN® is an exam regulated by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), which oversees each state’s board of registration and nursing. The national exam is the final step in the licensure process to become a registered nurse. According to data gathered and reported by NCSBN, the average pass rate for all candidates who took the NCLEX-RN® from January through September 2023 was 88.55 percent. In April of 2023, the NCLEX-RN® test plan was updated to correlate to the revisions made on the exam. The Next Generation NCLEX-RN®, with a focus on testing the exam taker’s clinical judgment was launched on April 1 after years of research and item development. “Amongst us in nursing education, we had never seen these kinds of exam items,” said Caitlin Stover, Dean of the Froelich School of Nursing. “It was really important to structure a curriculum that embeds clinical judgment scenarios, exam items, and simulations in every course so that the students had exposure and confidence going into this exam.” “The class of 2023’s success is a validation of all of the hard work that we have put in over the past couple of years,” said Stover. “We have things on paper, we give really high-quality exams, and we follow principles of best teaching-learning strategies, but you don’t know until you get the official results.” Along with all passing the NCLEX-RN®, each of the nurses from the class of 2023 are now employed at various hospitals across the country, such as in the UMass Medical system through their new graduate program, St. Vincent Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Midstate Medical Center, Hartford Hospital, Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital, and Newport Hospital. Students from the class of 2023, such as Aly Landry and James Bachini, have said that their experiences at Assumption have benefited them greatly, both in terms of when they had to know for the NCLEX-RN® exam and for their nursing careers. “My experience not only prepared me for the NCLEX-RN®, but also for getting a job as a registered nurse on the cardiothoracic surgery unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston,” said Landry. “I believe that the foundation set from my time at Assumption with a strong liberal arts curriculum coupled with diverse clinical experiences really helped me transition to practice. I have confidence in my work and can draw from the values learned at Assumption.” “Although the entire process is incredibly stressful and difficult, I felt supported, prepared and capable thanks to the nursing curriculum and education that the wonderful Froelich School of Nursing faculty provided,” said Bachini. “I was also supported by a faculty mentor who helped motivate me and keep me on track with my studying for the boards as well as providing additional resources whenever needed.” The importance of the nursing program’s preparation for nursing students to enter their careers as compassionate professionals was also emphasized by both Stover and Bachini as a former student in the program. “The NCLEX-RN® is 100 percent important, but we pride ourselves on developing the professionalism required of the nurse as well,” she said. “The success of the program is a reiteration of Assumption’s commitment to develop the workforce in a time of a huge nursing shortage, making sure that these nurses are high quality and compassionate.” “Upon my hiring as a staff nurse at Beth Israel Lahey Hospital in Burlington, Massachusetts, I have felt that I have the proper skills in place to support me in my new position,” said Bachini. “We [nurses of the class of 2023] are well prepared to professionally and compassionately treat and serve patients today and well into the future.” The success of the class of 2023 was also aided by many other departments on campus that assisted in laying the science foundations, such as the as well as the humanities departments who were instrumental in establishing a foundation of critical thinking and reasoning that nursing knowledge is built upon. “This wasn’t just nursing’s success,” said Stover. “This was all hands-on deck, all departments that educate the students along their transformative journey here at Assumption.” nclex23-large.jpgStudents from the Froelich School of Nursing's Class of 2023 stand in front of the Catrambone Health Sciences Building. General Olivia Boudreau
- Senator Robyn Kennedy ’03 Leads Town Hall on Community Engagement and Women’s Intersectional LeadershipSenator Robyn Kennedy ’03 Leads Town Hall on Community Engagement and Women’s Intersectional Leadership oe.boudreau Mon, 11/06/2023 - 11:22 To kick off fall semester programming for Assumption’s Women’s Studies Program, Massachusetts State Senator Robyn Kennedy, a member of the class of 2003, participated in a town hall in the Tsotsis Family Academic Center on October 17th to discuss topics such as community engagement and women’s leadership. “I never envisioned that I would someday be standing here as your state senator,” Kennedy said. “Keep your eyes open, your hearts open, and your dreams big.” Kennedy, who graduated from Assumption with a bachelor’s degree in history, currently serves as State Senator for the First Worcester District of Massachusetts, which includes Boylston, West Boylston, Northborough, Berlin, Bolton, and most of Worcester. Through her career, Kennedy has worked in multiple different public service roles, including Chief Operating Officer at the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Central Massachusetts and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Children, Youth, and Families at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Over 140 students, faculty, staff, and alumni filled Ballroom A as Senator Kennedy advocated for policies such as the care economy, making the workforce more accessible for all, period poverty, and early education for all children. Senator Kennedy was introduced by Cinzia Pica, Director of the Women’s Studies Program and Professor and Chair of the Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies Department, and Kathryn Cannistraro ‘24, a human services major and women’s studies minor, who recently received the Outstanding Student in Human Services Award from the National Organization for Human Services. Kennedy began her speech by connecting her public service to her undergraduate experience at Assumption, saying she found inspiration in the university motto, “Until Christ be Formed in You.” She also said that in her public service, she works to “drive the mission of the university into a values system,” ensuring that Assumption’s mission is reflected in her work. She emphasized the importance of passionate leadership, encouraging students to take action in the Worcester community through volunteering for campaigns and uplifting and caring for those among us. “We need more leaders – we need the conviction as leaders to be driven by passion,” Senator Kennedy said. “Leaders willing to listen to and to be led by those who are most impacted by any issue we are facing.” To emphasize this point further, Kennedy quoted Bible verse Matthew 25:40, “…Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me,’” saying they were words that have always been important to her work. Kennedy made a point throughout her talk to encourage students to get involved in the Worcester community, including doing both community service and volunteering for local campaigns, saying that doing this work “helps [students] learn and grow [their] own values systems.” After an introduction of her major policy initiatives and promoting getting involved in the community, Kennedy fielded questions from Assumption students on topics such as the opioid crisis, immigration into Massachusetts, and housing. While answering these questions, Kennedy promoted more resources being allocated to community wellbeing, making child care more affordable for families, increased capacities for addiction treatment spaces, and pay increases for teachers, among many other policies. Toward the end of the town hall, Kennedy was asked for any advice she had for seniors getting ready to graduate. To answer, Kennedy stressed the importance of internships, telling students to “take advantage of internships that may not be in your field,” saying that interning can help students learn both what they are and aren’t interested in. AU-Robyn-Kennedy-Image.jpgAssumption University graduate from the class of 2003 Senator Robyn Kennedy participates in a town hall in the Tsotsis Family Academic Center.General Olivia Boudreau