Assumption Achieves ‘Military Friendly School’ Status for a Third Year ke.dunbar Mon, 02/22/2021 - 14:10 In recognition of several programs to serve the unique needs of Veterans, active military, and their families, Assumption University has been named a Military Friendly® School for the third consecutive year. As a certified Yellow Ribbon School, Assumption honors students who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for their personal sacrifices by providing a number of resources to support them in their academic pursuits. Because Veterans often have unique needs outside of the classroom, Assumption assembled a team of individuals aware of these needs to provide Veterans a seamless transition into higher education.  Examples of the support Assumption offers its Veteran students include Veteran-specific financial aid programs and packages; an annual Veterans Day observance ceremony; a Veterans Success Committee to ensure Veteran students’ concerns are heard by administrators and staff;  a Veterans Lounge for Veterans only to meet, study, and learn; and a network of support through aptly trained faculty and staff. Through a collaboration with the Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE), of which many of its members are Veterans who are always willing to lend an ear, or hand, to a fellow service member. Assumption has also expanded its academic programming to serve Veterans and their families, most notably through the Special Ops: Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) certificate program, which aims to train human services professionals to effectively engage and empower members of the SMVF community and assist them in their unique needs such as knowledge of service-related injuries, disabilities, and treatment; an increased sensitivity to the barriers and special considerations for SMVF; and understanding on how to assist SMVF in enrolling in care systems. The Military Friendly School designation reviews public data, survey data from its institutions, and from the Veterans it supports in their pursuit of a college degree. For more information on Assumption’s Veterans programs, visit the website. Military Friendly for web.jpgAssumption has been named a Military Friendly® School for the third consecutive year. RankingsVeterans Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Mon, 02/22/2021 - 14:10 Isabella DeScenza '21

What Recent Excavations Tell Us about Norse Vikings and the Settlement of Vinland  ke.dunbar Tue, 02/16/2021 - 11:40 The Rooms Provincial Museum’s Curator of History Kevin McAleese will present a lecture titled “Finding Vinland…Then and Now,” on Monday, March 29, at 7 p.m. via Zoom, which will explore the history of the Norse Viking settlement in Vinland and what the recently discovered Viking artifacts can tell us about the historical settlement. It has been more than 1,000 years since Vinland (present-day Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada) was settled by the Norse Vikings.  According to McAleese, the small Canadian province not only marked the final point of the Norse migration journey, which also included colonizing Iceland in AD 850 and Greenland in AD 985, but was the farthest they reached whilst expanding into the Western Hemisphere.  The lecture will explore the remarkable re-discovery of Vinland, particularly L’Anse aux Meadows, approximately 960 years after the Norse left, through archaeological research as well as recent excavations from Iceland, Newfoundland, and Labrador on sites that precede and follow the brief Norse settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows. McAleese has served as the curator of history at The Rooms Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador in St. John’s, Canada, since 1994. He received an M.A. in archaeology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a B.A. in archaeology from Simon Fraser University. McAleese has been conducting while also conducting archaeological digs, and editing and publishing books and articles on Viking and indigenous culture in Iceland, Greenland, and eastern Canada since the 1970s. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Human Arts Series and the History and Medieval and Early Modern Studies programs at Assumption. For Zoom invite, please contact jchlapowski@assumption.edu. The lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session, as well as a virtual wine and cheese. finding vinland for web.jpgCanadian Museum Curator Kevin McAleese will discuss the recent discovery of Ancient Viking settlements in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, during Assumption's spring HumanArts lecture. General Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Tue, 02/16/2021 - 11:40 Daniel Carito '21

Assumption Students Training as Contact Tracers to Assist Worcester in Pandemic Response ke.dunbar Tue, 02/16/2021 - 09:50 In an effort to bring real-world experience into the classroom and assist the City of Worcester in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, several Assumption students are  spending the spring semester training to become contact tracers. In their upper-level biology course, Infectious and Epidemic Disease, students will explore the basic biology of COVID-19 while completing 20-hour trainings required to become a Massachusetts contact tracer. The University has partnered with the City of Worcester Division of Public Health’s (WDPH) Academic Health Collaborative to deploy the students as contact tracers later this spring. The special topics course explores the history, epidemiology, clinical and biological elements of significant epidemics such as smallpox, cholera, the plague, tuberculosis, and coronaviruses, and will focus on the current global health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the coursework, a community service-learning component of the course features a partnership with WDPH Academic Health Collaborative, who will mentor students as they complete the Johns Hopkins Training program as well as the Massachusetts training program, MAVEN. “This course explores in detail the history of infectious diseases while including a current public health dimension to the classroom instruction,” said Professor Aisling Dugan, Ph.D., associate professor of biology who relied on her infectious disease expertise to design the course. “This unique way of learning about pandemics will provide relevant opportunities for students to become contact tracing interns in late spring, volunteer as contact tracers for the City of Worcester during the summer, or pursue additional roles in the City’s coronavirus response, including vaccination efforts.” “Through this innovative collaboration, students will engage in actual projects and research related to the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than conducting hypothetical research and coursework,” said Kelsey Hopkins, coordinator of the City’s Academic Health Collaborative. Hopkins explained that the WDPH team of 25 individuals focuses on a range of issues relative to public health and the pandemic, and requires additional resources to adequately administer a comprehensive contact tracing program. The city relies on the generosity of trained volunteers and community partners, including college students and Worcester Public School nurses. The students began the training offered by Johns Hopkins University last week, with the goal of completing the training by March 4. Read articles, or listen to news coverage, from MassLive, SpectrumNews1, Telegram & Gazette, Worcester Business Journal, WGBH and WBZ-FM radio. contact tracer for web.jpgAssumption University students are training to become contact tracers to assist the City of Worcester in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic through their upper-level biology course, Infectious and Epidemic Disease. Community Service Learning Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Tue, 02/16/2021 - 09:50 Office of Communications

Prof. Cavanagh: Engaging Students in Learning Amid a Pandemic ke.dunbar Tue, 02/16/2021 - 08:15 Assumption Psychology Professor Sarah Rose Cavanagh, Ph.D., is an advocate for infusing emotion in the classroom, in both teaching and learning, as a way to help students manage their anxieties, boredom, and frustrations, especially during the pandemic. In her recent column, How to Play in the College Classroom in a Pandemic, and Why You Should, published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Prof. Cavanagh shares how professors can “lighten things up in class that are emotionally, academically, and pedagogically sound.” According to Prof. Cavanagh, “play”—or, involving students in an activity for enjoyment rather than solely for an academic or practical purpose–is one of the most natural ways we learn and it offers mental breaks from dire news. She suggests seven strategies professors can use to incorporate play in the college classroom, such as improve “warm up” activities, embrace movement, introduce a little levity, interrupt the usual routines, and know when to take a break. Prof. Cavanagh is a psychologist, professor, and associate director of Assumption’s D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence. She writes articles and presents lectures and workshops regarding her research on the contribution of emotions and emotion regulation to quality of life. Prof. Cavanagh is the author of Hivemind and The Spark of Learning. chronicle logo for web.jpgAssumption Psychology Professor Sarah Rose Cavanagh, Ph.D., advocates the importance of infusing play in the college classroom in a recent article published in the Chronicle of Higher EducationFaculty Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Tue, 02/16/2021 - 08:15 Office of Communications

Assumption, Railers Join to Support Frontline Workers  ke.dunbar Wed, 02/10/2021 - 16:30 In an effort to recognize those in the community who continue to serve the needs of others during the COVID-19 pandemic, Assumption University has teamed up with the Worcester Railers Hockey Club to support Food For Frontliners, an initiative launched by the team to donate fresh meals to frontline workers. “Food For Frontliners is a way for Assumption University to support the City of Worcester and its residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assumption University President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D. “As a University that provides a Catholic liberal education, we form our students in recognizing their responsibility to contribute to the common good by serving the members of our community. It is a privilege to join with our partner, the Worcester Railers, to support Food For Frontliners, an opportunity to extend our gratitude to the social workers, postal employees, hospital workers and others who have steadfastly served the community throughout the pandemic. Through this initiative to recognize local heroes, the University carries out its mission to form individuals known for thoughtful citizenship and compassionate service.” “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Assumption University to kick-off our second round of Food For Frontliners,” said Railers Chief Operating Officer and Assumption alumnus Michael Myers ’93. “Through this initiative, we are able to show our gratitude to local essential workers who have been on the front lines of this pandemic while carrying out our team’s mission of being a ‘community first’ organization.” Food For Frontliners, part one of the Railers’ Hockey Feeds the Need initiative, celebrates the unwavering selflessness of frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning Wednesday, January 20 and continuing weekly through February 24, Assumption University and the Worcester Railers will provide Central Mass essential workers with food from local restaurants as a token of appreciation for their commitment to helping others. Individuals and organizations targeted through this program include: Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health; Oriol Health Care; Seven Hills Foundation; school teachers from St. Peter Central Catholic, Our Lady of the Angels School, Venerini Academy, St. Mary School, All Saints Academy, and the Assumption School in Millbury; postal workers and corrections officers; and employees of Reliant Medical Group. The Worcester Railers’ three-part Hockey Feeds the Need initiative will focus on donating meals to frontline workers, stocking local food pantries, and distributing fresh food boxes to residents in need. For more information, visit railershc.com/hockeyfeedstheneed. Railers- AU Food delivery for web.jpgAssumption University President Francesco Cesareo, Ph.D., helps deliver food with members of the Worcester Railers Hockey Club as part of the Food For Frontliners initiative on February 10. General Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Wed, 02/10/2021 - 16:30 Lily O’Connor ’21

Accounting Program Earns Endorsement by Institute of Management Accountants mguilfoyle Tue, 06/09/2020 - 14:26 The IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants), an international association focused on advancing the management accounting profession, has announced that Assumption University's accounting program in the Grenon School of Business is one of eight schools to earn its endorsement for 2021. At the time of its inclusion in June 2020, Assumption was one of just three in New England to receive this endorsement. IMA is the association of accountants and financial professionals in business and its Endorsement of Higher Education initiative recognizes programs that meet high educational standards, preparing students to pursue and earn the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) certification. “This recognition, which results from a self-study combined with an external review, signifies that our accounting program provides the rigorous curriculum needed for students to prepare for the CMA exam and continue on to have successful careers in management accounting and leadership roles in corporate finance,” said Joseph T. Foley, founding dean of the Grenon School of Business. Assumption’s accounting program prepares students for careers in public accounting firms, corporate settings, or nonprofit institutions. The curriculum, steeped in a liberal arts foundation, provides students with the skills and educational background needed to sit for the CMA and CPA (Certified Public Accountant) (CPA) examinations. Assumption offers students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree as well as an accelerated Master of Business Administration. Last year, College Factual named Assumption a 2019 Best Value Accounting School, ranking the College the best in terms of value in Massachusetts and among the top 15 percent in the nation. According to IMA, to qualify for endorsement, accredited institutions must substantially cover the CMA program content, invest adequate faculty resources to deliver this content, be accredited by a recognized accreditation organization, and assign a faculty member as a designated IMA Campus Advocate. “IMA is please to welcome Assumption to the growing list of schools that support the CMA exam program and have achieved a consistent standard of excellence,” said Dr. Raef Lawson, CMA, CPA, CFP, CFA, IMA vice president of research and professor-in-residence. “High-quality, up-to-date educational programs that support the current needs of businesses will help future professional management accountants accomplish their career objectives and meet the competency expectations of employers.” IMA’s globally-recognized CMA program is a relevant assessment of advanced accounting and financial management knowledge in areas such as financial planning, analysis, control and decision support – each of which is increasingly critical in meeting the changing needs of business, and therefore, essential learning for students of accounting and finance. IMA.jpgBusiness Studies Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Wed, 02/10/2021 - 14:26 Office of Communications

From Undrafted to Super Bowl LV: The Inspiring Story of Zach Triner '15 mguilfoyle Sat, 02/06/2021 - 16:30 After graduating from Assumption, Zach Triner ’15 moved across the country to San Diego, where he lived in his Jeep Wrangler in the parking lot of former NFL kicker John Carney’s training facility. Triner, undrafted and hoping to make it to the National Football League (NFL) – a dream he’d had since writing it down in his second-grade yearbook – with unwavering faith was willing to do whatever it took to make his dream come true. “Someone along the way told me it would be impossible or too hard,” the Marshfield native said about abandoning his dream of playing professional football for lacrosse in high school. “You don’t want to listen to it, but it’s hard not to have it in your subconscious.” Five years later, Triner is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ long snapper, but it wasn’t an easy road; it took a lot of faith to get there. Over the next four years, Triner had workouts, tryouts, or participated in camps 13 times, eventually moving back east to put his psychology and political science degrees to use working for Fidelity Investments in between, but he never gave up. “I tried out for a third of the League and heard no after no after no, signed a contract and got cut, signed a contract and got cut,” he said. “You have to be some kind of psycho to keep going. But Assumption did a good job in helping me realize that if you believe it, and are willing to put in the work, and have faith, then you can do it. People hear the word faith and think it’s religious and don’t want to touch it, but what faith really means is do you believe in it?” Triner, who decided to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL when he enrolled at Assumption in 2012, credits the institution for providing him with the skills needed to succeed both on and off the football field. Triner said he learned how to carry himself and to work hard at all times, even on the days he did not necessarily feel up to it. He shared that then-Assumption head football coach Bob Chesney taught him that if you work on yourself throughout the day, work on small things that make you a better person, like picking up a tipped-over trash can or holding the door for someone, it will carry over onto the field. “When you get to practice, you start looking for the small things to improve upon,” he said. “When you try to be a better person off the field, you would be surprised how easy it is to become a better player and find things to do better.” Triner maintained that work ethic and, although he is the oldest rookie in the NFL this season, he’s already making an impact on his coaches and teammates. “I think what Zach brings to the team is energy and toughness,” said Buccaneers’ Special Teams Coordinator Keith Armstrong. “He is a competitive person and he is a tough kid.” Armstrong said that Triner “does a heck of a job running our meetings” when he isn’t in the meeting room. “When you talk about off the field, I also think he has some leadership abilities. He’s got a good chance to be a leader – he is a serious kid and he studies the game. I am very happy to have him,” he added. Along with the support of his wife (high school sweetheart Carissa), the lessons learned at Assumption and his faith are what helped Triner push through the hard times. Though Triner grew up a Catholic, with age he drifted from the Church. He said two friends, Blake Nold ’15 and Jack Dustin ’15, were helpful in bringing him back. “Blake and Jack, every week, no matter if they went out the night before, would get up and go to church,” he said. “They showed me that you can do both. You can have a social life and your faith. It was the ultimate thing to strive for. Triner’s faith grew as he continued to pursue his dream. In San Diego, Carney, who traveled a path similar to Triner’s before spending 23 years in the NFL, gave him a Bible; he is someone Triner considers an important influence and “one of the good guys in an industry that can be very money focused.” During that time, one moment in particular has stuck with Triner. While grabbing lunch at an In-N-Out Burger, Triner paid the tab of a young man in front of him whose card was declined. The man, who was going through a tough time like Triner, thanked him and shared the message that even through hard times, Jesus loves you. “It was one of those times when you strip everything away and see what you have left,” he said. “And I realized there’s that unconditional love from Jesus. If you slip and fall, make mistakes, it’s still there.” Triner’s faith remains one of the most important parts of his life. When he was working with the Green Bay Packers during the 2018 off-season, he and a few other players gathered for an impromptu Bible study group. In Tampa Bay, he attends the team’s weekly Bible study meetings. “Someone in my Bible group said it’s OK for it to be difficult. It’s OK to not be OK, just as long as you don’t stay there,” he said. “As long as you put one foot forward toward your goal, you’re OK.” Former teammate Scott Simonson paved the way for Triner and Deonte Harris, an undrafted free agent having succes with the New Orleans Saints, when he was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2014. Simonson would become the first former Greyhound to play in a Super Bowl as a member of the Carolina Panthers. Triner said that through everything, he just kept taking the next step forward and leaned on those around him, including Simonson, who has played for the Raiders, Panthers, and most recently the New York Giants. “I am lucky that Scott had the success he did,” said Triner. “To have someone blaze a path and to have that path to follow is so important. It goes back to having faith and belief in your goals. I saw him have success and knew if he could, I could do it.” Zach Triner.jpgGeneralSat, 02/06/2021 - 16:30 Office of Communications

Assumption’s Rehabilitation Counseling Program Ranked Among the Best in the Nation ke.dunbar Fri, 02/05/2021 - 15:44 Assumption University has been recognized as one of Intelligent’s Top 32 Master’s in Addictions and Recovery Degree Programs in the nation. Assumption was ranked 20th in the country for its Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling degree program. Assumption’s rehabilitation counseling graduate program empowers students to develop the skills to succeed in rehabilitation settings as the program is complemented by studies in an array of other disciplines such as sociology, psychology, natural sciences, economics, education, and humanities. The program has also been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 graduate school in rehabilitation counseling and is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. . Intelligent ranks each program on its flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. For more information, visit the program page. intelligent rehab counseling for web.jpgAssumption's rehab counseling program has been recognized as one of the best in the nation. GeneralRankings Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Fri, 02/05/2021 - 15:44 Joel Rosario ’24

Assumption’s Counseling Program Ranked Top 50 in Country  ke.dunbar Thu, 02/04/2021 - 15:28 Assumption University’s clinical counseling degree program has been ranked among the country’s best counseling degree programs by the ranking organization Intelligent.  The organization, which ranked Assumption 28 on its list, recognized the University as the Best Catholic University, and highlighted its Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling Psychology program. Assumption’s clinical counseling psychology program is the only master’s program of its kind in the country to offer a fully integrated curriculum based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The depth and breadth of courses and faculty who are professionals in their fields and possess extensive clinical experience prepare graduates to excel in their counseling careers. The numerous practicum-internship opportunities; access to the Aaron T. Beck Institute for Cognitive Studies at Assumption University, which attracts CBT practitioners from around the globe to present at and attend events on campus; and availability of graduate fellowships make Assumption’s M.A. in Clinical Counseling Psychology program one of the premier programs in the country. Intelligent assessed more than 200 programs for this list, ranking institutions on their level of excellence in the programming that it provides to students. For more information, visit the program page. inteligent counseling badge for web.jpgAssumption's Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling Psychology program has been ranked among the top 50 in the country. GeneralRankings Request Information Apply Visit Assumption Thu, 02/04/2021 - 15:28 Caitlin Sze ’24 and Joel Rosario ’24