Rebecca Mullen ’13, is commissioner of the NCAA’s Atlantic East Conference, responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations and taking its intercollegiate athletic programming to new heights. We caught up with Mullen to learn more about the role, and how her time as a Worcester State field hockey and lacrosse player informs her work.

Tell us about your professional journey.

My career in athletics started with the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, where I was assistant to the commissioner, a position funded by an NCAA grant. From there, I went on to work as the first full time assistant commissioner at the New England Collegiate Conference. My next stop, I was a swim coach and aquatics coordinator at Stevens Institute of Technology. I ultimately ended up with the AEC, as assistant commissioner and now commissioner.

What does the job entail?

Every day is different. I manage all aspects of conference operations, but all of the focus is to ensure a great student-athlete experience. For example, we launched women’s flag football as a varsity sport for the first time last year. To promote that, we held a media day at the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Stadium.

What do you see as the future of women’s flag football?

Elevating it to a varsity sport was a response to the game’s growth at the high school level. We want to give students who love the game in high school the opportunity to play in college. No one knows what the future holds, but as it will be featured in the 2028 Olympics, we see potential for growth.

How did your education prepare you for your current work?

I was a criminal justice and urban studies major. This helped to transition to handling NCAA compliance. I was also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. That experience was hugely valuable. I’ve definitely drawn on that when thinking about what’s most important to student-athletes.

Does your experience as a former lacrosse and field hockey player help?

College athletics is a huge part of my life, personally and professionally. I understand how much athletes juggle, between practice, travel and keeping up with classes. Having that understanding is huge. It helps me understand feedback I receive from athletes, coaches and administrators. I loved my time as a studentathlete. Ensuring others have a positive experience is really important to me.

The post 5 Questions for Rebecca Mullen ’13 appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

By Emily Boutilier

As a teacher, principal, professor, and dean, Elaine Tateronis ’63, M.Ed. ’74 devoted her career to serving her students, the local community, the field of education, and her alma mater. Tateronis—founding dean of Worcester State’s School of Education, Health, and Natural Sciences—passed away April 11, 2025. She was 84.

“She had an impact not just on Worcester State’s School of Education, but on the entire field of education,” said President Barry Maloney at a September celebration of Tateronis’ life.

Tateronis served in the Worcester Public Schools as a teacher and reading specialist and as an Auburn Public Schools teacher, reading consultant, and principal. She joined Worcester State as an assistant professor of education and became coordinator of the Graduate School’s reading, master’s, and elementary education programs and the school administration/leadership program. She also established the university’s annual Author Institute.

Tateronis chaired the Education Department for eight years before becoming dean of education, then the founding dean of the School of Education, Health, and Natural Sciences.

“She will always be present, in our work, in our stories, and in the culture she helped create here. She made this place, and each of us, more than we ever would have been without her,” said Professor of Education Carol Donnelly at the September event, which drew faculty, staff, alumni, family and friends.

Upon retiring as dean in 2012, Tateronis established, with members of her department, the Elaine G. Tateronis Scholarship, given to undergraduates studying elementary education at Worcester State. She soon added a second scholarship, for graduate students in education.

“Her influence will continue to shape Worcester State, the field of education, and the many lives she touched,” said Vice President for University Advancement Thomas McNamara ’94 at the celebration of life.

An active alumna, Tateronis served as director of the Alumni Association’s Advisory Board, on the School of Education’s advisory council, on reunion planning committees and on the Scholarship Tea Committee. Elsewhere, she served on the board of the Massachusetts Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the governing board of the Central Mass. Readiness Center.

Born in Worcester, Tateronis earned her bachelor’s in education and returned for a master’s in reading and language arts. She received an Ed.D. in curriculum, administration, and leadership from Boston College and participated in Harvard University’s Principals’ Program. As principal, she led Mary D. Stone School in Auburn to become an Inclusion School and added its preschool program. As a professor, she presented at U.S and international education conferences and wrote numerous articles on education leadership and literacy.

In recognition of her service to the university, she was named the inaugural recipient of the
Extraordinary Dedication Award. She was also the first recipient of the Massachusetts Reading Association’s Celebrate Literacy Award.

Tateronis is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Shari-Ann and Kevin Goudreau; a son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Kathryn Tateronis; five grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, cousins, other extended family; and many friends.

The post University Remembers Elaine Tateronis appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

By Emily Gold Boutilier

During the final days of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, Omer Rafiq ’14 was on the ground in Kabul, evacuating hundreds whose lives were in peril under Taliban rule.

He and his team are credited with directly rescuing 675 people.

Two years later, as civil war erupted in Sudan, Rafiq arrived in the country on an allied nation frigate and became one of two U.S. Department of Defense officials on the ground for the military-assisted departure of Americans and allied nationals.

These two moments capture the essence of Rafiq’s career in public service, which has brought him to more than two dozen countries in military and civilian roles. These roles include serving as senior advisor in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; as director of strategy and plans for U.S. Central Command at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; as a legislative fellow in the U.S. Senate; as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps; and more.

His path begins with his immigrant story. Born and raised in Saudi Arabia to parents of South Asian and Middle Eastern descent, Rafiq was a young teenager when his family won the U.S. green card lottery. They moved to the Worcester area, where Rafiq’s oldest brother was already working in tech. “You go where you have roots—we had one root,” Rafiq said.

Those early years in Massachusetts were challenging. As a high school senior, Rafiq was arrested for attempted shoplifting. It was a turning point. “I wasn’t a citizen yet; I still had only a green card,” he said. “That arrest forced me to reflect deeply on responsibility and belonging—and ways in which I could prove my worth to America.”

He decided to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. “Initially it was a very transactional decision,” made to help his citizenship application. “Little did I know that I was going to get hooked on what the Marine Corps had to offer.”

He was a reservist when he started at Worcester State, taking evening classes and working during the day to help his family pay the bills. He majored in criminal justice, drawn to the interdisciplinary curriculum and the department’s focus on ethical decision making. He especially appreciated how Professor of Criminal Justice Stephen Morreale—who became a mentor—led class discussions on values-driven leadership.

Rafiq went on to serve as an active duty Marine infantry officer, a role that took him across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa. He worked in areas ranging from crisis response to counterterrorism. Once, at sea, he also taught political science and foreign policy to service members.

“I told them that your relationship with your country should be like your relationship with your spouse,” he said. “There’s going to be friction, there’s going to be misunderstandings, but you don’t get to walk away the moment you have a disagreement. The framers of the Constitution did not want us to be a perfect union. They wanted us to be a more perfect union.”

During the Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021, Rafiq served as Aide de Camp to the Commanding General of Joint Task Force–Crisis Response. When the mission shifted into emergency evacuation, he was reassigned as special evacuations coordinator. It was a defining moment: applying the values-driven approach he’d learned at Worcester State to life-and-death decisions about who could be rescued in a collapsing evacuation zone.

The Sudan deployment was his last. After that, Rafiq went on to Harvard’s Kennedy School, where he co-taught a class on leadership in crisis with former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. He has also served at the State Department and the Department of Defense, and as a legislative fellow to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat.

“By all accounts, I am not somebody who should have gone to an Ivy League school, who should have been a presidential appointee, who should have done all these things in uniform,” Rafiq said. “But I think very early on I envisioned myself doing those things—not to receive praise but because I thought they were the right thing to do, that they were in compliance with my vision of bolstering democratic institutions.”

He stepped away from government service after the 2024 election. Now a senior director at C3 AI, he works with U.S. and allied government leaders to apply artificial intelligence to national security missions. He’s also a major in the Reserves, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank, and a Next Gen National Security Fellow at the Center for New American Security.

Based in the Washington, D.C., area, he’s contemplating his next chapter, which may include a move back to Massachusetts, where he could pursue his interests in local politics or nonprofit community leadership.

“One thing that I’ve enjoyed the most,” he said, “both in the military and as a political appointee, is being an extension of other people’s voices and needs.”

The post Building a life of service appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

By Krystyanna Ramsdell

In August 2025, Evan Armit, a beloved member of the men’s ice hockey team, passed away following a lengthy battle with metastatic melanoma. Ever since, nearly every team in the Worcester State Athletics Department has been honoring his memory in its own special way. These acts of remembrance include hanging his jersey at games, collecting donations for his family, and donning uniform patches emblazoned with his jersey number.

His passing has also brought students, coaches, and friends together, not just in mourning, but in reflection. In remembering Armit’s kindness and infectious smile, athletes across campus have said they’ve begun thinking more about what really matters in life. As Kate Stedronsky ’26, senior captain of the women’s volleyball team, put it: “Losing someone in our community has allowed us to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.”

“As an athlete, you have to think about the person standing next to you,” she said. “We have been reminded, though, that sports aren’t just about wins and losses. They’re about the relationships we build, and the impact we have on one another.”

As for Armit, the impact he had in his short time at Worcester State was huge. Junior Jessica Forbes ’27, a member of the women’s soccer team, was a classmate of Armit’s. She said she was lucky for having had the chance to sit next to him in their financial accounting class. “I instantly sensed he was a great person with an amazing outlook on life,” she said. “Seeing him around, he always had a smile on his face and never failed to say hello.”

Jude Hadi ’27, a men’s hockey player, teammate, and friend, recalled that Armit showed him “what it meant to say yes to life.” “Evan was all in, always, for a new adventure,” he said. “What made him truly irreplaceable, though, was the fact that he was a friend to everybody. No matter where we were, he would make friends with complete strangers.”

Armit’s impact was not just felt in the Athletics Department, but across campus. As a sophomore, he was selected to serve the campus community as a residential advisor, in part for his “ability to connect with others and make every person feel valued,” said Director of Residence Life Kristen Nelson. “Evan was more than just a first- year RA, dedicated athlete, and outstanding student,” she said. “He brought a contagious energy to our community, one grounded in kindness, inclusivity, and a genuine passion for helping others.”

Given Armit’s impact on campus, teams across the university rallied throughout the fall semester to honor his legacy. The women’s soccer team dedicated a “Black Out” game in his honor. During the game, players wore yellow ribbons marked with Armit’s jersey number 11 in black, the symbolic color for melanoma awareness. His jersey also was hung along the sidelines during the match, surrounded by donations collected for his family. The women’s volleyball team, meanwhile, hung his jersey on their sidelines during matches, while players wore black ribbons on their shoes. Even before his passing, the community was rallying around Armit. The Rosen Cancer Awareness Fund, for example, partnered with the university’s hockey teams to auction jerseys and made a donation to the hospital where Armit was treated.

“Evan was one of those rare people whose presence impacted everyone around him. He embraced the values we preach as a student-athlete community,” continued Stedronsky, who, in addition to captaining the women’s volleyball team, is a NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president. “Honoring Evan’s legacy is extremely important to us, as it serves as a constant reminder that we are lucky to be a part of something greater than ourselves.”

Armit grew up in Dryden, Ontario, where he played junior league hockey for the Winnipeg Freeze and Islander Hockey Club, before enrolling at Worcester State and becoming a member of the men’s ice hockey team. While a student, he studied business. After his initial cancer diagnosis, he underwent surgery to remove a lesion on his heel, which left him determined to come back stronger than ever. Unfortunately, in October of 2024, his cancer returned, which he fought valiantly for nearly a year before passing.

Today, his legacy of kindness is still felt around campus, while across the Athletics Department, the number 11 now serves as a shining symbol of the selflessness, empathy, courage, compassion, determination, and perseverance his loved ones say he so embodied.

“We will never forget the remarkable person Evan was,” added Forbes, of the women’s soccer team. “And we will continue to honor him, knowing he is watching over all of us.”

The post Athletics Community Honors Beloved Student-Athlete appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

By Natalie Boutiette

Worcester State student Lilian Sydow ’28, who studies psychology, Spanish and pre-law, and serves as president of the university’s Student Government Ambassadors, was looking for career advice. Given her wide array of interests, she wanted to know: “How do I avoid being pigeon-holed early in my career?” Taneisha Mings ’13, M.Ed., who received her bachelor’s degree in communications, was ready with an answer. 

“Give yourself grace,” she said. “You’re doing this for the first time and there is no road map. You can envision a lot of things, but take it day by day. If it doesn’t work out, get up tomorrow and try again.” 

More than a simple interaction, the exchange was emblematic of countless conversations fellow alumnae and current female students had with one another that night. In fact, they were among 30 highly-accomplished alumnae and 10 promising student leaders gathered in the storied Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the inaugural assembly of the Jennie Cora Clough Women’s Leadership Society. 

The group is all about bringing accomplished alumnae and ambitious students together to network and forge lasting bonds rooted in mentorship. Relationships built through the society are intended to benefit students year-round and last a lifetime, while semi-annual gatherings will facilitate networking and community. Named for the university’s first Black student – a trailblazer who graduated in 1878 and went on to become the first Black teacher in Worcester’s public schools – its ultimate aim is to help create the next generation of female leaders. 

“Our goal is to put women who are student leaders and accomplished alumnae in the same room,” said Felicia Riffelmacher, executive director of Development and Alumni Relations. “It’s important that students learn from those who have gone on to do amazing things.”

Indeed, Mings, who answered Sydow’s question, now works for MassAbility, a state organization that helps people with disabilities lead independent lives. There, she’s a project manager on one of the organization’s burgeoning AI initiatives. In 2023, she served as the Alumni Convocation speaker and shared this insight about her journey: “During my collegiate career, I learned that I am driven by my desire to support and be supported. We can be our best when our attributes are respected and nurtured, ultimately shaping our identities and leading us to discover our place in the world.” 

Other alumnae in the group include business executives and nonprofit leaders. For their part, students say the opportunity to learn from alumnae of such caliber is hugely valuable.

“Groups like these allow us to really see that the Worcester State community is full of people that are available and eager to help us succeed,” said Safa Khan ’27, who studies business administration and economics, and serves as a presidential student ambassador. “As students, immersing ourselves in these spaces is one of the best ways to learn, connect and continue developing, personally and professionally.”

Participating alumnae benefit too, as they see the group as an opportunity to pay their success forward. 

“The core purpose of Worcester State is simple: to be the launchpad for the next generation of regional and global leaders,” said Dr. Lisa Colombo ’87, the executive vice chancellor of UMass Chan Medical School’s healthcare consulting division and chair of Worcester State’s Board of Trustees. “This new program is vital because we see our student leaders as the future of our region. It’s important that they see how their Worcester State education can propel them to a career steeped in leadership.”

Deborah Hall ’17, CEO of YWCA Central Massachusetts, likewise extolled the value of mentorship as a core value of the group, adding it looks different for everyone. “One of the things I tell young women is, ‘You need to figure out what mentorship looks like for you. Come to me with the specifics, and don’t be afraid to ask questions,’” she said.

Of course, the group isn’t all about business. Attendees of its first meeting also enjoyed a performance of “SIX.” Fittingly, the musical-comedy functions as a modernly feminist re-telling of the lives of the six wives of England’s King Henry VIII. Riffelmacher noted future group programming will continue to mix networking and fun. In the end, however, the group is about fostering connections, building community, and preparing the next generation of women to lead. 

“Women have shown time and time again that when they bring their full selves, their intelligence and their integrity to leadership, they not only achieve success, but also open doors for others to do the same,” said Dr. Colombo, in keynote remarks delivered during the inaugural event. “And mentors are vital to helping you translate your academic success into professional impact.”

The post From the Classroom to the Board Room, Worcester State Women Take the Lead appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

By Natalie Boutiette | Photos by Nancy Sheehan

On a cold day ahead of a snowstorm this winter, a group of Worcester State students were huddled together inside, each crafting their own textile blocks to later be sewn together to create one large quilt. 

Given the weather outside, the vibes were cozy, yet keeping warm wasn’t quite the group’s goal. As members of the Fiber Arts Circle, a campus club launched in 2023 that gets together for knitting, crochet, needle-felting, cross-stitching and other art projects, the students were hard at work putting together a “unity quilt.” 

Made in collaboration with members of different culture and identity groups across campus—including the Intercultural Student Alliance, the Black Student Union and the LGBTQ+ Alliance—the project was meant to give a creative platform to students to embrace and celebrate their diversity.

“As a club, we were wondering what kind of project we could take on that would say: ‘We are diverse and we value that,’” said Althea Bediako ’27, treasurer of the Fiber Arts Circle. 

The spirit of inclusion and creativity behind the unity quilt is fundamental to the Fiber Arts Circle. Its members meet every Monday, ready to engage in crochet, embroidery, sewing and similar activities, while at the same time building a welcoming, caring and constructive social community. The goal, members say, is to create a supportive space where individuals can express themselves artistically and, as importantly, make new friends, talk freely about college life, and unwind from the stress of their studies, jobs, and personal obligations.

“We discuss everything from selecting classes to working with professors, as well as the fiber arts,” added Bediako, who studies psychology and addiction counseling. “Having a craft in your hands while you meet new people makes the social aspect of college much easier. The club is warm and accepting, and that’s one of my favorite things about it.”

Those characteristics of the club are a draw for many members. 

Despite having little experience with the arts himself, Michael Juarez ’26, who studies business administration and Spanish, joined the club as a commuter student looking for connection on campus. He said he found the Fiber Arts Circle by way of a club fair in the spring of 2025, and felt the members he met there shared similar community-minded values. 

“I had never tried anything arts and crafts-related before,” he said. “On my first day, they taught me crochet, and I‘ve been coming ever since. The best part was finding a group with these shared interests. It’s very inclusive.”

In addition to projects like the unity quilt and weekly club meetings, the Fiber Arts Circle hosts a variety of events intended to knit the college community closer together. For students who can’t attend regular meetings, the club convenes once a semester for a late night knitting session. At other events, club leaders serve as art teachers of sorts, leading workshops in cross-stitching, canvas bag painting, and making friendship bracelets.

One of the club’s most popular events is its Valentine’s Day Fundraiser, where the group sells handmade crafts, like crochet flowers. “It’s always really fun to see the community get excited about our crafts, and it’s nice to know that our flowers are given as gifts to peoples’ loved ones,” said Bediako. 

Club president Alyson Archambault ’27 noted she has spent upwards of 20 hours making crafts as gifts for events like these. “The amount of time and effort it takes to learn a skill to create a gift says a lot,” she said. “The intention behind something handmade cannot be replicated.” 

Events like the fundraiser, in tandem with support from the school and other supply drives, enable the club to operate at no cost to students. 

The Fiber Arts Circle is one of more than 40 clubs and organizations at Worcester State that help students develop lifelong skills and friendships while providing social enrichment and intellectual stimulation. 

Other clubs include the Asian Boba Club, which is dedicated to breaking down barriers and celebrating Asian culture, traditions, cuisine and language; Active Minds, which works to increase students’ awareness of and provide resources relating to mental health issues; and Dance Company, which gives students of all skill levels the chance to learn and perform tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary and other kinds of dance. 

In addition to giving students opportunities for personal growth and connection outside the classroom, these clubs are important as research shows students who are actively involved in campus life are more likely to persist from term to term and ultimately complete their degrees. 

As for the state of the unity quilt, club members will continue assembling it this spring. The club plans to display the completed quilt at this fall’s Unity Day, a yearly campus-wide event promoting diversity and inclusion. There, it will serve as the most literal of testaments to a true tapestry community. As Bediako said: “The unity quilt allows us to come together, to create something, and to celebrate everyone.”

The post A Tapestry of Togetherness appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

By Lexi Jones

For most students, college means juggling coursework with jobs, family obligations, and financial pressures. There are expectations to be self-directed and organized in new ways that they may not have learned in high school or at home. First-generation students may be alone as they navigate unfamiliar processes like academic deadlines, registration and financial aid. For some, any number of personal problems or health issues might be a hindrance to their academic success. These challenges are not new in the higher education landscape—every generation of college students shares these experiences in some way.

What is new are the ways that universities like Worcester State are approaching student success: A cultural shift is underway at the university, with outside-the-box thinking and plenty of data about why students may stumble in their educational journey and what the university can do to remove barriers and support them. The work is critically important to retention and enrollment, as students are increasingly asking about what universities can do to support them and ensure they are set up for success. 

Through the Early Support Program, Worcester State is now reimagining the ways it supports students, where and when they need it most. The program brings together faculty, staff, and student services to identify students who may be struggling—academically, personally, or financially—with the goal of connecting them to campus resources intended to help them overcome those challenges.

“Early Support allows us to meet students where they are,” said Dr. Thomas Kelley, director of Retention. “It’s about creating a safety net that catches students early, connects them to the right resources, and lets them know they’re not alone.”

How It Works

The idea behind Early Support is simple: when students show signs of struggle, the university steps in early, before small problems have the chance to snowball into full-blown crises.

For example, if a faculty member notices a student is failing to show up for class or turn in assignments, they then alert a cross-campus network of professionals from Academic Advising, the Academic Success Center, Counseling Services, Financial Aid, and other offices. Together, they coordinate outreach and guide each student to the most relevant resources.

“My team works with students all day long,” said Tammy Tebo, assistant dean of Academic Services. “Being able to see what’s going on in the classroom without requesting updates from the faculty member is really important. We’re able to reach out to the student, identify what the real issue is, come up with a plan, and execute it.”

While Early Support centers on the individual student, the program is also a cornerstone of Worcester State’s enrollment strategy, a recognition that student success and institutional success are inseparable.

“Retention isn’t just about keeping students enrolled; it’s about helping them thrive,” said Dr. Ryan Forsythe, vice president for Enrollment Management. “Every student who persists from one semester to the next until they graduate represents a success story for the student and for the institution. Programs like Early Support make those stories possible.”

Forsythe added that in the post-pandemic era, students are facing more mental health and financial challenges than ever. And they are actively seeking a college experience that takes a holistic approach to their education and well-being. “They’re asking, ‘Will this college support me academically, financially, mentally?’ That’s where Early Support gives students a real advantage.”

Building a Culture of Care

This commitment to proactive student outreach is the product of more than a decade of collaboration. The university launched its first “Early Alert” system in 2012. The referral tool allowed faculty to flag students in need of support. What began as a small pilot, however, has since evolved into a comprehensive, data-informed model that now serves hundreds of students each semester.

“Ten years ago, you would’ve found tutoring and accessibility services in different places,” said Forsythe. “Now those are part of an integrated system of support. Early Support connects all those pieces.”

As part of this work, the university has also established a Care Team, a collaborative group of personnel with expertise in academic affairs, enrollment management, and student affairs. This team works in tandem with Early Support to coordinate outreach for students who may be in distress.

“Maybe a student would benefit from counseling, or financial advice, or academic coaching,” Forsythe continued. “All of those services are connected in a way that ensures the holistic support that exists here is actually applied to students who need it.”

Kelley emphasized that Early Support’s success depends on campus-wide participation. “Faculty work most closely with students on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “They’re often the first to notice when something’s off.” Indeed, this shared responsibility is what makes the program sustainable. “It’s about building a culture where care isn’t just the job of Student Affairs or Advising – it’s everyone’s job.” 

The personal impact of this culture is clear to those who interact with students every day. “Students often say, ‘I didn’t think anyone noticed,’” said Tebo. “That one conversation can make them feel seen, and that’s when we start to see them re-engage.”

Faculty are buying in too. “It takes a village to help students succeed,” said Dr. Lisa Wark, a professor in the Business Administration and Economics Department. “No matter how many emails I send, it’s nice to have others help me. Early Support helps me do my job better.”

For some students, even a small acknowledgment makes a big difference. Through Early Support, professors can send students a “kudos” to let them know they’re doing a good job. One student told Professor Wark, “When you sent me a kudos, it was the first time anyone told me I was doing well.” As Wark put it, “It’s the grown-up version of getting a gold star.”

The Future of Student Success

As the program continues to evolve, the Early Support team is exploring new ways to expand its reach and measure long-term impact. Plans include closer collaboration with first-year experience programs, increased faculty training, and deeper integration with data dashboards that help identify at-risk students. 

Forsythe said the university also plans to build on the momentum generated by state investments, like the Massachusetts State University SUCCESS Fund, which has supported several student retention initiatives. “If we receive additional funding, we’ll expand case management and proactive advising,” he said. “One way we retain more students is by proactively investing in the services we provide.”

More than strategy, that investment represents a reflection of Worcester State’s values, according to Kelley. “Our students are incredibly resilient,” he said. “Many are balancing so much outside the classroom, and they still show up. Early Support is our way of showing up for them.”

The post Meeting Students Where They Are appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

By Alyssa Haywoode
Photo by George Annan ’21

Celia Johnston Blue ’00 loves leadership. 

“I love developing people and watching them go on to higher levels,” Blue said, “because as a leader, that’s what you want your folks to do.”

There is in her conception of leadership an interplay of lifting people and being lifted by them. There are the inspiring examples she sees in other leaders. And there are the challenges of gaining new skills to be able to take on new challenges. In this light, even hostility from others becomes a foundation for appreciating kindness. 

So when Blue recalls emigrating from Jamaica to the United States at age 11, she remembers it as a time of learning about racism, of students calling her names and telling her to go back to her own country. 

“But the light of that experience is that I had teachers who said, No, we’re not standing for that in our classrooms. And there were other classmates who wanted to know me. And I feel very blessed because my cousins, who also came to the United States, didn’t have teachers who stood up for them and weren’t able to make friends as easily. 

“I feel very blessed that I got to learn from seeing both sides,” Blue said. “And that’s the thing about being a Black woman, being a woman of color, is we start navigating the intersectionality of race and gender at a very early age.”

In high school, Blue took on more leadership roles, serving as co-captain of the softball team and president of her senior class. She went to other colleges before landing at 91żìČ„, which felt, finally, like home. At Worcester State, she was a nontraditional student, attending school and working full time. 

“I had a wonderful experience,” Blue said of her time at the university. “I met great professors along the way who were willing to help. They wanted you to be successful. They really wanted you to excel.”

During her college years, Blue was working in the financial services industry as a manager at Plymouth Rock Assurance Corp. She had considered becoming an attorney, but then she decided she would rather hire the attorneys. She was also considering running a school and teaching.  

“In that role at Plymouth Rock, I had a wonderful mentor, my boss. Shortly after I started, he said, ‘You’re natural for this stuff. Did you say you want to run a school?’”

Blue explained to her boss that she wanted to build a family and have professional flexibility, so, yes, education seemed like a good fit.

“And I remember him saying, ‘I think this is a better fit for you. Maybe you should think about teaching at some point. But I really want you to think about it.’ So I gave it some thought, and I began to lead in that role, and I realized that this was going to be the right track for me.”

Blue kept working and earned her M.B.A. at Anna Maria College. She was indeed on the right track, right up until she wasn’t.

“I changed,” she said. “I wanted to be in a position where I could do more for the residents and citizens of the Commonwealth. And the way to do that was through public service.”

Blue was inspired by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick who, in 2007, became the second African American in the United States elected as a governor. A mentor introduced Blue to Patrick, and that led to her first job in the public sector as a commissioner of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission. It was a leadership challenge Blue loved. The commission already had aeronautical expertise. What Blue brought to the job were leadership and management skills. She balanced local needs and federal laws, pressing to change outdated rules and regulations. One key decision was an expansion of the runway at Worcester Regional Airport that allowed for more commercial flights. 

Fueled by her commitment to public service, Blue went to the Registry of Motor Vehicles and eventually became Massachusetts’ first African American registrar of motor vehicles. She made history—and she worked hard to make the sometimes onerous process easier for people applying for a driver’s license. Blue also worked in Rhode Island in the state’s Departments of Transportation and Human Services. 

Once again, she found herself wanting to do more for others—and for herself. Years earlier, she’d had a vision of creating an organization for women of color. Now, she shared the idea with mentors and a close friend. That led to an invitation to join Brenda Jenkins at a networking breakfast she was hosting for women of color in Worcester. 

“I went,” Blue said, “and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

Blue and Jenkins were part of a group of 13 women who founded the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition (MAWOCC), an organization “dedicated to eradicating the racial inequities among women of color created by structural, institutional, interpersonal, and internalized racism.”

The organization started in 2015 and publicly launched in 2016, and two of Blue’s mentors—Mary Fernandes and the late Mukiya Baker-Gomez, who had both held numerous leadership positions in Massachusetts state government—were founding members.

“They were my angels. I’d met them years earlier in state government, and they took me under their wings. I have had a lot of angels who have helped me navigate professional spaces as ‘a first,’” Blue said, thinking back on the challenges and successes of her career as a Black woman in largely male spaces. 

Currently the president and CEO of MAWOCC, Blue is proud of the organization’s programs. One example is the Intergenerational Leadership Academy. The academy enrolls women in a 12-week program that includes training on mentoring. The women then become mentors for high-school age girls who are enrolled in a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) program.

“We also weave in a holistic component. So there’s a self-care component. We share tips on navigating the world, because we know that girls can start feeling oppressed when they are young. That’s real for us. We also include civic engagement, because we want them to start being involved in their communities early and begin voting as soon as they are eligible,” Blue said.

For Blue, developing leaders is inclusive work. 

“We have a community of people who are very supportive of our organization, who have helped us to get where we are today, and that’s important. We knew we didn’t want to do this work alone,” Blue explained. Among MAWOCC’s many supporters is the Esler Family Foundation, MAWOCC’s largest private donor. 

Blue also pointed to Worcester State President Barry M. Maloney. 

“He’s been very, very supportive of MAWOCC, making introductions and connecting us to people on his team,” she said. “MAWOCC has worked with Worcester State on civic engagement projects and community projects. The president has also attended our annual meetings. And it’s great because, as an alumna, it’s wonderful to be able to be a partner and give back.”

What’s next? Blue continues to hone her leadership skills and plans to complete her Ph.D. She’s looking forward to the next 10 years of MAWOCC. She has a vision of working with women and girls globally. 

There are always more leadership opportunities to lift people up, and to be lifted by the power of doing this work. 

The post Leading with Purpose  appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

Members of the Worcester State equestrian team compete on new horses at every event. In the process, they learn to trust and adapt—and to communicate across species.

By Rebecca Cross  
Photos by Ellen Pechinsky ’27

Compared to each of the other 23 varsity and club sports at Worcester State, the equestrian team is an entirely different animal. 

In those other sports, athletes test their skills against individuals or work as a team in coordination against another team. Horseback riding tests the communication and coordination not among people but between species: a human rider and a half-ton animal that is almost pure muscle.

“The relationship between horses and humans is amazing,” said the team’s coach, Courtney Germain ’18. “Horses are a thousand pounds and have minds of their own. It’s amazing they do the jobs they do, because really they don’t have to.”

For all their size, horses look to humans for emotional cues and guidance. “Horses pick up on your emotions,” said Germain. “I feel like people think you’re just sitting up there doing nothing. Like they don’t think it’s a real sport, but jumping, stuff like that, you’re guiding the horse every step. You’re guiding the horse off the ground.”

Germain started riding at age 12 and got her first horse, a gelding named Sam, when she was 14. She graduated from Worcester State with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice but chose to work full time with horses because she loves them so much. “To me, horses are like big dogs,” she said. “A lot of people are scared of them, but they’re very gentle.”

The eight members of the Worcester State Equestrian Team have weekly lessons with Germain at Windstar Farm in Sterling, Mass. Some members have been riding for years. Others are beginners. They all get personalized instruction and riding experience on each of the farm’s seven lesson horses.

Four team members compete in shows run by the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA), founded in 1967. Its mission is to provide equestrian competition for all college and university students regardless of riding level, gender, race, sexual orientation, or financial status. Today, with the costs of owning and competing with a horse easily reaching $15,000 per year, the sport is out of reach for many. IHSA levels the playing field by requiring host colleges to provide tack and horses, which are assigned to riders by drawing lots.

Julia HachĂ© ’26, Maddi Sheppard ’26, Luna Hubbell ’28, Coach Courtney Germain ’18, Emmy Forde ’28, and Ellen Pechinsky ’27 show off their ribbons.

Mastering Any Horse: The Core Skill of IHSA Competition 

For a rider, competing through IHSA is far cheaper than owning your own horse. In addition, the way IHSA competitions are structured and judged creates a more level playing field. “When you’re competing in the regular horse world, a person could be winning because they have the most expensive horse in the class,” Germain said. “With IHSA, it comes down to how well you ride, not how expensive your horse is.”

“The whole point of competing in IHSA is to be able to ride any horse that you sit on,” said co-captain Ellen Pechinsky ’27. Pechinsky is studying nursing at Worcester State and has been riding since she was 6 years old. She likes that IHSA competition teaches riders to closely observe and flexibly work with their assigned horse. “The judges are very understanding that a horse might do something the rider isn’t always prepared for,” said Pechinsky, “but they’re looking for how you respond to the horse, how we appear and act.”

For co-captain and business major Julia HachĂ© ’26, who started riding at age 5 to build up leg muscles affected by cerebral palsy, being assigned random horses “really gives you an opportunity to showcase your skills as a rider.” 

Germain prepares team members for competitions by having them ride many different horses at Windstar. “Riding all these different horses makes you a better rider,” she said. “You learn something from every horse you ride.”

Pechinsky and HachĂ© have a few favorites at Windstar—although they’re quick to note that they love them all. Pechinsky’s favorites are Alfie and Autumn. “Both are wildly different,” she said. “Alfie is a good, healthy challenge for me, and Autumn is a sweet little mare who tries her hardest for you.” 

Haché’s favorites are Ranger, “a bundle of joy,” and Doodles, a 31-year-old kids’ lesson pony with a sassy side.

Emmy Forde ’28 and other equestrians at an IHSA meet this fall.

The Rewards of Riding: Mental, Physical, and Emotional

Just like humans, each horse has a distinct personality. For a rider, learning to read that personality quickly and adapt in response is part of what makes IHSA competitions so, well, competitive.

Some horses are sensitive, some are lazy, some need a firm hand, some need a soft hand. Some have longer strides, and all have quirks. ISHA judges evaluate riders partly on how well they adapt to an unfamiliar horse.

For safety, professionals carefully evaluate each rider’s ability so they are matched with an appropriate horse. All riders wear helmets, and many wear air vests to protect their chests. EMTs attend every show.

“Horseback riders are the grittiest people I know,” said HachĂ©. “There’s this whole attitude that you get right back up, keep trying.” Last summer, she was jumping a pony that had a short neck. “I kept getting nervous I would just go right over her. Courtney said, ‘Just sit back and cement yourself in the saddle.’ It’s about getting out of your head and trusting the horse you’re on, trusting yourself, and trusting your coach.”

The team is always recruiting, and when the co-captains talk to potential new members, they tout both the physical benefits and the emotional ones.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Pechinsky loved to go out and ride. “It was a tough time for me,” she said. “It was important for me to get out of the house, to focus on something other than myself and how I was feeling.”

“Life is hard, let’s be honest,” added HachĂ©. “Being on a horse takes you away from all the stuff going on in your life. All your stress, all your worry is completely gone, and you’re just in the moment, riding a horse.”  

The post The Ultimate Equestrian Challenge appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.

By Alyssa Haywoode  
Photo by John Lenis

Ted Hebert ’74 is made of stories. 

There was the time he had the jitters during a hot air balloon ride and couldn’t find the ring he was sure he had. Running out of flight time, he finally found the ring, mustered his courage,  and proposed to his girlfriend, Barbara. There was the priest he met in Mexico who turned out to be a long-lost relative. There was the time, decades ago, when his mother said she wouldn’t be able to spend much on Christmas, and then she turned around and gave money to someone asking for a donation. “There are other people,” Hebert recalls her saying, “who need money more than we do.”

And then there’s the professional story that starts with 14-year-old Hebert getting a job as a gofer at a swimming pool company and slowly learning the business. In the middle of this story, Hebert is a kid who’s worried about the world’s tolerance for him. He didn’t have a lot of money, and he had a speech disability. 

“I always had dreams,” Hebert said, recalling his childhood, “but when you stutter, and you can’t talk right, when you’re scared and insecure 
” Then it seems like dreams are all you have. 

And while Cinderella had a fairy godmother, the magic that made all the difference for Hebert was working. He delivered newspapers. He washed neighbors’ cars. He mowed lawns and shoveled driveways. At a local diner, he washed dishes and baked muffins. He learned to install pools and earned money doing this work. He saved up $1,600 to buy the car he wanted, a Mustang. But the real payoff was that work was where he could see and feel his own value. 

“Work,” Hebert said, “is health.”

It’s an affinity that runs in the family. During the 1950s, Hebert had seen his mother work two jobs. 

Hebert wanted to be a doctor. He started out at Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College before transferring to 91żìČ„ to take pre-med courses. Having access to a public university was crucial, Hebert said, because even as hard as he was working, he couldn’t have earned enough to pay a private college’s tuition. Worcester State offered him strong professors who provided the flexibility Hebert needed to keep installing pools on the weekend. 

Add up Hebert’s education and hard work, mix in the connections he made along the way, stir in the fact that he grew out of his stutter, and the result was a young man with a big personality and a swimming pool’s worth of empathy for other people. 

During his final year in college, Hebert applied to 15 medical schools. He was accepted by only one: the University of Southern California.  He’d saved $10,000 to pay for the education, but he was scared of leaving the life he’d built. Then, six days before he was supposed to fly to California, he got a phone call with bad news. His mother had been getting groceries at Stop & Shop when she’d had a mild aneurysm.

“My mom was home the next day. I said, ‘You know what, I can’t go, I can’t.’ So I got a hardship leave for a year, and I never went to medical school.” 

Instead, Hebert kept living a life full of stories. He traveled, learned to ski, played hockey, kept installing pools, ventured into commercial real estate, and got involved with car racing. “I was even in a play,” he said. “Thirty-six shows of The Graduate. Hardest thing I ever did in my life.”

On the professional front, he committed to pools, launching Teddy Bear Pools & Spas in 1975 in his parents’ carport in East Springfield, Mass. The name was his mother’s idea: She said Ted Hebert, pronounced as it would be in French (Hebert’s father’s family is French Canadian), sounded like teddy bear. Today, Teddy Bear Pools has a bigger home—and a reputation that attracts customers from Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont. 

“The blessing of it all is that by keeping my business alive, I’ve been able to accumulate money and give back to my family—who are my employees—by giving them good jobs.” 

But that’s an understatement: He and Barbara, his wife, who said yes to his proposal on that hot air balloon ride, are also busy giving back to their community. And when he tells stories about philanthropy, the ending is mostly the same: Helping is a great way to connect with people, and connecting with people is the best reward.  

“I always tell people the most important thing is your happiness—and doing something to make the world better.”   

Take the story about how the Heberts supported Camp Words Unspoken, a camp in Pittsfield, Mass., for kids who stutter. That was personal. Both Hebert and his wife had stuttered when they were young. So they visited the camp and met the students, then Hebert got up to deliver a speech. He told the kids about his childhood: his stuttering, his low self-esteem, how he didn’t feel good enough. He told them that visiting the camp now made him feel like he was home. 

The unexpected happy ending: “Somehow or another, I almost started bawling. I got my wife to speak,” Hebert said. “And I told the kids that Barbara would never speak publicly, that her words were unspoken. But she spoke, and I was totally proud of her.”

The Heberts have also sponsored golf tournaments and sports teams. They are involved with Rotary International. They have supported the Make-a-Wish Foundation; the Chicopee, Ludlow, and West Springfield, Mass., Boys and Girls Clubs; and Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts. And Hebert’s board service includes being a trustee on the board of Holyoke Community College. 

“We love animals, so we sponsor the Second Chance shelter,” Hebert added. “They run clinics for people who can’t afford to pay for things like rabies shots. We’ve supported a couple of clinics.” The Heberts have also donated to the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center and to the Zoo in Forest Park, both in Springfield.  

In 2022, Roca, a violence intervention and behavioral health program for young people in Chelsea, Mass., named Hebert one of its Difference Makers. The award brought up old feelings of not being worthy enough. But he accepted the award, went to the event, and did what he loves: forged connections with people, in this case Stefan Davis, CEO of I Found Light Against All Odds, an organization that supports at-risk youth—and that Hebert now supports.  

Hebert is also a history buff and a local cheerleader who wants Western Massachusetts and its residents to be better known, so he tells stories about how George Washington made the Springfield Armory the nation’s first national armory. Ask him why history is so important, and he says: 

“As human beings, if we look back at what others did—or did not do—we can make it a better world. But somehow or another, people think that this is the first time things have ever happened. If they knew history, we would not be making the same mistakes day in and day out. We’re making the same mistakes, but people don’t want to be bothered with the past. History is so important to human fundamentals.”

What advice does he give to young people? “I always tell people the most important thing is your happiness—and doing something to make the world better.”   

The post The Power of Work—and Working to Help People appeared first on Worcester State Magazine.