Aspire
This strategic plan envisions a bold future for 51С»Æ³µ.
Students, faculty, staff members and alumni alike have contributed to its vision and will be key to its success.
Our highest mission is to accompany the young in the creation of a hope-filled future. What gives us hope? We know that future generations of 51С»Æ³µ graduates will be at the forefront of inquiry and understanding, solving the world’s complex problems not as individual actors, but rather in community, for and with others.
Our Strategic Areas of Focus
Academic Powerhouse
Provide every student with a meaningful pathway to postgraduate success, while building the reputation and visibility of 51С»Æ³µ as an academic powerhouse and a diverse intellectual community.
Highlighting Progress
Since announcing our Aspire plan, we've gathered our community together to identify a framework for answering some of our core academic objectives. Here's some of what we've accomplished so far:
-
Improved Rankings
51С»Æ³µ was #27 on the US News & World Report rankings — up from #33 in 2023 and #35 in 2022.
-
New Classroom Spaces
Invested in flexible new classroom spaces for use in Spring 2024. These spaces will support active learning and effective pedagogy.
-
Launched Strategic Planning Process
Surveyed faculty in October 2023 and held an initial faculty-wide planning workshop in January 2024 to share learnings and identify next steps. Input from diverse stakeholders will inform our new academic strategy.
-
Leadership Changes
Restructured the Provost’s Office to increase support and capacity for faculty leadership in academic affairs. New leaders include a Dean of Faculty and a Dean of Faculty Development. The Dean of Education and Academic Experience will oversee the student-facing and educational policy portfolio for the College.
-
Research & Development Opportunities
Created permanent research and professional development accounts and recurring annual budgets to enable tenure and tenure-track scholarship and development, streamlined processes to support scholarly activity and launched a Rapid Response Fund to support time-sensitive opportunities.
Transformational Student Experience
Create conditions for students to pursue and achieve excellence by fostering an inclusive culture of belonging and an open, respectful exchange of ideas and beliefs.
Michele Murray, Senior Vice President for Student Development and Mission
Michele leads the strategy and implementation behind our Transformational Student Experience initiatives. She provides leadership for integrating students’ intellectual, spiritual and emotional development, delivering excellent services and programs for all students, and translating the College’s vibrant Jesuit Catholic mission for today’s audience.
Highlighting Progress
Since announcing our Aspire plan, we've made significant progress towards 4 key initiatives: promoting student health and wellbeing, fostering an inclusive student culture, building skills for dialogue and supporting students' spiritual development. Here's some of what we've accomplished.
-
Mental Health
Implemented Question-Persuade-Refer, mental health first aid training for all incoming students and student leaders. We have completed Year 2 of a four-year process to become a JED-certified campus.
-
Student Accommodations
Converted space on the 5th Floor of Hogan Campus Center to house a new testing room for students with ADA and other accommodations. The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OAS) oversees the facility.
-
Dialogue Initiatives
Launched Perspectives, a new online module for incoming students and student leaders. Perspectives is an evidence-based, blended learning program that helps students understand the spectrum of human values, learn the neuropsychology of conflict and develop skills for conversation and problem-solving across differences.
-
Okanagan Charter
Adopted the Okanagan Charter, designating the College as a Health Promoting Campus and establishing it as a member of the United States Health Promoting Campuses Network (USHPCN).
Inclusive Excellence
Create an Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan and related divisional plans that are grounded in our Jesuit mission and advance anti-racism while improving recruitment and retention of faculty and staff from underrepresented and underserved communities.
Tomicka Wagstaff, Vice President for Justice, Equity, Belonging and Identity
Tomicka Wagstaff leads the strategy and implementation behind our Inclusive Excellence initiatives. She provides leadership and strategic direction for the College’s efforts to create and sustain an inclusive campus community that values and celebrates difference.
Highlighting Progress
Since announcing our Aspire plan, we've gathered our community together to identify a framework for achieving a more diverse and culturally representative undergraduate student body, faculty and staff. Here's some of what we've accomplished so far:
-
Strategic Planning
Created an inclusive excellence plan, adapted from the University of Virginia’s successful model.
-
Department Planning
Working with campus divisions, departments and programs to complete diversity, equity and inclusion plans. Human Resources and the Office of Student Development are first on the list.
-
Student Spaces
Reimagined Carey Lounge as a space for students to be in community with one another and to create more opportunities for students to connect across differences.
-
Expanded Programming
Hosted a variety of programs, training opportunities and partnerships to support the work of inclusive excellence, including first generation student initiatives and seminars for inclusive excellence and teaching.
-
Restructured Resources
Announced a new name— Justice, Equity, Belonging, and Identity (JEBI)—and mission and vision statement for the office formerly known as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
-
Faculty & Staff Training
Launched a new Justice, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion Foundation Certification program in August 2023 for faculty and staff.
In and Of Worcester
Create and celebrate opportunities for 51С»Æ³µ community members to experience and learn in Worcester, including student internships, research and service to the community, as well as institutional collaborations with higher education peers in the region.
Heather Hayes, Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff
Heather Hayes leads the strategy and implementation behind our In and of Worcester initiatives. She serves as a key partner in the president's executive leadership team and helps develop and implement the strategic goals of the College.
Highlighting Progress
Since announcing our Aspire plan, we've met with our community engagement leaders to launch strategic initiatives and be an active partner in the City of Worcester. Here's some of what we've accomplished so far:
-
Fee Waiver Program
Waived application fees automatically for all Worcester school students.
-
High School Recruitment Efforts
Increased recruitment efforts in the city, including more Worcester high school visits, an AP Boot Camp for South High School juniors. Increased engagement led to increased applications from Worcester students in the 2024 cycle.
-
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Partnership
Partnered with WPI to offer math, computer science and physics majors the option to pursue a Master of Science or Master of Engineering in an accelerated program.
-
UMass Chan Medical School Partnership
Working with UMass Chan Medical School, we expanded our paid research opportunities for students.
-
HC x WCC
Partnered with the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the City of Worcester's Cultural Development Division to create a pipeline of support for local artists, including an artist-in-residence program at The Prior Performing Arts Center during summer 2024.
World-Class Workforce
Promote employee mentoring, continuous learning, professional development and advancement in the context of the new landscape of how we work and what is needed to thrive, while strengthening a culture of professionalism and pride, mutual trust and respect, and appreciation and recognition to allow us to flourish individually and collectively.
Dottie Hauver, Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance, Treasurer
Dottie Hauver leads the strategy and implementation behind our World-Class Workforce initiatives. She joined 51С»Æ³µ in 2011 and serves as our Treasurer and Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance.
Highlighting Progress
Since announcing our Aspire plan, we've launched a number of initiatives to attract, support and retain a best-in-class workforce. Here's some of what we've accomplished so far:
-
The Heart of 51С»Æ³µ
The Heart of 51С»Æ³µ event featured a panel of five 51С»Æ³µ community members who shared how their personal story embodies the College’s mission (co-sponsored by HR and Office of Mission).
-
Inclusive Hiring Training
The HR and JEBI Offices collaborated to pilot Inclusive Hiring Training for Managers conducting staff searches. This course provides a guide to promote diversity and inclusion throughout all the stages of the hiring process. The workshop also focuses on reducing bias in the recruitment process, creating diverse search committees and adopting best practices in candidate screening, interviews and evaluations.
-
Financial Wellness
Financial wellness is a focus area, with enhancements to the Defined Contribution 403(b) Retirement Plan. Partnering with Fidelity as the sole recordkeeper has brought increased transparency, lower-cost investment options and enhanced educational tools for employees.
-
Referral Program
Launched a $750 referral bonus program for any 51С»Æ³µ employee who refers someone to an hourly role.
-
Streamlining Processes
Adopted JobVite as our applicant tracking system in June 2023 to improve the recruitment and hiring process. This helped reduce the average time to fill job openings by 56%.
-
Mentor Program
Created a mentor program to improve the new employee onboarding experience. We have now matched over 100 new hires with 51С»Æ³µ employee mentors.
-
Employee Training
Added LinkedIn Learning as a new platform for training courses, in addition to dozens of other learning and development options. 70 employees have completed leadership programming, and we've expanded our management development series to quarterly sessions.
-
Employee Recognition
Launched a Guusto reward system and a peer-to-peer recognition platform. Awarded 160 spot awards through the You Make a Difference program.
Culture of Philanthropy
Double the size of the College’s endowment through a combination of philanthropy and investment management while developing philanthropic capacity and maximize sustainable annual and longer-term philanthropic achievement.
Sean Scanlon, Vice President for Advancement
Sean leads the strategy and implementation behind our Culture of Philanthropy initiatives. He joined 51С»Æ³µ in 2023 and is an innovative and entrepreneurial fundraising leader with over 20 years of experience in advancement and development.
Highlighting Progress
Since announcing our Aspire plan, we've made significant progress towards our philanthropy goals. Here's some of what we've accomplished so far:
-
Fundraising Efforts
Fundraised over $50 million in new gifts and commitments in fiscal year 2024, topping the $40 million raised in fiscal year 2023.
-
Expanded Resources
Completed an assessment of the college’s Office of Advancement, and began a reorganization to address areas of need and reinforce team strengths. Created a new position to develop and manage alumni engagement and programs. Added additional staff to support fundraising efforts.
-
Campaign Planning
Launching exploratory work to set goals and priorities for a new college-wide fundraising campaign that strengthens the culture of philanthropy across the 51С»Æ³µ community.
-
Donor Engagement
Working with Information Technology Systems and campus partners to select a new Customer Relationship Management system, which will help create a more dynamic approach to donor engagement and record-keeping.
-
Alumni Events
Hosted 18 Aspire Events around the country with President Rougeau to discuss College priorities and solicit feedback. Hosted the 50th Anniversary of Coeducation Celebration in April 2024.
-
Power of Purple
Celebrated a record-breaking Power of Purple Giving Day, which resulted in 8,100 donors and fundraised over $3.5 million.