NEW: Murray and WBDC Welcome QCC to Downtown

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Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Ashley Klann, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray was in Worcester to welcome Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) to the city's downtown, as they finalized a lease at 18-20 Franklin St. for their newest addition to campus.

QCC President, Gail Carberry said that the new site will house 580 students and three dozen faculty members beginning in December 2014. Future plans will raise that number to 800 students. The area will include labs, and a focus on expanding the school’s workforce development program and adult education center.

“This is the place where partnership works,” Carberry said. “Five years ago, Quinsigamond developed a bold plan with the possibility of placing a campus downtown. I think of this as a core. When you think of an apple, inside are the seeds of the future and the seeds of possibility. And we have many more seeds we are going to plant here in Worcester as a result of this particular building.”

Carole Cornelison, Division of Capital Asset Management commissione,r and Stacey Deboise Luster, chairman of the Board of Trustees, were also there to sign the lease for the property and congratulate all parties on the announcement.

Murray said that this is an exciting day for the Commonwealth, Quinsigamond, and Worcester that will be a continuation of the momentum that has been seen in the city.

Murray said that the success of the state depends on gateway cities like Worcester and that the current momentum is due to the “levels of collaboration between the various levels of government and the business leaders and members of the community.”

“It is really an important sign that we’re going to have that exciting mix of people. Cities that grow and succeed are 18 hours a day with a constant mix of people. Whenever we can link that to education attainment and the excitement that comes with college settings and college campuses… our community colleges play an increasingly important role,” he said.

Murray noted the importance of linking the city’s areas like the Canal District, Shrewsbury Street, the DCU Center, and the Hanover Theatre, and that QCC’s addition will serve as another “educational anchor.”

According to Murray, QCC had an old satellite campus in the old mall that was recently torn down to reconnect Front Street through the downtown.

“Our growth plan is all about innovation, infrastructure, and education. When you think about education, it fuels that innovation, and the infrastructure gets people where they need to be. It’s the place they can start to give them the flexibility,” he said, highlighting the importance of developing a future workforce.

Carberry said that with the new space, QCC will be able to “enable people to start working immediately after they lose their jobs.”

City Manager Michael O’Brien was also present and spoke proudly of the city’s recent iconic additions.

“We need the confidence to be bold… and not be paralyzed by something that might not work perfectly, but instead be bold and continue to work together. Today’s announcement really embodies all of that,” he said. “Positive changes are in the wind all around. 2013 and 2014 will be the best years in our community for all of us.” 

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