Worcester Project Center officially opened

President Parrish and Assistant Provost Lance Schachterie present a certificate to sponsor of one of the projects completed by the Worcester Community Project Center. Photo by Jonathan Pesch

The Worcester Community Project Center officially opened on Monday, April 9. The inauguration ceremony was held in the Odeum, with many WPI and local officials attending. The main theme of the ceremony was the relationship and partnership between WPI and the City of Worcester since the founding of WPI in the 1860s.

President Edward A. Parrish spoke about the relationship between the City of Worcester and WPI. He said that he hopes the WCPC will be, "a powerful resource for our community."

John Anderson is the project coordinator for the WCPC. He is a former mayor of Worcester and member of the Worcester City Council. He is also a history professor at Holy Cross. Anderson said that the WCPC would address the needs and hopes of the people of Worcester. Anderson noted that, "Worcester is a 'foreign country' for college students." He continued by saying that he hopes the WCPC will serve as the "travel agent." He mentioned that one purpose of the new project center is to develop a mutual appreciation between WPI and the City of Worcester.

Worcester City Manager Thomas Hoover spoke about the Global Perspective Program, explaining that WPI is "exporting the energy of your students all around the world." The WCPC is the newest project center in the program. Hoover also said about the WCPC; "I welcome and fully endorse this type of partnership."

Warner Fletcher, a trustee of WPI as well as of two foundations that funded the project center, the Fletcher Foundation and Stoddard Charitable Trust, also spoke about the WCPC. Fletcher said that WPI came to foundations asking for money when it began the Campaign for WPI. Fletcher said that the foundations wanted to fund something that would help both WPI and the local area. Fletcher described the partnership a "win, win, win proposition" for WPI, the Worcester community, and the students completing their projects in the WCPC.

Five projects have already been completed in the WCPC. The sponsors for those inaugural projects were given certificates at the end of the ceremony. The sponsors were the Engineering Pipeline Collaborative, the Worcester Public Schools, the Worcester City Marketing Department, the Worcester Business Inclusion Council, the Worcester Information Technology Project Task Force, the Worcester Center City Development Council, and the Worcester Business Development Corporation.

The director of the Worcester Community Project Center is Lance Schachterle, who is also the assistant provost for academic affairs. Students will be completing Interactive Qualifying Projects during B, C, and D terms starting in the 2001-2002 academic year.