Former AC employees work to improve Consortium
Gina Bevilacqua
Issue date: 2/14/07 Section: News Stories
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Are you tired of doing the same old thing every night? Are you interested in meeting new people and seeing what the city of Worcester has to offer? Would you like to attend concerts, cultural programs, or sporting events with other Worcester college students? Would you like to find a job and stay in the Worcester area after graduation? With the work of the Worcester Consortium, such opportunities may soon be available to all students of the Worcester colleges.
"Our role at the Consortium is to enhance the individual missions of our 13 college and university members and advance higher education in the region," said Mark Bilotta, CEO of the Worcester Consortium. "At the same time, we're in tune with the challenges that face our region in areas that we can impact."
Since he began his work with the Consortium, Bilotta, former executive assistant to the president at Assumption, has worked toward his goal of bringing students of the 13 area colleges together for events and programs. One area that he is particularly concerned with is job opportunities for students. In order to ensure "a strong and well prepared workforce for Central Massachusetts," the Consortium is developing a plan to recruit and retain students in the Greater Worcester area.
The Worcester Regional Research Bureau recently did a study about retention of area college graduates and found that "the more engaged students were in the Worcester community, the more apt they were to stay after graduation," Bilotta said. Therefore, the Consortium is working on two initiatives to raise retention rates: an online internship database and the development of intercollegiate social programming in Worcester.
Karen Manson, director of student affairs for the Worcester Consortium, is working with Bilotta to create events for students. They plan on "bringing the colleges together and with the community as well," said Manson, who formerly worked in the student activities office at Assumption. Manson explained that two groups created through the Consortium are meeting this semester to further their social programming plans. Assumption student Diane Comstock is a Junior Management major and assistant chairperson of the campus activities board who is currently working with Bilotta and Manson as the Worcester Consortium's intern for student affairs. She works closely with both of the Consortium committees.
"Our role at the Consortium is to enhance the individual missions of our 13 college and university members and advance higher education in the region," said Mark Bilotta, CEO of the Worcester Consortium. "At the same time, we're in tune with the challenges that face our region in areas that we can impact."
Since he began his work with the Consortium, Bilotta, former executive assistant to the president at Assumption, has worked toward his goal of bringing students of the 13 area colleges together for events and programs. One area that he is particularly concerned with is job opportunities for students. In order to ensure "a strong and well prepared workforce for Central Massachusetts," the Consortium is developing a plan to recruit and retain students in the Greater Worcester area.
The Worcester Regional Research Bureau recently did a study about retention of area college graduates and found that "the more engaged students were in the Worcester community, the more apt they were to stay after graduation," Bilotta said. Therefore, the Consortium is working on two initiatives to raise retention rates: an online internship database and the development of intercollegiate social programming in Worcester.
Karen Manson, director of student affairs for the Worcester Consortium, is working with Bilotta to create events for students. They plan on "bringing the colleges together and with the community as well," said Manson, who formerly worked in the student activities office at Assumption. Manson explained that two groups created through the Consortium are meeting this semester to further their social programming plans. Assumption student Diane Comstock is a Junior Management major and assistant chairperson of the campus activities board who is currently working with Bilotta and Manson as the Worcester Consortium's intern for student affairs. She works closely with both of the Consortium committees.
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