Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

$13 MILLION RENOVATION CELEBRATED

Eugene A. Sullivan Academic Center to be Re-dedicated to Fifth College President

(Worcester, MA – October 18, 2005) After a $13 million renovation, Worcester State College will celebrate the re-opening of the Eugene A. Sullivan Academic Center, at 6 p.m., Monday, October 24, 2005, in the Common Room of the building. The planned program will address the extensive renovations and the technological advancements that have brought the building from an aging and inadequate facility into the 21^st century with “smart” classrooms and wireless connectivity.

The building will also be re-dedicated to the college’s fifth president, Eugene A. Sullivan, who served from 1947 to 1970. During his administration, WSC evolved from a small teachers college with an enrollment of 150 students to a comprehensive liberal arts college serving 3000 students. Tours of the building, with classroom demonstrations, are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m.

Commissioner David Perini of the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) will join WSC Trustee Chair George W. Tetler III and WSC President Janelle C. Ashley to provide remarks about the historic renovation of the 110,690 square feet, three story building -- originally constructed in 1965.  Dr. Anne Falke, Vice President of MTA, Worcester, and Jill Mandeville, SGA President, will offer welcomes. Thomas McNamara, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, will present a commemorative gift to Dr. Sullivan's daughter, Rosanne (Sullivan) Matulaitis and her husband, Vincent, with a commemorative photograph of the building. President Ashley will re-dedicate the building and unveil a plaque which will be installed next to Dr. Sullivan’s portrait at the main entrance to the building.

The building now houses 51 teaching spaces (classrooms, computer labs and tutoring centers), ten academic departments, 106 faculty offices and six centers and an institute. Of additional note, the building includes energy efficient technologies such as high efficient AC systems and light sensors for all offices and classrooms.

The culmination of this capital project is one of great celebration for the campus.  Worcester State College is the first Massachusetts state college to secure revenue bond funds through the Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority (HEFA) by competitive public bid.  The 30-year fixed-rate revenue bonds were sold over the internet on December 4, 2002 and resulted in a very low cost for the college. 

“We felt so strongly that we needed to do this in a timely fashion because we are committed to providing high quality instruction in pleasant, modern classrooms for our students and faculty,” stated Worcester State College President Janelle C.  Ashley. “The low-cost funds through HEFA helped us to address the necessary renovation of an aging building while saving us considerably on debt service.”

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