Marketing and Public Relations

Worcester State College Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CANDACE SCOLA MEMORIAL LECTURE RECEIVES FUNDING

FROM VERIZON WIRELESS HOPELINE $1000 GRANT PROGRAM

(Worcester – May 5, 2005) Worcester State College received a $1,000 grant from Verizon Wireless’ $1,000 Grant Program to support the annual Candace A. Scola Memorial Lecture on Violence Against Women at Worcester State College. The grant will cover stipends, honoraria and expenses to bring nationally recognized speakers on domestic violence to the college for a public lecture.

Candace A. Scola was a Worcester State College geography and education student at the time of her murder in her Worcester home in July 2002. She wanted to become a teacher, hoping to make a difference in the lives of young people like the troubled youths she encountered daily in her work at Worcester Juvenile Court. WSC, with the support of the Allen family, responded to her death by creating a Student Meditation Garden on campus and named the college’s annual Month Without Violence lecture in her honor.

“We thank Verizon Wireless for supporting our work on the critical issue of violence against women. This grant will assist our efforts to raise awareness among our students and in the wider Worcester community. The Scola Memorial lecture honors Candy’s memory while contributing to this important educational work,” said Pat Benjamin, Ph.D., WSC professor of Geography and one of Candy’s teachers.

Funding for the Verizon Wireless’ $1,000 Grant Program is a direct result of community members donating no-longer-used cell phones to HopeLine, Verizon Wireless’ national initiative which encourages consumers to recycle wireless products.

“The HopeLine Phone Recycling program is an easy way for people to support local domestic violence organizations who sustain victims of abusive relationships,” said Bob Stott, president of Verizon Wireless’ New England Region. “Domestic violence does not discriminate. It’s in our neighborhoods and workplaces, and we need to shed light on the magnitude of this social problem.”

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