Throughout the pandemic, Assumption has continued to provide students an exemplary Catholic liberal education. Despite the myriad challenges presented in pursuing this important goal, a collective esprit de corps and commitment of faculty and staff to our students enabled the University to yet again adapt during a moment of uncertainty. This adaptation, complemented by innovative thinking and investment in the latest technology, has been familiar to the University throughout its 117-year history. While much of the world paused, Assumption continued to operate with a number of safety protocols, such as wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and participating in a twice-per-week testing protocol.
Amid a global pandemic, the University community worked together to successfully offer students, who so desired, a residential experience and in-person learning on campus, while at the same time offering students, faculty, and staff remote learning, teaching, and work. We also opened the new state-of-the-art Health Sciences Building, completed in November 2020. This impressive learning facility provides students enrolled in our nursing program with the tools and learning facilities required to become skilled, compassionate caregivers. This facility offers a learning environment that places our program at the fore-front of nursing education.
Assumption also announced its new strategic plan, Ever Ancient, Ever New: Refounding Assumption, a bold and innovative guide that has already begun navigating the University into the future, allowing the institution the flexibility to traverse these uncertain times, including the disruption of the pandemic and declining demographics among high school graduates. The plan aims to strengthen the integration and engagement of the mission across the institution, foster a culture of student success, further innovation and excellence in academic and student programs, enhance enrollment, and ensure the financial sustainability of the University.
Much like St. Augustine’s journey of self-reflection, which inspired this plan, Assumption will continue to evolve and “refound” itself, continuously striving to provide students the premier liberal arts education for which the institution is known. Our work is important and reaches far beyond 500 Salisbury Street, as you will read in this issue. Students who have taken advantage of the University’s articulation agreements with prestigious institutions across the country have availed themselves of unique opportunities to advance their educational pursuits and embark on meaningful careers, while Assumption alumni continue to impress in a variety of professional fields, in particular at Fidelity Investments, where a number of alumni thrive because the values they learned at Assumption equipped them with the tools needed to succeed.
Assumption was founded as a small institution filling a need to educate the sons of Franco-American families in Worcester and the surrounding communities; while much has changed both physically and academically, the University continues its mission to form thoughtful, compassionate graduates who fill unique needs in communities across the U.S. and even the world. And we will continue to adapt, endure, and thrive to ensure our mission continues, even amid a pandemic.
