Worcester State bequeathed $3.5M donation

Photo/Courtesy James Sheehan, center, with Worcester State University President Barry Maloney, left, and Vice President for Advancement Thomas McNamara.

Write a Comment

By Grant Welker

A $3.5-million bequest from a late Worcester State University graduate will provide scholarships and other aid for hundreds of students, the school announced Tuesday.

James Sheehan, a 1955 graduate, is Worcester State's largest single donor, contributing more than $4.5 million in total. The school will rename its honors college for Sheehan, who was a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps.

Sheehan Hall, a 400-bed dormitory and dining hall that opened in 2014, is also named for Sheehan.

Sheehan's donation will contribute $100,000 each year in merit-based scholarships, $50,000 per year to support study and research within the honors college for both students and faculty projects, and $25,000 each year in merit-based grants for juniors and seniors studying abroad.

Sheehan, a Framingham native, previously created scholarships in 2006 to benefit the highest-ranking students in the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes. Sheehan himself was a scholarship recipient as a student, Worcester State said.

Sheehan lived in Florida when he died in November 2016. The university said it recently received the disposition of his estate.