Education

Massachusetts school buildings will remain closed to students for the rest of this school year, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Tuesday, a dramatic step aimed at preventing a rebound in COVID-19 transmission once the state emerges from the worst of the outbreak.

Worcester State University has been awarded $484,130 in grants from Strategic Grant Partners, a Boston venture philanthropy firm supporting nonprofits, the school announced in a press release on Friday.

Assumption College has established a $3-million fund to provide additional financial aid for students whose families are facing financial hardship because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Colleges in Central Massachusetts are receiving nearly $33 million in federal aid to help make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic.

Companies like Worcester Fitness, Centage Corp., Anna Maria College and Clinton Savings Bank all have had recent hires and promotions.

College leaders in Central Massachusetts are grappling with an upturned admissions period and wondering what fall enrollment will look like if students decide they don’t want to travel far for school, or even whether a fall semester would be able to take place on campus anyway.

"As challenging as it might be in the short-term, I think we're all increasingly aware that what's going on now is likely to have significant ramifications beyond the immediate moment," Education Secretary James Peyser said during a remote meeting of the Board of Higher Education.

Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton has donated protective equipment to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, including N95 masks, surgical masks and other gear.

Students, staff and alumni from Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester have mobilized to help fight the coronavirus crisis, the college announced in a press release that week.

Staff at Framingham State University’s Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning have gathered pre-K through 12 interactive science content online to boost educational resources during the coronavirus shelter-in-place.