A major economic driver for the region and the commonwealth as a whole, Worcester State produces about 1,000 bachelor’s degree recipients per year, 90% of whom remain in Massachusetts. Maloney has led Worcester State since July 2011, and he’s now the second longest-serving president of the 29 public colleges and universities in Massachusetts, second only to Chancellor Michael Collins at UMass Chan Medical School. COVID-19 was tough for Worcester State, but now the school is seeing steady-to-growing enrollment, despite the downturn all universities faced during that time, Maloney said.
In the past year and change, the university has launched a program where students whose families earn less than $75,000 can attend college for free. Its online masters of science in nursing program was ranked second-best in the state for 2025 by RegisteredNursing.org, and the university continues to invest in expanded Early College, which offers no-cost, college-credit earning courses that help high school students in the area cut back on their higher education costs. The school received a $1.24-million gift from the now-shuttered Becker College to boost WSU’s School of Nursing. Undergraduate enrollment is up for spring 2025 compared to the same semester in 2024.
Laura Finaldi is a former WBJ reporter and current freelance writer.
