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Quinsigamond Community College Student Chosen for State House Honor

Charles (Chad) Whitfield Bleakney IV to Receive 29 Who Shine Recognition

Contact: Cherie Ronayne
Office of Institutional Communications
508.854.2849
cronayne [at] qcc.mass.edu

Release Date: 
4/26/2013

Worcester, MA – April 26, 2013 – QCC student Chad Bleakney has been selected from a group of outstanding Massachusetts public college and university graduates to be honored by the Department of Higher Education at a State House ceremony on May 2, 2013. Honorees are chosen for this award based on their academic achievements and record of student leadership and/or community service. Mr. Bleakney, from Northborough is an engineering major at Quinsigamond Community College. As Vice President of Scholarship in the Alpha Zeta Theta Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, he has held regular workshops for Honor Society members to teach them about scholarship opportunities. He has also chaired the extremely successful Honors in Action project, called One Small Step, One Giant Leap: Completion and Science, Math and Technology. Mr. Bleakney led this event to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education in which dozens of elementary school girls decorated, packed and launched their own rockets. An active member of QCC’s Engineering Club, Mr. Bleakney is headed to Worcester Polytechnic Institute as an aspiring automotive engineer.


“Mr. Bleakney’s story embodies the importance of having access to high-quality, affordable public higher education,” said Governor Patrick. “I am pleased to honor him and his efforts with the 29 Who Shine award.”


The State House event will be attended by Governor Deval Patrick, MA Higher Education Commissioner Richard M. Freeland, Education Secretary Paul Reville, members of the Massachusetts legislature, the Presidents of the public colleges and universities and special guests. Mr. Bleakney will be accompanied to the event by family, PTK Advisor, Bonnie Coleman, Interim Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services, Steven Budd, and QCC President Gail Carberry.

The 29 Who Shine Awards recognizes 29 public college and university students for their academic achievements and civic contributions to the Commonwealth. Each of Massachusetts’ 29 public college and university campuses selected its own student honoree for the 29 Who Shine Awards based on criteria established by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.

Quinsigamond Community College is the most affordable higher education in Worcester County. As a regional leader in education and workforce development, QCC serves the diverse educational needs of Central Massachusetts by providing affordable, accessible, and high quality programming leading to transfer, career, and lifelong learning.