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Time Capsule Outlines Hopes for Future of QCC

Gail and staff pose near time capsule burial

Contact: Josh Martin
Office of Institutional Communications
jmartin [at] qcc.mass.edu
 

Release Date: 
9/24/2015

“This is a momentous occasion for all of us,” said QCC President Dr. Gail Carberry Thursday morning at the time capsule burial at the corner of the QuEST Center. “My letter to the future president of the college includes our hopes and vision for the future of Quinsigamond Community College.”

Students, faculty and staff attended the event, along with students from Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School, who created the time capsule. Children from the QCC Children’s School also came to see the capsule lowered into the ground.

The time capsule burial was part of QCC’s 50th anniversary celebration. Burying the capsule at the corner of the new Quinsigamond Engineering, Science and Technology Center, joins the history of the past 50 years, with the future goals of the college to continue to expand to meet the needs of the region’s workforce, students and employers. The new QuEST Center will house expanded offerings in science and technology fields.

Miguel Lopez, Board of Trustees Acting Chairman and QCC Alumni Guardian, said he had a chance to walk around the campus before the event on Thursday.

“It brought back 20 years of memories, and reminded me why I love this place,” Mr. Lopez said. “The energy is high, students and faculty are engaged. I hope my grandchildren are here in 50 years to see the time capsule opened and they can see why I love this place.”

Some of the items included in the time capsule are:

  • Letter from Dr. Carberry to the president in 2063
  • College catalogs, magazines and a student handbook
  • A list of current trustees and foundation board members
  • Messages from staff, faculty and students
  • Thumb drive with video and photos

The capsule was created by students from Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School as part of a graphics and metal fabrication project.

“It was a great working experience for the students, not only to create the time capsule, but to be able to attend the event and see it buried,” said Chris Wong Kam, metal fabrication shop instructor.

Ana Silveira, 17, a senior said the whole shop was involved in different parts of the creation of the time capsule, whether it was designing in the drafting and graphics department or creating it with welding and cutting. “It really was teamwork,” she said.

“It feels amazing to have something of importance and know it was welded by us,” said Tyler Trombly, 18, a senior who worked on the project.

Mr. Wong Kam said the students don’t often get to work with stainless steel because it is expensive, so this type of precision project is good real-world experience. The capsule itself is sealed within an outer layer, and argon gas is used to preserve the contents. The students made both chambers, the inner one is shaped like the college’s administration building, whereas the outer one is a box as a protective encasement.

After the event, Dr. Carberry spoke with the high school students about opportunities at QCC and how the college continues to expand its offerings, including manufacturing and photonics careers.

The capsule was buried at the base of the QuEST Center, which will open this spring. There will be a plaque on the building noting the location of the time capsule. A picture also will be placed in the President’s Office of the burial, with instructions on how to find and open the time capsule.

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.