Search form

You are here

QCC Students Bring Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives Grant to Life

Contact: Karen Hutner
Office of Institutional Communications
khutner [at] qcc.mass.edu
 

Release Date: 
3/12/2020

WORCESTER, MA— March 12, 2020—Recently Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) students were recognized for their successes that were a result of funding from the Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives(MBI) Grant. The students were part of a panel at a breakfast event held at Worcester State University (WSU) to thank legislators for their support of the $250,000 MBI Grant, which was jointly awarded to  QCC and WSU. Lt. Governor Karyn Polito opened the breakfast program extolling the virtues of the Commonwealth’s innovative economy, particularly in the Worcester region.

“Under the STEM umbrella, over the next 10 years we expect jobs in this area to grow 13 percent or more, whereas non-STEM jobs are growing at a rate of 9 percent,” she said. “In Massachusetts, employers say they have more jobs than people with skills to fill these jobs.”

While touting the praises of STEM programs in the state, Lt. Governor Polito noted a startling statistic in the Massachusetts STEM workforce - 76 percent of those employed in STEM in the Commonwealth are white.

“Clearly this underscores the need to do more,” she said.

At QCC, the student population is close to 50 percent racially and ethnically diverse, with almost 60 percent women.

The college has used part of the MBI Grant funds to institute a student peer assistant program, which is paving the way for more diversity in STEM. QCC’s first student to take part in the fledgling program was student Thi Tran, one of the two QCC students on the discussion panel. Ms. Tran is in her final semester of the pre-pharmacy program at QCC and plans to transfer into the doctorate pharmacy program at MCPHS this fall. She immigrated to the United States with her family close to eight years ago, with minimal understanding of the English language. Today, she is in her fourth semester as a student peer assistant.

“I’m able to help other students and reinforce what I learned in the lab,” she said. “It’s helpful to other students and it makes things clearer to me by explaining things.”

QCC’s other student panelist, Rama Al Shawa, came to Worcester in 2018 after emigrating from Egypt. A native of Syria, she had been displaced from her homeland before going to Egypt. According to Ms. Al Shawa, she and her family came to this country to get medical treatment for her father. It was watching the doctors at a local hospital that led to her interest in the science field.  Ms. Al Shawa said she knew only a small amount of English when she came to Worcester and began taking classes at QCC.  She was in need of the extra assistance that a peer student assistant could provide.  Ms. Tran became her peer assistant. This was a good match for Ms. Al Shawa, who felt Ms. Tran could empathize some of the language barriers that she was experiencing.

“I was not sure where things were in the lab or how to study. She (Ms. Tran) was always there when I need her. She inspires me to be successful. She taught me how to balance between, school, family and a job,” Ms. Al Shawa said, adding that her dream is to go to either medical or pharmacy school.

“This is what opens the doors for the future generation, particularly new immigrants and minorities that can come and study and inspire each other and mentor each other, so that they can work in a diversified workforce,” said QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja. “I want to thank all our legislators and the Baker-Polito administration, and Representative Sanchez for all the hard work to bring in this money. We are starting out and I believe we can do it here in Worcester and lead the way and show a model of diversity in STEM. “

For more information about QCC, contact Josh Martin, Director of Institutional Communications at 508.854.7513 or jmartin [at] qcc.mass.edu

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.