QCC Bids a Fond Farewell to Dynamic Group of Women

WORCESTER, MA— January 12, 2022— As Quinsigamond Community College rang in 2022, it did so without its Board of Trustees Chair Susan Coghlin Mailman, who resigned at the end of 2021 after six years in the role, due to her recent election to the Worcester School Committee. Ms. Mailman’s commitment to QCC is far-reaching. In addition to her time as Board Chair, she was a QCC Foundation Director for over nine years, and chaired the RISE (Regional Investment in Service and Education) Campaign, the College’s most recent capital campaign.

The Board also bid farewell to Trustees Tammy Murray and Kimberly Roy, who both departed due to new work positions. Dr. Murray is the Director of Special Education and Itinerant Services at the Central MA Collaborative and Ms. Roy was appointed by Governor Charlie Baker to serve as a Commissioner on the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission.

“These inspirational, powerful and impactful women have made an indelible impression on our College and its students,” said QCC President Luis G. Pedraja, Ph.D. “It is with a heavy heart that we see them go but they are continuing to motivate and impact our student body by their successes, and we wish them the very best in their endeavors.”

Each departing trustee has their own personal ties to QCC, and each has brought their own unique story and expertise to the Board.  Ms. Mailman is the Owner, Executive Chair and Treasurer of Coghlin Electrical Contractors, Inc. and Coghlin Network Services, Inc. in Worcester, Massachusetts. She and her family are strong advocates for public education. Ms. Mailman began her higher education at QCC and today holds an MBA from Northeastern University. 

“As a former QCC student in my younger years, attending at night after work, I have always appreciated the College as a resource for working people to help jumpstart or further their careers.  Many years later, it has been an honor to Chair the Board of Trustees and also to work on a capital campaign for the QCC Foundation Board,” Ms. Mailman said. “Working with former President Gail Carberry and now current President Luis Pedraja, as well as getting to know so many talented education and workforce professionals in our region has been energizing and impactful.”  

Dr. Murray is also a QCC alumna who served as the alumni representative to the College’s Board of Trustees for seven years. She is also a first generation college student, similar to many QCC students.

“It’s easy to talk the talk, but it’s different to walk the walk of a community college student. Students come to QCC from all different backgrounds and experiences and they require different levels of guidance and support. It’s important to look at the whole person and get to know the students to determine how to help them succeed in college and in life,” she said.

Commissioner Roy, the former director of External Affairs for Sheriff Lewis Evangelidis and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department, served in a trustee capacity for four years.

“It is often said, education is the ultimate equalizer and I know many lives have been changed for the better after receiving an extraordinary education as well as vocational training here at QCC. For me as a QCC trustee, one of the most special moments was a graduation ceremony that happened off campus. Having worked at the Worcester County Sheriff's Office at the time, it was an extraordinary day to witness inmates from the Worcester County House of Correction graduate from the QCC Culinary Program.  Now culinary-trained while earning college credits and four certifications, these individuals are on their way to a successful path to reentry, gainful employment and breaking the cycle of recidivism,” she said. “Even behind the walls of a correctional facility, QCC touches so many lives for the better in so many ways.  I am so proud of all we have accomplished in the past few years, and I have no doubt the Board will continue to expand upon these successes in the future. It has been an honor to have served with Chairman Mailman, Trustee Murray, and all of my colleagues at QCC.”

Dr. Murray said her most memorable experience from her time on the Board was the opening of the QCC’s downtown Worcester location.

“As someone with a background in healthcare, I found this to be a pivotal point of growth for the College. As downtown Worcester has transformed, it’s exciting to see QCC students have an opportunity to learn in such a beautiful building. In 1990, my occupational therapy classes were held in the basement of the gymnasium.  I guess you could say we have come a long way since 1990,” she said, adding, “QCC is important to the region as it educates and empowers its students to meet the needs of the central mass economy.”

President Pedraja said he is excited to see what the future holds for QCC, thanks in no small part to the dedication of these women in making higher education accessible to everyone.

“Our college, our community, and our students are forever changed by the tireless work they have done to evangelize access to higher education,” President Pedraja said.

For more information on QCC, contact Karen Hutner, Interim Director of Institutional Communications at 508.854.2842 or khutner [at] qcc.mass.edu

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