Director of the Auxilium Center for Entrepreneurship at QCC Rocky Knight was presented with the Key to the City of Worcester last month in recognition of her commitment to empowering and educating communities locally and abroad.
The honor continues a Worcester tradition that began in 1924 under Mayor Michael O'Hara and has been maintained by successive administrations. Mayor Joseph Petty presented Knight with the city's symbolic honor in recognition of her leadership, community service and educational impact.
“Rocky’s energy and commitment can be felt across every corner of Worcester,” said Petty. “Through her educational initiatives and her steadfast support for our small business community, she has continually opened doors for students and aspiring entrepreneurs alike. Presenting Rocky Knight with the Key to the City is our way of saying thank you for her extraordinary leadership and heart for our community.”
At the Auxilium Center for Entrepreneurship at QCC, Knight provides mentoring and resources to students who are launching or growing a business. These resources help empower students while fueling the local economy.
Knight is the founder of the For One Child Foundation, a nonprofit that has impacted over 1,500 students across Massachusetts and rural Jamaica through educational resources and infrastructure development.
Through the foundation, Knight also runs the SATE program, a weeklong summer camp focused on science, art, technology and entrepreneurship. The program equips teenagers with skills in business planning, marketing, artificial intelligence awareness and public speaking. Program leaders said many students arrive shy and reserved but leave the camp with newfound confidence and leadership skills.
"I believe business and education can build community, solve problems, create opportunities and leave something behind," Knight said.
QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja praised Knight's commitment to service and community development.
"Rocky brings so much energy to everything she does," Pedraja said. "Her entrepreneurial spirit has served the community for so long and we are fortunate that she now brings that spirit to our students through the Auxilium Center at QCC."