Urban Studies 2024 Academic Awards

The Urban Studies faculty is proud to present the department's 2024 Academic Achievement Award winners and newest inductees into Upsilon Sigma, the Urban Studies Honor Society.

UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS

The Jake Powers Award -- Skylar Adcock

Urban Studies student who is an innovative, original thinker, whose time in the department has emboldened them to pursue personal and professional opportunities they may not have previously considered, and to achieve them with determination, grit, and courage.

The Maureen Power Service Award -- Lamar Brown-Noguera
Presented to students with an impressive track record of service and who can best articulate why service is significant to them and their academic/professional careers, and how it advances the mission of the department.

Department Academic Award (Top GPA) -- Elizabeth Stone
Given to the highest-ranking senior in Urban Studies who best represents the mission of the Foundation.

Standard Bearer for Undergraduate Commencement -- Noah Stuart
The standard bearer carries the department flag and leads their fellow graduates in the opening and closing commencement processions.

Francis "Tuck" Amory Travel Fund -- Elizabeth Stone
Over many years, Tuck Amory built a generous fund that helps Urban Studies majors cover travel expenses for research trips and conference presentations. This year, Liz received over $800 to co-present a paper at a national conference in Washington, DC.

GRADUATE AWARD

Recipient of Graduate Medallion for Highest G.P.A -- Megan Pereira

UPSILON SIGMA 2024 INDUCTEES

Undergraduate Students

Skylar Adcock

Benjamin Barter

Melody Byrne

Morgan Mercadante

Diane Parker

Mariah Silvester

Elizabeth Stone

Graduate Students

Daniel Cahill

Megan Periera

Nahrin Sangkagalo

Ashim Upreti

Congratulations to all award recipients and inductees.

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New Article by Urban Studies Faculty Member, Professor Shiko Gathuo

Not in This Together: COVID-19 and People of Color by Shiko Gathuo, Ph.D. Shiko Gathuo, Ph.D. Professor and Graduate Program Director of Urban Studies Presidents, prime ministers, royalty, celebrities. These and other rich, powerful and famous people have contracted COVID-19. When the pandemic first took hold, it was easy to throw around phrases like “we are in this together,” “the pandemic does not discriminate,” and “united in the fight.” These warm and comforting sentiments quickly became hollow as it became apparent that, in fact, the pandemic does discriminate and it has negatively affected the poor and people of color disproportionately and in many different ways. People of color are experiencing the health aspect of COVID-19 including infection, testing and treatment differently. The virus has also exacerbated other already existing conditions such as economic deprivation, food insecurity, and the education achievement gap. COVID-19 has also had a significant negative effect o

Students Present Research at a National Conference in Washington DC

front, l-r: Elizabeth Stone, Abigail Holden back, l-r: Dr. Conroy, Kael Briesacher, Dr. Briesacher WSU students Elizabeth Stone '24 (Urban Studies/Environmental Science) and Abigail Holden '24 (Sociology) presented their recent research at the Eastern Sociological Society national conference in Washington DC. Their qualitative project is a deeper look beyond an earlier quantitative report on Advanced Placement Exam participation and performance at Worcester Public Schools that showed since AY 2007, and amid a 300% increase in AP test taking, WPS students fail more than half of their AP Exams. On average over that period, 62.2% of students outright failed their exams (scored a 1-2) with some years reaching 68%. Furthermore, another 20.6% of test takers earned scores of 3, which are also not worth college credit at a growing list of the nation's higher education institutions. Supported in part by a Summer Undergraduate Research Grant from the WSU Foundation, Liz, Abby, and

A New Season at the WSU Garden for All Ages

Even though it's still cold out there, the days are getting longer and they're slowly warming up. At least, we hope they are. But in the Department of Urban Studies, we're also making preparations for this year's growing season at the WSU Garden for All Ages. Members of the garden team have been meeting all semester and now they're putting their plans into motion. They've installed small greenhouses in Chandler Magnet School and Bet Shalom Apartments, and they're working with students, teachers, and community members to stock them with seedlings in anticipation of the warmer days. At left (or below depending on your browser), Urban Studies student Tyler Levine works with a Bet Shalom resident installing the first of the greenhouse seedlings. We're anticipating a great year in the garden. If you are interested in learning more or helping out, drop us a line at UrbanStudies@worcester.edu .

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