Remarks and Speeches
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Announcing the Chelsea Compact
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March 24, 2010
Thank you. I am delighted to be part of this event this afternoon, and delighted that UMass Amherst is partnering with FUEL and Bunker Hill Community College in this very important collaboration we call the Chelsea Compact.
UMass Amherst, as the state’s flagship public research university, has a deep commitment to providing educational opportunities to students throughout the Commonwealth. We want to make a world-class college education accessible and affordable for all students. At UMass Amherst, we have significantly increased our funding for financial aid, up more than 900% in the past decade. Our participation in the Chelsea compact is part of our work to support families and communities in their efforts to finance their children’s education at a first-rate research university.
However, we realize scholarships are only part of the story. The students who come to us from Chelsea and who have participated in FUEL’s after-school and savings programs, will come with strong family support. We are also committed to seeing that these students will have the academic and social support they need to excel in higher education. Our goal is not just to see more students from Chelsea at UMass Amherst, but to see them graduate from UMass Amherst.
From there, these outstanding students will go on to make a positive impact on our Commonwealth, our country, and the world. I’m sure many will return to Chelsea to make a difference in their community. We’re looking forward to helping make these connections through this innovative partnership.
We view this partnership as a pilot – a unique program that brings together public higher education and a private organization. With the launch of this program here in Chelsea, we will next look for partners in other communities in the Commonwealth, especially in Western Massachusetts. Our long-term plan, our mission as a public university, is to highlight options for the sons and daughters of the Commonwealth to pursue a higher education.
We look forward to working together on the Chelsea Compact. Thank you.
