The Consortium Shines a Positive Light on Life in Worcester
By Lauren Koblara

With 13 accredited colleges in the greater Worcester area, it’s no wonder that the city perks up with new life in the fall. According to the Colleges of Worcester Consortium (COWC), the city becomes the temporary home to over 30,000 college students every year. Lucky for them, Worcester has a lot to offer ~ as the COWC says, “This city downright rocks!”Need proof? The Consortium has produced a 4 minute web-based, high-energy video entitled “Worcester Rocks” that features collegiate hotspots and focuses on the educational, cultural, and social richness of the city. You’ll certainly recognize prominent haunts like Ralph’s Diner, Biagio’s, and Vincent’s. The restaurant montage includes Bocado, El Basha, and The Boulevard Diner and will surely whet your appetite. Check out the pageantry of the Latin Festival, a full spectrum of outdoor activities, events from stART on the Street to Sharks and Tornadoes games, venues like the DCU Center, great places to shop, and lots of college students in their natural habitat, hanging out on college campuses with friend. You’re bound to see your favorite hangout or a familiar face somewhere in the video ~ it has truly captured the enthusiasm, diversity, and opportunities that abound in Worcester.

Mark P. Bilotta, CEO of the COWC, says that the Consortium wanted to create a tool for the tech savvy college bound population that “…would showcase the energy and creative spirit that we know exist and are perpetuated here.” With the growing popularity of web video giant YouTube, a web-based video was the way to go.

The “Worcester Rocks” video is posted on both YouTube and the COWC website, as well as on several homepages of colleges represented in the Consortium. Bilotta is enthusiastic about the project and says that “…the initial feedback has been very positive. The video does a great job of capturing the countless recreational, social and dining opportunities available in Worcester and the region. The more the video is viewed, not only by students but the general public as well, the faster we’ll impact the perceptions of Worcester as a premier destination.”

Production of the video is credited to the RDW Group of Worcester/Providence/Boston who was selected from a number of local communications agencies based on their “…expertise, creativity, and overall knowledge of Worcester and the region,” Bilotta explains. Ideas and input came from local students as well as from several committees affiliated with the Consortium.

The Colleges of Worcester Consortium is a not-for-profit group that has been serving the college community since 1968. Its goal is to enhance the college experience for both students and faculty which, in turn, seems to foster a sense of responsibility towards and affection for the city itself. COWC used part of a $125,000 grant that was provided by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism to fund the production of the “Worcester Rocks” video.

Bilotta says that the video is just the tip of the “Worcester Rocks” iceberg. “We’re increasing intercollegiate social programming through a series of student events that will get our students off their campuses more and into the community. We’ve launched an evening shuttle on weekends to help transport students to and from downtown, Shrewsbury Street, Canal District and Park Avenue. We also continue to promote the online internship database that has created a clearinghouse for our students and employers.”

To learn more about the Consortium, log on to www.cowc.org.