Part of what makes Central MA so unique is its abundance of colleges and universities. And at each institution, there are professors, instructors, and coaches who go above and beyond simply dispensing academic fact inside the classroom; this special breed of educator becomes mentor, role model, and inspiration. It is these individuals whom we honor in Focus on Faculty. If you know a professor who should be featured in this section, please contact ldean@pagioinc.com.

George S. McDermott of Quinsigamond Community College
By Alexander J. Shuris

From college professor to religious counselor ~ and back again ~ Professor George S. McDermott has had a long and successful career in higher education and counseling. He has been teaching in the Worcester area for fifteen years now, and shows no sign of leaving the college he loves. Prof. McDermott has been an adjunct faculty member of Quinsigamond Community College’s Psychology Department since 1994. George has a real passion for teaching college students, and after speaking to some of his current students at the college, I was happy to hear that all of them rated each of Prof. McDermott’s current courses with either a 4.5 or 5 star rating.

Loved by each and every one of his students, Prof. McDermott teaches an array of different classes at QCC, including studies in Psychology and Sociology as well as Career Planning. Professor McDermott moved to Worcester in 1986 after having lived in Rhode Island for seven years. While in Rhode Island, he served as both a Minister and a religious counselor at a state hospital. Also during this time, he received his Masters in Religious Education (M.A.R.E.) from Rhode Island College in 1983 (George received his undergraduate degree in 1953 from Colgate College in New York, where he was born and raised).

Prof. McDermott teaches a variety of courses in the fields of Psychology and Sociology, and continues to be highly ranked by all of the students he teaches. He is always open to taking on as many new courses as he can. When asked to list his Top 5 favorite classes to teach at QCC, Prof. McDermott shared, “‘Psychology of Interpersonal Relations,’ ‘Human Sexuality,’ ‘College Career Planning,’ ‘The Family in Sociology,’ and ‘Social Problems in Sociology’ are by far the most rewarding classes to teach at QCC.”

Prof. McDermott has been blind since the age of 16, and has befriended no less than 4 Seeing Eye Dogs during his long and successful career in counseling and teaching. His current Seeing Eye Dog, “Gilmore,” a 9 year old Yellow Labrador, has been with him for 7 years. Professor McDermott also volunteers at the Worcester Public Library in their Talking Book Section. Besides teaching at the college, George is currently on the Board of Directors for Worcester County’s Audio Journal, which supplies audio descriptions to films and plays for those who are visually impaired.