Four classes of kindergarten students from Chandler Magnet School walked across the street on a snowy late March Friday to go to college at Worcester State University. Assistant Professor of Biology Sebastian Velez, Ph.D., taught them about the exoskeletons of mollusks—otherwise known as seashells—and they sorted them by shape, size, color, and whether or not they had one or two shells.
They were excited to choose a favorite shell to bring home.
Students were wowed by what a WSU biology laboratory has to offer and enthusiastic about their experience. One kindergartner remarked that he had skipped straight from kindergarten to college.
Associate Professor Douglas Dawson and Prof Margarita Perez, both of the Barbara (Hickey) O’Brien ’57 Education Department, organized the visit.
“Dr. Velez’s ability to speak to the class in both Spanish and English was inspiring for students,” Dawson said. Many of the Chandler Magnet School’s students are bilingual, where Spanish is spoken at home.
Dawson also pointed out that some of the students were the first members of their families ever to set foot on a university campus. “Many said they were excited about someday getting to study here,” he said.
Beyond the Classroom
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