Scott O'Connell|Telegram & Gazette

WORCESTER UMass Medical School recently announced it has hired Marlina Duncan as vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion.

Duncan is currently the assistant vice president of academic diversity at Brown University, as well as associate dean of diversity initiatives in its Graduate School.

She previously worked on diversity programs at the Broad Institute in Cambridge.

In her current role, Dr. Duncan is a thought leader and trusted advisor to administrators, faculty and students, UMass Medical School Chancellor Michael Collins said, listing among her accomplishments the creation of a universitywide diversity and inclusion plan at Brown.

Duncan will assume her new post Dec. 28, according to the medical school. In that role, she will be responsible for overseeing the institutions diversity and inclusion office, and working with leaders across the medical schools programs and departments to ensure that diversity and inclusion remain at the forefront of the medical school, according to UMass.

QCC fundraiser

Citing greater than ever need among its students, Quinsigamond Community College has launched a fundraising campaign targeting alumni that will run until Dec. 1.

The GivingTuesdaygoal this year is to raise $30,000, in honor of the more than 30,000 alumni at Quinsigamond.

Money raised will go to programs and services on campus helping students in need, like the Student Emergency Fund, the on-campus food pantry, and various scholarships. Donors can specify where they want their donations to go, according to the college.

By donating to QCCs GivingTuesday campaign, you are helping a friend or a neighbor who may be one of the many front-line workers helping to keep us safe and our essential businesses operating, said Viviana M. Abreu-Hernandez, associate vice president for external affairs.

The need for monetary support has grown especially at Quinsigamond, according to the college, where students have lost jobs or had hours cut at their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey of students receiving help from the Student Emergency Fund, for example, nearly half became unemployed this year, while 72% of those who are still working lost hours.

Many of those students werent able to be helped by special federal aid the college received this year because they were ineligible, the college said.

If all of our alumni and everyone in the community who knows a QCC alumnus were to make a donation, we would more than hit our goal, Abreu-Hernandez said. QCC is not a just college in Worcester, QCC is Worcesters college, and by supporting our students you are supporting the community.

Information about the fundraising campaign can be found at http://www.QCC.edu/QCCGives.

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College Town: UMass Medical School hires vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion - Worcester Telegram