As a nationally recognized program, the Institute for Social and Rehabilitation Services (ISRS) at Assumption College has educated some of the finest human services employees in the country. Established in 1966 by Dr. George S. Elias, ISRS has made a commitment to preparing graduates with the necessary skills to deliver the best quality care to those in need. A commitment for an education this diverse has mandated that the directors effectively blend courses pertaining to the ever-changing field of human service with a traditional liberal arts program. The result is a highly regarded academic program that emphasizes one of the founding Assumptionist goals: "to serve the common good." ISRS personifies many of the characteristics that have served and continue to serve as the cornerstone for Catholic liberal arts institutions in modern times.
By promoting academic excellence, nurturing personal growth, and fostering an appreciation for human dignity, ISRS has served well the many students who have graduated from its program. The services that our graduates provide to the local community, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, New England, and the nation are excellent examples of the
positive values that students gain from our program.
What makes ISRS unique in relation to other departments at Assumption is the breadth of the programs it offers. From undergraduate to Continuing Education to master's degree programs, students are well prepared for success in this demanding career field. In an unprecedented move about 25 years ago, Assumption established the first satellite campus in the history of the College. Now Continuing Education students in the New Bedford, MA and Providence, RI areas are able to access the wealth of knowledge, training and values which identify an Assumption education at our off-site campuses without sacrificing their own personal commitments to family and career.
Undergraduate Programs
The ISRS program has grown from a fledgling undergraduate program in 1966 to one of the largest academic units at Assumption College today, with over 200 students enrolled in the program. The internship program places students in more than 40 local agencies and schools.
Students work in a variety of local organizations which give the truest representation of careers in their field. From working with the physically disabled at the Mercy Center, to the disadvantaged residents of the Worcester Housing Authority, to those with learning disabilities in the Worcester Public Schools, our undergraduate students provide needed skills throughout the city while they gain practical experience in this demanding profession. Students are required to participate in a 100-hour internship per semester, during both their junior and senior years. Although many are hired by their mentoring agency upon graduation, most continue on to earn higher degrees.
Master's Programs
Many of those who graduate from Assumption College with a bachelor's degree choose to remain at Assumption to obtain graduate degrees in Rehab-
ilitation Counseling, Special Education, Guidance Counseling or Psychology.
The Master's program in Rehabilita-tion Counseling at Assumption was among the first master's level programs to be accredited by the Council of Rehabilita-tion Education. In 1987, when the first Certificate for Licensed Rehabilitation Counselors was offered by the Common-wealth of Massachusetts, one of our graduates and a faculty member, Susan Sabelli G'78, was awarded certificate #1. She was the first of many ISRS graduates to receive a license from the Commonwealth.
In 1978, the College implemented the Six-In-Five Program, an accelerated program of study which guarantees acceptance into the Master's program for qualified undergraduates. By applying at the beginning of the second semester of their junior year, selected seniors are able to begin the two-year graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling. Upon completion of one additional year of graduate study (the fifth year), the students will be awarded the Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, enabling them to take the exam for national certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.
The Regional Continuing Education
Program
Perhaps our most unique program, the Regional Continuing Education Program (RCEP), allows ISRS to serve our community in a slightly different manner. It is extremely important that professionals serving the community of individuals with disabilities maintain their professional competencies and work to stay abreast of current developments and state-of-the-art approaches and techniques. Through its numerous workshops and skillfully crafted conferences, the RCEP facilitates that process in New England (Region I). Our program staff coordinator Geraldine Hansen (see page 19), and assistant coordinator Fred McGinn are well known for the excellent programs that they have designed and conducted over the years.
Graduates Are Leaders in the Region
While having placed so many of our graduates in key rehabilitation positions throughout the state is a significant accomplishment, we consider it more important that our graduates continue to be highly sought after by human service agencies throughout New England. The fact that so many agencies in the region offer employment to our graduates, or placement opportunities to our students seeking internships, is a clear indication of the respect the community has for our programs and the students that we educate. Our programs continue to attract incoming students because our graduates have a record of secure employment throughout the country.
Graduates
Graduates of our programs have accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments. Many can be found in leading positions in rehabilitation and related social service agencies and organizations. For example: Jill Beardsley '82, G'86 is the director of the Community Support Association, a service she and her colleagues provide for people with brain injuries, in Hyannis, MA. Joseph DePhillips G'75 is a senior vocational rehabilitation specialist with the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation and Research at the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. John Pelletier G'74 received his Sc.D. in 1982 from Boston University, was a psychologist for the Department of Mental Health and Fallon Clinic, and now teaches full time for the Institute at Assumption College. Dr. Robert Trudel '69, G'71, who received his Sc.D. from Boston University in 1977 and his post-doctorate in Behavioral Medicine from Princeton University in 1978, is a rehabilitation psychologist in private practice. He has also been a faculty member at Assumption since 1973, and has been on staff in the Department of Psychiatry at St. Vincent Hospital since 1998.
Tom Manning '69, G'71 is the vice chancellor at UMASS Medical Center. Dan Micari '71, G'73 is director of Quality Assurance for the Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation and also teaches in the program. Jim Vogel '68, G'69 serves as the regional director of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, and Elaine Clements G'80 is the director of vocational rehabilitation services at The Provident Company. The list of graduates improving the lives of those in need of services is extensive.
Faculty
To understand how ISRS accomplishes all it does, you need to look no further than our distinguished faculty. The full-time faculty members bring a wide range of clinical and professional experience
to the program. Whether you are looking for practical experience as a vocational rehabilitation counselor, a disability examiner, a licensed psychologist or an experienced allied health administrator, you will find them teaching at ISRS.
The experience and expertise that the faculty bring to the classrooms in the ISRS program are some of its greatest strengths.
Quality Professionals
Serving Humanity
The professional influence that ISRS has on rehabilitation careers locally,
regionally, and nationally goes far beyond the number of graduates and the
accomplishments of the faculty. The spirit of an Assumption education lies
in all these graduates. ISRS will continue to work tirelessly to help students
develop and nurture skills that will have a positive impact on the clients
whom they serve. The graduates of ISRS are truly a living example of Assumption's
commitment to serving humanity.