Welcome

Since 2000, the WCPC has partnered with over 100 local organizations and community leaders to tackle real world problems. Research teams, made up of WPI faculty and students, work collaboratively with local leaders to develop economically, technically, and socially feasible solutions to pressing community problems. Each problem represents an opportunity for students and community partners to collaborate creatively and design real solutions for real people. Through the program, students realize their ability and responsibility to use their knowledge and experience to help address pressing issues facing their community and the world.

Project Sponsors

Thank you for your interest in the WCPC! We believe you will be tremendously impressed by our students’ dedication and the quality of their work. Feel free to peruse our website to learn more about the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) process and how you can collaborate with us. What is an IQP? The Interactive Qualifying…

WPI Students

Have a global IQP experience in neighborhoods close to campus. Complete an off-campus IQP for NO additional cost! Start local, realize global impacts! Become truly engaged and integrated in your community. Exercise your potential to make an impact in statewide politics and national movements! Flexibility: You can complete your IQP in B, C, D or E term! The WCPC develops projects both from the grass…

WCPC in the News

April 15, 2021 – WPI students help Audio Journal listeners connect by developing first phone app October 6, 2020 – WPI Students presented Keys to the City of Worcester February 2019 – WCPC students presented with prestigious President’s IQP Award April 30, 2019 – WCPC IQP project developing the Stigma Free Worcester mobile App is…

Explore Projects

The Worcester Community Project Center operates four terms per academic year, running from mid October through late June. Each “project term” the WCPC students complete 4-7 projects for the greater Worcester community, totaling 12-21 community based projects per academic year. Students completing their Interactive Qualifying Project (a.k.a. community engagement project) at the Worcester Community Project…

June 29, 2021August 2, 2021 by Laura Roberts

Thrive Support and Advocacy: Designing a Food Pantry

Project Sponsor: Thrive Support and Advocacy Thrive Support & Advocacy, founded in Marlborough, MA, during the 1970s, is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering, advocating for, and assisting youth and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental disabilities (DD), and intellectual disabilities (ID). Our sponsor’s mission is to help their audience and their families not…

June 22, 2021August 2, 2021 by Laura Roberts

Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester: Community Health Dashboard

For our Interactive Qualifying Project, our team worked with the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester to develop an online dashboard that displays public health data in a user-friendly and engaging way. Project Sponsor: Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester The Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester is a local nonprofit focused on developing and…

June 22, 2021August 2, 2021 by Laura Roberts

DHHS: Access to Healthcare

Over 50% of Americans with mental health issues do not receive treatment for their conditions, and one key component of this statistic is bad access to healthcare. We are tasked with assessing the feasibility of improving and expanding an existing tool created to combat this issue in the Worcester area so that it reaches a…

June 22, 2021August 2, 2021 by Laura Roberts

Worcester DPW&P: Litter Tracking Method

Welcome to our project page! We are a group of students from WPI who worked with the Worcester Department of Public Works (DPW) sponsored by Jacquelyn Burmeister, the senior environmental analyst. Student Researchers: Kimberly Frary, Environmental engineering Justin Schoepke, Aerospace engineering Camren Smith, Biomedical engineering Thomas Sterrett, Mechanical engineering Our Project Goal and Objectives: The…

June 22, 2021August 2, 2021 by Laura Roberts

Worcester Historical Museum (WHM): Smiley Cart

Welcome to our page! During our Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) we worked in collaboration with the Worcester History Museum to design a mobile exhibit to commemorate Harvey Ball’s 100th birthday. Harvey Ball is the creator of Smiley Face and created World Smile Day. World Smile Day is celebrated on the first Friday of October to…

June 22, 2021August 2, 2021 by Laura Roberts

Women’s Initiative of the United Way: Dollar Scholar engagement

We worked with the Women’s Initiative of the United Way to enhance their online financial literacy program, Dollar $cholar. This program aims to help empower young women through financial education. A lack of financial literacy training can lead to economic dependence. This financial literacy discrepancy is particularly prevalent amongst women, leading to an increase in…

July 29, 2021August 2, 2021 by Laura Roberts

In C-term of 2021, a group of students collaborated with the Worcester Community Connections Coalition (WCCC) to digitize a popular resource directory called “the Blue Book”. Afterwards, a prototype website was created for the organization. Our project is a continuation of the previous project. For E-term of 2021, our team will collaborate with the WCCC…

Recent Projects