Worcester Polytechnic Institute Student Jeffrey Ponce Lopez Completes Intensive Research Project
Jeffrey Ponce Lopez, from Chelsea, Massachusetts, a member of the class of 2026, majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), was a member of a student team that recently completed a professional-level research-driven project titled “Creating a Virtual Tour for the Mount Washington Observatory.”
Known as the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP), this project is a core part of the innovative undergraduate experience at WPI. Centered around project-based learning, this hands-on approach offers students opportunities to help develop thoughtful solutions to open-ended problems. These real-world problems affect the quality of life for people in the communities where students work, giving students a chance to make a difference in the world before they graduate. All WPI undergraduates are required to complete an IQP, usually in their junior year, through which they apply science and technology to address an important societal need or issue. About two-thirds of WPI students complete their IQP at one of the university’s 50+ off-campus project centers located in more than 30 countries around the world.
“The WPI project-based curriculum’s focus on global studies brings students out of the classroom and their comfort zones and into the global community to apply their knowledge and to solve problems,” said Professor Kent Rissmiller, professor of International & Global Studies and associate dean of The Global School. “Students are immersed in all aspects of a different culture-from the way people live and work to the values they hold to the foods they eat, all valuable perspectives for surviving and thriving in today’s global marketplace. They also learn the meaning and magic of teamwork; make a real and meaningful difference in their host community; and gain a competitive edge for any resume, or graduate or professional school application.”
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a top-tier, STEM-focused university with an R1 research classification and global leadership in project-based learning. Founded in 1865, WPI’s distinctive approach integrates classroom theory with real-world practice, preparing students to tackle critical challenges through inclusive education, impactful projects, and interdisciplinary research. With more than 70 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs across 18 academic departments and over 50 global project centers, WPI advances knowledge and innovation in fields such as life sciences, smart technologies, advanced materials and manufacturing, and global innovation.
Ruiz, of Chelsea, Named to Assumption University’s Fall 2025 Dean’s List
Assumption University has announced that Mairanys Ruiz, of Chelsea, Class of 2027, has been named to the University’s Dean’s List for the fall 2025 semester. Students named to the Dean’s List must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 for a five-class, 15-credit semester to be included on the prestigious list, which is announced at the completion of the fall and spring semesters.
“Earning the right to be named to the Assumption University’s Dean’s List is an extraordinary accomplishment and we congratulate those students who demonstrated exemplary academic excellence this semester,” said Assumption University President Greg Weiner, Ph.D. “These students have demonstrated a deep commitment to the pursuit of truth in the company of friends that lies at the heart of the Catholic liberal education Assumption provides.”
Assumption University, founded in 1904 by the Augustinians of the Assumption, is a premier New England university for high-quality education, integrating career preparation and education of the whole person, drawing upon the best in the rich and centuries-long tradition of Catholic higher education. Assumption’s graduates are known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good. The University offers 37 majors and 49 minors in the liberal arts, sciences, business, nursing, professional studies, and other areas, as well as graduate degrees and professional credentials.
Lasell University’s Giuliana, Strazzulla Receives Collaboration Recognition Award
Giuliana Strazzulla, of Chelsea, was selected to receive the Collaboration Recognition Award at Lasell University for the Fall 2025 semester. This peer-nominated award recognizes students who demonstrate excellence in collaboration through effective communication, idea-sharing, and teamwork. The award reflects Lasell’s emphasis on collaboration as a core learning outcome and a key career readiness competency identified by the National Association of Colleges & Employers.
Giuliana Strazzulla, a student from Chelsea, began the first semester in the Fall of 2025 at Lasell University.