SHARE, Worcester State University and UMass Memorial have put together a program to help you get started at college.

It's affordable, at a convenient time and place, and not scary! This program is designed for people who may not have been in a classroom for a long time. You earn 9 or more college credits, which you can transfer to other colleges if you want. You get coaching and support, and you get help making a plan for continuing your education at the end. Your classmates will be other SHARE members in the same boat.

Convenient time: You can do the classes during the day or in the evening. The first group will meet one evening per week (Wednesdays 4:30-7:30pm), starting in April 13th and going through October. A second group will go to classes during the day, starting September 2016 and going through April 2017.

Convenient locations – All classes located at University, Memorial or Hahnemann campuses.

Affordable – The first "getting started" class is free to you – UMass Memorial will pay for it! For the next three classes (3 credits each), you get tuition remission from UMass Memorial for much of the cost. UMass Memorial has agreed to pay that amount up front so that you don’t have to come up with the money ahead of time, like you usually have to -- which is awesome. (If you start but don’t finish a class, you will have to pay back the money.)

The best way to find out more or sign up that you are interested is to come talk to Amy from Worcester State at drop-in info sessions in the cafeterias:

· Wed, 3/9 University: 11:30am - 1:30pm and 4:30pm - 6:30pm

· Wed, 3/16 Memorial: 11:30am - 1:30pm and 4:30pm - 6:30pm

· Wed, 3/23 University: 11:30am - 1:30pm and 4:30pm - 6:30pm

· Wed, 3/30 Memorial: 11:30am - 1:30pm and 4:30pm - 6:30pm

To sign up: You can go to OurNet then My HR. Look for "Learning" and click on that. Look for the Direct Care Workers Pathways Program. You can also find it on the Worcester State University website.

If you can't find the information, you can call SHARE and we will get you a brochure -- leave a message at 508-929-4020 ext. 10.

Please note: A state grant is paying for part of this program, and the state limited the program to people currently working as Patient Care Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Medical Assistants (or Medical Office Assistants). We wish we could make this opportunity available to all SHARE members – if this grant goes well, maybe we can do that in the future!