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Clark University
Office of
Community Engagement and Volunteering

Your Community

A panoramic view of downtown Worcester, late afternoon

Worcester is Your Community

Worcester is the second largest city in New England and is home to hundreds of mission-driven non-profit organizations. As Clark University students and members of the Main South community, you are situated in a culturally rich neighborhood with plenty of people to meet, restaurants to sample, and places to explore.

Worcester has long been a destination for immigrants from around the world, something that is still clearly visible in the city’s diverse cultural makeup today. You can see cultural contributions of the older Irish population in the city, along with more recent influences from Ghanaian, Dominican, Vietnamese, and Brazilian immigrants. As you travel around the city you will see triple decker houses—originally built as multi-generational homes—and hear languages from around the world.

The city is composed of numerous neighborhoods, such as Main South, Downtown, Canal District, Kelley Square, Bell Hill, Columbus Park, Shrewsbury St, and Elm Park. The Main South community can be roughly defined as the neighborhood surrounding Clark University and University Park between the railroad tracks to the south and Park Ave to the North. Clark University acts as an institutional anchor in the Main South neighborhood and is part of the University Park Partnership, a nationally recognized program between Clark, community partners, and local residents focusing on urban redevelopment.

Experience Worcester

Participate

As a student, you may only reside in the Main South community for a short period, but it is important to consider your role as a steward of your neighborhood. Staying active in local government is an important part of staying engaged with the Worcester and Main South communities. You can participating in municipal government by registering to vote in Worcester, identifying your elected officials, voting in local elections, and learning about the issues the community is facing.

Explore

There are numerous city-wide events and cultural celebrations throughout the year, such as stART on the Street, POW! WOW! Worcester, and Worcester Pride. If you do not know what to do, you can look at Worcester Magazine’s event calendar, Discover Central Massachusetts, and Eventbrite. There are also numerous concert venues, art galleries, museums, and minor league sporting events to explore. If you want to escape to a green space, there are numerous parks across the city, in addition to the Clark Arboretum, which is a short walk from campus.

Taste

Food is one of many ways in which people connect to, express, remember, and share their cultures. Worcester is a vibrant and diverse community filled with restaurants serving cuisines from around the world. Keep an eye out for the food related events taking place in Worcester, such as VegFest, Shrewsbury College Shuffle, and Restaurant Week. Do you participate in clubs on campus? Encourage your peers to cater from local restaurants when catering events.

Your student ID gives you access to a number of discounts at local businesses

Browse discounts

Photo gallery

Students walking at night in front of the Boulevard Diver, illuminated by a vivid, neon sign.
A mural painted on the side of a brick building, Worcester
A crowded street, Worcester
Swans swimming in a pond at University Park, Worcester
A patron entering a coffee shop near the Clark University campus, Worcester
A view of Franklin Street, Worcester from above
City Hall, Worcester next to a building with reflected glass

Getting around

  • The public transit system in Worcester is accessible and affordable; bus lines 7, 19, 27, and 33 run on either side of Clark and cost $1.75 per ride. Find more information about public transportation by visiting the Worcester Transit Authority website.
  • ClarkRIDE will also take you anywhere within a quarter mile radius of Clark between 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. Download the app.
  • Clark’s Undergraduate Student Council provides free buses to the Solomon Pond Mall and Boston on alternating weekends. You can find the schedules and signup sheets for these buses on the Clark Buses Facebook page.

An institutional commitment

Clark University's partnership with the local community

A 30-minute introduction to Clark University’s partnership with the local Worcester community, by Jack Foley, Vice President for Government and Community Affairs.
A view of Franklin Street, Worcester from above

A 30-minute introduction to Clark University’s partnership with the local Worcester community

Neighborhood Stewardship

University Park Partnership

Clark University is part of the University Park Partnership, a nationally recognized program between Clark, community partners, and local residents focusing on urban redevelopment.

University Park Partnership
Contact Information

Office of Community Engagement and Volunteering

Contact us

  • Community partners share new opportunities with us all the time! Contact us for more information and to find out our drop-in hours.

  • University Center, 305 and 304

  • community[at]clarku[dot]edu
  • 508-793-8815