Worcester Polytechnic Institute Students Collaborate with City of Worcester on New Day Resource Center to Support the Homeless Population

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In one of their very first classes at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 30 first-year students are already making a tangible impact on their new community. Through a collaboration with the City of Worcester, these students developed ideas and plans to be considered for a much-needed homeless resource center in Worcester—demonstrating WPI’s commitment to hands-on, real-world learning with a focus on community engagement.

As part of the Great Problems Seminar (GPS), a two-term course that immerses first-year students into university-level research and WPI’s project-based curriculum, students have the unique opportunity to engage in a tangible project with a local focus. This fall’s course, titled “Shelter the World,” challenged students to conduct rigorous research on a wide array of topics, from global homelessness challenges and solutions to local design considerations such as sustainability, economic feasibility, policy, and site-specific factors.

Students, working in teams of four or five, focused on the new Day Resource Center, a project proposed as part of Worcester’s broader strategy to address homelessness by providing essential services and wrap-around support. The City has partnered with the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance to open a day resource center at 134 Gold Street and has conditionally committed $4 million to the project, funded in part by interest generated from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds will be used to purchase and renovate properties for the center, which will include facilities for basic needs such as hygiene and social services, along with resources aimed at helping individuals transition to stable living conditions.

Working with the WPI students on the day center for the homeless has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I was deeply impressed by the level of work they brought to the project, from their hands-on research to the detailed designs they developed.

Dr. Matilde Castiel, City of Worcester Commissioner of Health and Human Services

Students worked with GPS instructors Amanda Wittman, adjunct teaching professor and Director of the Binienda Center for Civic Engagement at Worcester State University, and Kathryn Crockett, a recently retired practicing architect, who helped develop this fall’s Shelter the World course. They conducted in-person research and incorporated into their proposed plans elements identified by homeless people themselves and those who work with them. For example, designs included second-floor exterior patios for access to fresh air, areas for pets, lockers, eco-friendly materials, and private spaces for confidential appointments.

“I was impressed and encouraged to see the level of curiosity, diligence, and compassion the teams invested in this project,” said Crockett. The students’ final projects were showcased during a presentation at Worcester City Hall in December. City officials, including Dr. Matilde Castiel, the city’s commissioner of health and human services, and local advocates and non-profit leaders reviewed the students' proposals for potential incorporation into the final plans.

“Working with the WPI students on the day center for the homeless has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I was deeply impressed by the level of work they brought to the project, from their hands-on research to the detailed designs they developed,” said Dr. Castiel. “Beyond their technical skills, the kindness and care they showed in interviewing people experiencing homelessness was truly inspiring. It's heartening to see young people taking the initiative to understand and tackle complex societal challenges. This is exactly what we want from the next generation—leaders who are not only innovative but also empathetic and driven to make a difference.”

Sarah Stanlick, Director of the Great Problems Seminar, agreed. “GPS is an opportunity for our first-year students to engage in their new home city and tackle community-identified challenges from their first days on campus,” she said. “The students have a unique opportunity to learn about their role in community and build their civic voice.”

Dr. Castiel is confident the contributions made by the WPI students through their fresh perspectives and detailed research will ultimately help shape a facility intended to make a lasting impact on the community.