Asst. Professor Laurie Ross

Each year the YWCA presents The Katharine F. Erskine Award, which recognizes women who have demonstrated leadership and reached exemplary levels of achievement in their professions and communities, at the Tribute to Women Luncheon.

We are pleased to announce the news that Community Development and Planning Professor Laurie Ross is a recipient of The Katharine F. Erskine Award for Education.

Laurie Ross, Ph.D., has been Assistant Professor of Community Development and Planning in Clark’s International Development, Community, and Environment Department since 2000. She is director of the Healthy Options for Prevention and Education (HOPE) Coalition, a youth-adult partnership coalition created to reduce youth violence, substance use and promote adolescent mental health in the City of Worcester. Her research interests include social justice, youth development, and community based participatory research.

Ross will receive the award at the Tribute to Women Luncheon on May 4 at Mechanics Hall. This event honors women for outstanding achievement in their profession, community and commitment to the YWCA’s mission.

The Tribute to Women Luncheon is one of central Massachusetts’ most prestigious salutes to exceptional women leaders. Recipients show a commitment to the YWCA mission – eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity to all.

When YWCA Central Massachusetts launched its Tribute to Women Luncheon, honoring women for their career achievements was a bold, pioneering concept. Today the life stories of the honorees continue to captivate the people, mostly women, who attend the luncheon each year.