2027 Grand Marshal

Barry M. Maloney, Worcester State University’s 11th president, has served in this role since 2011. His straightforward charge—to put students first—means providing them an excellent education at an affordable price in a vibrant campus environment, one where students explore their intellectual passions and pursue their professional interests, while gaining transformative leadership experiences. 

Under President Maloney, Worcester State University has significantly improved its graduation and retention rates; introduced the MajorPlus academic framework; overhauled the physical campus; balanced annual campus budgets; increased grant support; doubled the diversity of its student body; and expanded outside-the-classroom learning opportunities for students with internships, practicums, and study away.  Maloney’s Five Points of Action Toward a More Inclusive Campus Climate has resulted in gains in faculty diversity and better systems for addressing bias. Through sound fiscal management, the university has kept tuition and fees low. As a result, Worcester State graduates have the lowest student debt of any public university in Massachusetts.  

President Maloney has established a strong track record of philanthropic success at Worcester State, doubling fundraising and tripling the university’s endowment. In October 2026, he launched “Believe in Beyond,” the largest and most ambitious philanthropic campaign in university history. The new campaign builds on the success of the first campaign he led, Change Lives.  

Recognizing that academic success correlates with deeper connections to the campus, Maloney championed the continued construction of a new residence hall and Wellness Center. The 150,000-square-foot Sheehan Hall opened in 2014, adding 400 beds and bringing Worcester State's undergraduate residential population to nearly 40%—roughly double what it was in 2000. When the $52.6 million, 101,000-square-foot Wellness Center opened in September 2016, it completed a 10-year, $200 million investment in new and renovated facilities that have transformed the campus. 

To expand student experiential learning opportunities, President Maloney has cultivated relationships with international universities. Worcester State has formal academic partnerships with three Irish universities: Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ulster University and the University of Limerick.  

Under President Maloney’s leadership, The Princeton Review has consistently named Worcester State University a “Best in the Northeast” college. Worcester State is the only Massachusetts state university to have received this ranking for 22 consecutive years, 2005-2027. U.S. News & World Report has also ranked Worcester State in its regional “top tier.” Worcester State University has launched new academic programs, was named to the President’s Honor Roll for Community Service, and was noted as one of the nation's most “environmentally responsible” campuses. 

For more than a decade, President Maloney has cultivated strong relationships in the community, serving on the governing boards of the Worcester Art Museum, Ascentria Care Alliance, the First Wednesday Group, Worcester Business Development Corporation, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, St. Vincent Hospital, the American Antiquarian Society and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. In 2025, he was named Worcester Business Journal’s Business Leader of the Year for large organizations. 

A hallmark of President Maloney’s leadership has been his commitment to the university’s public mission and service to the community. In 2021, Worcester State University collaborated with area hospitals, health care organizations, and the City of Worcester to open a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination site in the university’s Wellness Center, providing 90,000 vaccines for the community. In 2019, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education Carlos Santiago named Maloney to the statewide Equity Advisory Committee and Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty appointed Maloney to chair the Worcester Advisory Committee for Diversifying the Teacher Workforce. 

He served as chair of both HECCMA, the consortium of Central Massachusetts colleges, and of the State University Council of Presidents. Under his leadership, Worcester State was instrumental in providing academic pathways and support for students at two area colleges that closed in recent years. Prior to joining Worcester State University, Maloney served for nearly 20 years at Westfield State University in a variety of positions, including twice as interim president. 

A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, Maloney graduated from the University of Maine at Orono with a bachelor’s degree in political science and public management, and a master’s degree in public administration. Maloney is also a 2007 graduate of the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

Maloney, his wife Laura, and their children have lived across the street from the University since 2011.