The Honorable Michael G. Allard-Madaus ’82 and Jane Grant Scholarship
One $1,000 award offered annually – The Honorable Michael G. Allard-Madaus ’82 and Jane Grant Scholarship, established in 2020, will be awarded to a sophomore or higher, pursuing an interest in Urban Studies, with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Judge Michael G. Allard-Madaus, J.D., is a 1982 graduate of Worcester State University who majored in Urban Studies. He credits faculty in the department, in particular professors Francis “Tuck” Amory and Vincent “Jake” Powers, with inspiring him as a young man and encouraging him both academically and civically. Looking back, he cannot overstate the importance of the many committed individuals at WSU who saw promise and potential, even when he did not recognize the same in himself.
Judge Allard-Madaus was a grateful recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 2015 from the Urban Studies Department, and has been invited by Worcester State to share his work and life experiences with various student groups. It gives him great joy to attempt to inform and inspire students, just as he experienced during his academic tenure at WSU.
Judge Allard-Madaus graduated from Suffolk University School of Law in 1986, and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar the same year. He practiced law for 23 years in Worcester, and in 2010 was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick as an associate justice of the Worcester District Court. He is proud to have been a catalyst in the establishment of the first nationally certified Drug Court in Worcester. He presided over the Drug Court until 2020, leading an innovative, alternative approach to addressing those with substance abuse disorders in the judicial system.
Jane Grant graduate in 1980 from Clark University and met her husband shortly thereafter. Her professional experience has been varied, from television media to higher education, but primarily in the support and advancement of non-profit entities. She worked at Worcester State University for four years in the Office of University Advancement and made cherished friends and colleagues. Her interaction during that time with students and faculty was, and continues to be, inspirational. Jane has served on multiple boards and groups for various organizations in the community.
Judge Allard-Madaus and Jane Grant are grateful for the opportunity to provide support to a student at Worcester State University, an institution which has been so positively impactful in both of their lives.