Barry Maloney has spent the past 15 years helping lead Worcester State University into the future. Next March, he’ll be looking back to his family’s roots as he leads one of the city’s most enduring celebrations of Irish heritage.
Maloney, Worcester State’s president since 2011, has been named grand marshal of the 2027 Worcester County St. Patrick’s Parade, taking place next year on March 14 along Park Ave. The honor recognizes not only his Irish ancestry but also his longstanding involvement in the Worcester community and his efforts to strengthen educational and cultural ties between Central Massachusetts and Ireland.
A fourth-generation Irish American whose family traces its roots to counties Clare and Cork, Maloney has made those connections part of his work at Worcester State, establishing academic partnerships with universities in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“I am honored to be selected as the Grand Marshal for the 2027 Worcester St. Patrick’s Parade,” Maloney said in a statement. “It is so humbling to be included on the long list of distinguished Irish-Americans and friends of Ireland who have led this wonderful community tradition of celebrating Irish heritage. I look forward to greeting families, community members, Worcester State alumni, and friends of the university out on the parade route this spring.”
The parade, now prepping for its 45th edition, draws thousands of spectators to Park Ave. each year for a celebration of Irish culture, community organizations and local traditions.
For Maloney, the selection reflects a relationship with Worcester that extends well beyond the university campus.
A Springfield native, he arrived at Worcester State in 2011 after nearly two decades at Westfield State University. He and his wife, Laura, who is also Irish American, have lived across the street from Worcester State since his appointment, raising their three children in the city.
Over the years, Maloney has become a fixture in Worcester’s civic and nonprofit circles, serving on boards associated with the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, Worcester Business Development Corporation, American Antiquarian Society, Greater Worcester Community Foundation and several other institutions.
That combination of community involvement and connections to Ireland helped distinguish him in the parade committee’s selection process.
“We are so thrilled to have Worcester State University President Maloney as the Grand Marshal for this our 45th annual St. Patrick’s Parade,” committee chairperson Erin Zamarro said in the announcement. “Worcester State is a pillar of this community and under President Maloney, the university continues to strengthen the bridges of cultural and academic exchange with Ireland.”
Zamarro also cited Maloney’s leadership, community service and Irish connections as qualities that reflect the parade’s traditions.
Those international relationships have become a significant part of Worcester State’s academic programming. The university has formal partnerships with Atlantic Technological University, Ulster University and the University of Limerick, creating opportunities for student exchanges and academic collaboration.
Worcester State regularly welcomes students and delegations from Ireland and Northern Ireland, while its own students participate in study abroad programs involving subjects such as nursing, environmental studies and literature.
In 2025, the university awarded honorary doctorates to two prominent women civic leaders from Northern Ireland’s Derry and Strabane District Council and County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland.
The partnerships represent one part of a broader period of change at Worcester State during Maloney’s tenure.
Since becoming the university’s 11th president, he has overseen improvements in student retention and graduation rates, expanded academic and experiential learning opportunities, and significant investments in campus facilities.
Those projects include the 150,000-square-foot Sheehan Hall residence building, which opened in 2014, and the $52.6 million Wellness Center, completed in 2016. Together with other improvements, the projects helped reshape the campus.
The Wellness Center later played an important role beyond university life. In 2021, Worcester State partnered with local hospitals, health care organizations and the city to establish a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination site there, administering approximately 90,000 vaccinations to community members.
Maloney has also overseen growth in university fundraising and its endowment. This month, Worcester State launched “Believe in Beyond,” described by the university as its largest fundraising campaign to date.
In 2025, Worcester Business Journal named him its Business Leader of the Year in the large-organization category. The appointment to grand marshal puts Maloney among a long line of community figures who’ve led the St. Patrick’s Parade over the decades. The honor, says the committee, is partly based on a person’s contributions to the region.
The committee also announced its 2027 community service award recipients.
Mary Jane Foley also receives the Virginia Boulay Hospitality Award, while Meghan McGuirk has been selected for the Cathy Donahue Good Neighbor Award. Bill Moore of Project New Hope receives the Agnes Sheehan Community Service Award, and Don and Judy Keller have been named recipients of the Judy Wilkinson Award.
The 45th annual Worcester County St. Patrick’s Parade takes place Sunday, March 14, 2027, along Park Ave., continuing a tradition that brings together generations of Worcester residents to celebrate Irish heritage and the people who have helped shape the community.
