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Becker, MassDiGI collaboration makes game to start national conversation
Becker College and MassDiGI have collaborated with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to build the free, fast-moving and fun social-impact game, “Lotto Boxes,” to address income inequality, what President Barack Obama has called “the defining challenge of our time.”
The mobile game’s development team, which also includes Worcester-based startup Petricore Games, led by Becker alumnus Ryan Canuel, and Becker senior Rejon Taylor-Foster, publicly launched the open beta version of “Lotto Boxes” at the SVCF Innovation Conference in San Francisco, Calif., last month.
“Working on ‘Lotto Boxes’ with Becker, MassDiGI and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation was a great opportunity for us,” said Canuel. “The high level of communication and collaboration that went into the effort was the key to finding the right way to balance the social impact message with gameplay.”
“As a soon-to-be graduate, being part of the ‘Lotto Boxes’ development team gave me a chance to learn by doing,” said Taylor-Foster. “I hope to use the experience next year after school as I grow Maximum Crash, my own startup studio.”
Through a generous grant, Mountain View, California-based SVCF has underwritten this experimental effort in partnership with MassDiGI and Becker, an effort that began last spring.
Read the entire story on the Becker College website
Assumption to host Notre Dame professor’s speech on constitutional law and religious freedom
University of Notre Dame professor Richard Garnett will address the Assumption College community on religious freedom and how, despite growing challenges, respecting and protecting these freedoms is essential for all. The lecture is planned for 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, in the Salon of Assumption’s La Maison building, 500 Salisbury St.
Richard Garnett
Garnett’s lecture, “The Past, Present and Future of Religious Freedom in America?” will thoroughly examine the meaning and limits of religious freedom, often called America’s “First Freedom,” and how it is becoming increasingly controversial and unclear. As America’s communities are becoming more diverse and as the sphere of government action and regulation grows, the challenge of respecting and protecting religious freedom for all is becoming more difficult. He will also examine freedoms of speech, association, religion and constitutional law’s relationship to one another.
Read the entire story on the Assumption College website
Unity in the Community event Nov. 17
Pride Productions Inc., in collaboration with AdCare and YWCA of Central Mass., is hosting a community drug awareness event, “Unity in the Community – Opioid: Youth Speak!” from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 17, at the YWCA, 1 Salem Square.
In addition, Unity Radio will broadcast the event live and announce the station’s debut and its premier show “Recovery in Worcester.”
“Together with the effort of local grassroots supporters, Unity Radio aims to identify and raise awareness of community needs, create forums for public dialogue, as well as promote a strong, engaged and inclusive community,” said Ernie Floyd, executive producer.
“Unity in the Community – Opioid: Youth Speak!” was created to engage parents, educators and students in collaborative dialogues with law enforcement, social service agencies, and community-based organizations to provide prevention and intervention strategies in matters of health and safety for youth.
UniBank to hold free community shred day at Sutton North branch
As part of its yearlong grand opening celebrations at its Sutton North branch, UniBank will be offering a Community Shred Day at the branch at 29 Galaxy Pass in Sutton (located in the Pleasant Valley Crossing plaza) from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 19.
New England Security Shredders will be at UniBank’s branch to provide this free service to individuals wishing to securely dispose of personal confidential documents. Document shredding will take place on-site in a mobile shredding vehicle. Each person may bring up to 10 file boxes (no binders or binder clips please) for secure destruction.
This event provides a secure and responsible way for individuals to dispose of paper and reduce the threat of identity theft.