WORCESTER, MA —An employee at a local community college has been awarded the Key to the City of Worcester.
Rocky Knight, a business leader, nonprofit founder and youth education advocate, received the key during a ceremony Thursday at Quinsigamond Community College.
Mayor Joseph Petty presented the symbolic honor in recognition of Knight's leadership, community service and work to expand educational and entrepreneurial opportunities locally and abroad.
Worcester's Key to the City tradition began in 1924 under Mayor Michael O'Hara and has continued under successive administrations.
"Rocky's energy and commitment can be felt across every corner of Worcester," Petty said. "Through her educational initiatives and her steadfast support for our small business community, she has continually opened doors for students and aspiring entrepreneurs alike."
Knight founded the For One Child Foundation, a nonprofit that has provided educational resources and infrastructure support to more than 1,500 students across Massachusetts and rural Jamaica.
The foundation also operates SATE, a weeklong summer camp focused on science, art, technology and entrepreneurship. Teenagers learn about business planning, marketing, artificial intelligence and public speaking through the program.
"I believe business and education can build community, solve problems, create opportunities and leave something behind," Knight said during the ceremony. "This is a community story. Everyone in this room, this key to the city has your fingerprints on it too."
Knight serves as director of the Auxilium Center for Entrepreneurship at QCC, where students receive mentoring and resources to launch or grow businesses. She previously served as director of the CWE-Central MA Women's Business Center and is the founder and CEO of Own Your Legacy Ventures LLC, which provides branding, consulting and strategic planning services to entrepreneurs.
"Rocky brings so much energy to everything she does," QCC President Luis Pedraja said. "Her entrepreneurial spirit has served the community for so long and we are fortunate that she now brings that spirit to our students through the Auxilium Center at QCC."
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