DifferenceMakerTM is a campus-wide program that engages UMass Lowell students in creative problem solving, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Jacquie Moloney with Brian and Kim Rist at the opening of the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute

Thank you Kim and Brian Rist '77, Manning School of Business, for supporting the DifferenceMaker Program with a generous contribution and the establishment of the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute.

Three students and a professor hold an enlarged check for the People's Choice Winner at UMass Lowell DifferenceMaker competition

Attend the Idea Challenge Finals

Join DifferenceMaker in supporting the 10 finalist student teams as they pitch their creative ideas at the Idea Challenge Finals!

Register to attend the Idea Challenge Finals today:

DifferenceMaker Event Registration

Student standing on stage at a DifferenceMaker event.

Attend the Preliminary Pitch-off

Join DifferenceMaker at the Preliminary Pitch-off, where the Semi-Finalist teams will pitch their ideas for a chance to advance to the $50,000 Idea Challenge Finals!

  • Date: April 3
  • Time: 5-6 p.m.
  • Location: O'Leary Library Mezzanine, South Campus

Register to attend the Preliminary Pitch-off today:

DifferenceMaker Event Registration

Are you a DifferenceMaker?

Do you have an idea? Do you see a problem you want to solve? Do you want to make a difference in your community, or in the world? Do you want to join a team and work with other students? Sound like you?

Get involved with DifferenceMaker:

DifferenceMaker Event Registration

Real-Life DifferenceMakers

  • Smart Escape
    DifferenceMakers

    Smart Escape’s mission is to lead people to safety during a fire evacuation.

  • DEXTER
    DifferenceMakers

    DEXTER is aiming to help reduce the costs financially and environmentally to fruit farms by improving the efficiency of spraying pesticides on farms, and to helping to reduce the financial strain that comes with dumping the pesticides over their crops.

Support DifferenceMaker

Gifts at any level make a direct impact on thousands of UMass Lowell students and faculty every day.