Story and Source Ideas for Journalists
02/11/2015
This is a notice of upcoming events, photo opportunities and story ideas at UMass Lowell, compiled by the Office of University Relations, 978-934-3224. In case of inclement weather, call UMass Lowell’s weather hotline at 978-934-2121; if the university is closed, events are canceled. For more stories about UMass Lowell, visit www.uml.edu and click on “Media” at the top of the page. Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.
Sources of the week
UMass Lowell experts are available to discuss:
- Tips to improve a relationship, including techniques for effective communication;
- Weather forecasting during this historic winter as well as a look ahead to the spring thaw.
Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.
Artist to Discuss Inspiration behind ‘MARS’ Exhibit
University Orchestra to Perform Free Concert for Valentine’s Day
History of Lowell’s Mills Focus of Free Book Discussion
Career Etiquette Event Teaches Students to Dine, Dress for Success
Acclaimed Poet to Discuss Writing, Creative Process
Melissa Manchester to Perform Benefit Concert, Mentor Students
ArtistArtist to Discuss Inspiration behind ‘MARS’ Exhibit
When: Thursday, Feb. 12; artist’s talk at 3 p.m., reception at 4:15 p.m. (Rescheduled from Jan. 29.) Exhibit runs through Friday, Feb. 20. University Gallery hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What: Artist Sean Downey’s exhibit “MARS” uses paintings, sculptures and ceramics to build poetic narratives that explore alien within the earthly. Downey will speak about the evolution of his work and the wide-ranging sources that influence his paintings, from cinema to American history and 1970s fiction. He is a 2013 recipient of the Blanche E. Colman Award and a 2014 recipient of a Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship.
Where: Artist’s talk – O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell. Artist’s reception and exhibit – University Gallery, Mahoney Hall, South Campus, 870 Broadway St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Gallery Coordinator Deborah Santoro, 978-934-3491, Deborah_Santoro@uml.edu or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu
OrchestraUniversity Orchestra to Perform Free Concert for Valentine’s Day
When: Friday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.
What: Compositions that convey a sense of triumph and world travel will be the focus of the University Orchestra’s annual, free Valentine’s Day concert for the public. Under the direction of UMass Lowell music faculty member Mark Latham, the ensemble will perform Tchaikovsky’s “Capriccio Italien” and Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnol,” allowing audience members to experience Italy and Spain as these master classical composers imagined them. A performance of Mozart’s sweeping “Symphony No. 40” will convey the depths of tragedy and the joys of transcendence.
Where: Durgin Hall, South Campus, 35 Wilder St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
HistoryHistory of Lowell’s Mills Focus of Free Book Discussion
When: Tuesday, Feb. 24, 7 to 9 p.m.
What: Martha Mayo, a Lowell history expert and UMass Lowell librarian, will lead a talk about the rise of the American Industrial Revolution based on the book “Lowell: The Mill City.” This is the second event in a four-part book discussion series that is free and open to the public. Subsequent sessions explore the history of the city’s firefighters and the significance of the Merrimack River to Lowell’s development. Books on each topic will be provided for free during each program. Members of the public are encouraged to pre-register by contacting UMass Lowell Outreach Librarian Sara Marks at Sara_Marks@uml.edu or 978-934-4581 or by going to (http://uml.beta.libguides.com/programming) http://uml.beta.libguides.com/programming.
Where: O’Leary Library Learning Commons, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
CareerCareer Etiquette Event Teaches Students to Dine, Dress for Success
When: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 5 to 8:30 p.m. (Snow date is Wednesday, March 4)
What: UMass Lowell students will participate in a simulated business dinner designed to allow them to practice their etiquette and networking skills. Representatives of Kronos, Lowell General Hospital and PricewaterhouseCoopers will be among the professionals who will join in exercise, helping students prepare for the working world and life after graduation. The event is presented by UMass Lowell’s Career Services and Cooperative Education Center.
Where: University Crossing, Moloney Hall, Second Floor, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
RankineAcclaimed Poet to Discuss Writing, Creative Process
When: Thursday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m.
What: Poet and playwright Claudia Rankine will read from her work and share insights into her creative process during this free, public event. Rankine is chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and her latest book, “Citizen: An American Lyric” was a finalist for the 2014 National Book Award in poetry. Her talk is one in the Writers on Campus Series presented by the UMass Lowell English Department and the Center for Arts and Ideas.
Where: O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
MelissaMelissa Manchester to Perform Benefit Concert, Mentor Students
When: Saturday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m.
What: “You Gotta Love the Life – An Evening with Melissa Manchester” will be a unique concert celebrating the release of the Grammy Award-winner’s new CD while raising scholarship funds and featuring performers enrolled in UMass Lowell’s music-education programs. The performance – Manchester’s only New England appearance on her current tour – will cap her three-day visit to the university as an artist-in-residence. During her stay, she will teach classes and mentor students in UMass Lowell’s renowned music programs. Tickets to the show are $15 for UMass Lowell students with a valid student ID, $35 for the public and $125 for the concert and a champagne VIP reception with Manchester after the show, where she will sign copies of her CD. A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit the Joyce Pang Scholarship Fund for the UMass Lowell String Project, which provides schoolchildren throughout the Merrimack Valley with stringed-instrument instruction and music classes. Tickets are available at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell box office, www.tsongascenter.com and 866-722-8780. Media interested in interviewing Manchester in advance should contact UMass Lowell media relations.
Where: Durgin Concert Hall, South Campus, 35 Wilder St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu