Story and Source Ideas for Journalists

University Orchestra
The University Orchestra will present a free concert that is open to the public on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Durgin Concert Hall on South Campus.

02/09/2016

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/pressroom. Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication unless otherwise noted.

Sources of the week

UMass Lowell faculty experts are available to discuss:

  • The New Hampshire primary and where the candidates’ campaigns stand after the vote;
  • How to manage Valentine’s Day expectations in the face of holiday hype and pressure;
  • Predictions for next Monday’s 58th annual Grammy Awards, the impact of recent deaths of stars such as David Bowie and Glenn Frey and the state of the industry.

Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.

Kerouac Writer-in-Residence to Present Free Program for Public, Campus
Cambodians’ Life in the 1970s is the Subject of Exhibit, Artists’ Talk
Curtain Rises on Free Concert by University Orchestra
Influence of Latino Americans Explored in Free Program Series
Journalist Recounts Impact of Famed Newspaper on U.S. History



AlmondKerouac Writer-in-Residence to Present Free Program for Public, Campus

When: Tuesday, Feb. 9, 5 p.m.

What: Best-selling author Steve Almond – whose recent take on Sarah Palin’s endorsement of presidential candidate Donald Trump has been widely shared on social media – will present a free program about his creative process that is open to the public. During the event, he will read from his work, talk about how he develops his subjects and answer questions from the audience. Skilled in fiction and non-fiction genres, Almond has written several books including “Against Football: One Fan’s Reluctant Manifesto” and “Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America.” He is a winner of the Paterson Prize for Fiction and his short stories have been published in the Best American and Pushcart anthologies. A frequent contributor to NPR’s “Here & Now” program, Almond is teaching on campus this semester as UMass Lowell’s 2016 Kerouac Writer-in-Residence. The residency, which is named in tribute to Lowell native and “On the Road” author Jack Kerouac, is offered through the Jack and Stella Kerouac Center for the Public Humanities at UMass Lowell.

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, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu


ExhibitCambodians’ Life in the 1970s is the Subject of Exhibit, Artists’ Talk

When: Thursday, Feb. 11. Panel discussion, 3:30 to 5 p.m., and artists’ reception, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Exhibit runs through Saturday, Feb. 27; for exhibit times or to arrange a visit, e-mail Deborah_Santoro@uml.edu.

What: The exhibit “1975” features commissioned works by three Cambodian artists whose art evokes the power of memory, war, displacement and globalization. Artist Anida Yoeu’s video installation and silk-screened prints recall life in a refugee camp after the fall of the Khmer Rouge. Amy Lee Sanford’s video and photographs depicts the turmoil of the late 1960s and the 1970s, as told in letters written by a father she never knew. LinDa Saphan’s drawings of present-day Phnom Penh reveal the costs of urban development. The exhibit, which will include a panel discussion with the artists sharing the influences behind their work, is presented by UMass Lowell’s Department of Art and Design, Center for Asian American Studies and the Nancy Donahue Endowed Professorship in the Arts.

Where: Panel discussion – O’Leary Library Learning Commons, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell. Artists’ reception and exhibit – University Gallery, Mahoney Hall, 870 Broadway St., South Campus, Lowell

Contacts for media: Deborah Santoro, gallery coordinator, 978-934-3491, Deborah_Santoro@uml.edu or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu


OrchestraCurtain Rises on Free Concert by University Orchestra

When: Friday, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.

What: The University Orchestra – which includes UMass Lowell student musicians, faculty, and musicians from throughout the Merrimack Valley – will present a free concert that is open to the public. The program will include a performance of classical composer Joseph Haydn’s “Symphony No. 104” and selections from “Les Miserables.” The group is directed by Mark Latham, a faculty member in UMass Lowell’s Music Department.

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, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu


LatinosInfluence of Latino Americans Explored in Free Program Series

When: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 7 p.m.

What: The history of Latinos in the United States and their contributions to American culture is the focus of a free event series presented by UMass Lowell Libraries and held at libraries on campus and in Lawrence and Lowell. During the upcoming program, “The New Latinos,” Maria Matz, a UMass Lowell associate professor who teaches Latin American studies and culture, will lead a discussion on how immigrants from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic arrived in the United States in the mid-20th century to seek a better life. Subsequent programs in the series will be held in March and April. Members of the public interested in learning more may visit (http://uml.beta.libguides.com/programming) http://uml.beta.libguides.com/programming or e-mail Sara Marks, UMass Lowell instruction and outreach librarian, at Sara_Marks@uml.edu.

Where: Lawrence Public Library, 51 Lawrence St., Lawrence

Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu


DefenderJournalist Recounts Impact of Famed Newspaper on U.S. History

When: Thursday, Feb. 18, 12:30 p.m.

What: Abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ visit to the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893 – where he influenced an up-and-coming generation of civil rights leaders – will be the focus of a program presented by journalist Ethan Michaeli. The talk, which is free and open to the public, is adapted from Michaeli’s acclaimed book, “The Defender: How the Legendary Black Newspaper Changed America.” The work recounts how Douglass inspired entrepreneur Robert Abbott to establish the Chicago Defender in 1905 and chronicles the publication’s impact from its inception through today. Michaeli previously worked at the newspaper as a reporter and copy editor.

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, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu