Taking advantages of opportunities outside the classroom has helped Christopher Nunez succeed at UMass Lowell.
Struggling with the loss of her dear friend Toni, Alana Kelley dedicated her year-long capstone project to him to earn her degree in graphic design.
A co-op scholarship led to a job at Lowell Telecommunications Corp., and then a job at the university’s TV studio for English major Aaron King. Now he’s got all the skills he needs for a career in video or television production.
Julie Lun is the first in her family to attend college – and she wants to help other first-generation students start on the path to better lives.
A summer co-op inspired Benjamin Gacek to pick up a second major and pursue a career in forensic accounting.
Kelsey McDonough’s Emerging Scholar research on modernist women’s literature is taking her places.
Jenna Goecke is able to pursue her exercise physiology degree and compete in synchronized skating with the help of supportive faculty.
Through two co-ops and two internships, Samantha Hamel discovered her true professional calling — and landed the job of her choice before graduating.
Through a co-op with the Information Technology Office, computer science major Julio Hernandez leveraged CRM experience to build a line queue management system for the Solution Center.
Honors student Adeja Crearer is equally comfortable in front of a television camera or behind one. She’s combining a journalism concentration in English with minors in digital media and political science to prepare for a career in news.
Rising sophomore Chris Burns, one of five UMass students to win a $10,000 William Bulger Presidential Scholarship, came into the Manning School of Business with a strong sense of purpose.
Accounting major Jeanine Buonopane, who has cerebral palsy, plans to one day help people with disabilities learn to become more financially successful.
Business administration major Keviana-Joy George transformed from a shy transfer student to an outgoing student leader who is on track for a career in human resources.
Selena Tran found lots of research opportunities at UML, including a study of gorilla behavior at the Franklin Park Zoo.
For Erin Graceffa, UMass Lowell’s hands-on approach to learning as well as the opportunity to participate in co-ops and take elective courses have helped her figure out which career path to take after graduation.
By working with the Office of International Experiences & Study Abroad, chemical engineering major Nicholas Langberg was able to add a two-month internship to his summer school program in Germany.
Steffan Jackson combines his business studies with his passion for community service to create Make-A-Change, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids in hardship situations.
Math major Thomas Heywosz came to UMass Lowell with a co-op scholarship and found a research position with a physics professor. Now he’s planning on a career as a high school math teacher.
Lauren Gary transferred to UMass Lowell to study psychology and work with people with disabilities. Thanks to faculty advice, she entered the bachelor’s-to-master’s program in autism studies – and found a job in her field before finishing her undergraduate degree.
Sean Cloran used his Co-op Scholarship to study ecology and to map sources of water pollution in Peru. He also got to hug a baby sloth.
An exchange semester at the Czech Technical University led to a two-month internship in Prague for electrical engineering major Gregory Ensom.
Field hockey and fate brought Georgia Cowderoy ’17 to UMass Lowell all the way from Australia. Now she’s taking her degree and going new places.
The Lawrence Lin MakerSpace is where Omar Abdelaal works on the drone for his senior capstone, and where he became inspired to start an eNABLE chapter in his native Egypt.
James Aung is the executive director of SayDaNar, a refugee organization he co-founded. He plans to return to Mayanmar, his home country, when he graduates.
Sam Aikins transferred to UMass Lowell because he wanted a greater challenge – and a place he could make his mark.
Kellsie Howard has managed to achieve a lot in her first two years in the Manning School of Business, including organizing a DECA competition, starting two clubs and working as a co-op at Putnam Investments.
Shelby Creamer gained the clinical experience, faculty support, good grades and passion that made her shine, helping the nursing student land a coveted "externship" with Mayo Clinic.
Carly Tiches's desire to help and care for others began when she started coaching children in gymnastics. She realized that she enjoyed giving first aid and caring for injuries. Now she is turning that passion into a career.
Abigail Hans becomes the first student to represent Manning School of Business’ Beta Gamma Sigma chapter at the international business honor society’s Global Leadership Summit.
Daniel Schmith knows how to pace himself on the cross country and track teams. But when it comes to entrepreneurship, it’s full speed ahead.
Even though many of Zack Zuber’s family members attended UMass Lowell, he wasn’t convinced that it was the place for him – that is, until he visited the campus.
UMass Lowell was love at first sight for business major Tan Nhat Nuynh, a native of Vietnam, who is making the most of his opportunities in and out of the classroom.
Mechanical engineering major Yehya Merhi discovered his passion as a co-op for medical tech company Atrium Medical. Now the Lebanon native wants to make it a career.
Moniphal Bing was able to study abroad in Cambodia, which his parents fled before he was born, through a new partnership with the American University of Phnom Penh.
For Salmaan Kapadia, giving back to the community has been a life-long endeavor that's rooted in family.
Transferring from UMass Amherst, now an accounting major in the Manning School of Business, Belasque wants to become a certified public accountant, a profession she feels has limitless opportunities for success.
Mallory Mulligan credits the work experience she got during her two co-op jobs and through her part-time work as the accounting assistant in Career Services with helping her land a highly competitive position at Ernst & Young.
Boscaja's choice to attend college close to home gave her the opportunity to travel across the globe, making connections that will serve her well after graduation.
Yonnie Collins joined the Honors College to get a well-rounded education – and for challenging classes.
Officer Johnny Sann, who is closing in on his business degree, says volunteering at the Special Olympics gives him a better perspective on life.
David Entwistle strives to make student experiences at UMass Lowell as successful as his and hopes he leaves a lasting legacy.
English major Abi Martinez plans to work in college admissions, with a focus on recruiting minority students. She’s gotten both work and academic experiences on campus that will help her toward her goal.
Even though Erneston Maurissaint '16 passed the state’s nursing board exam on his first try, his road to success was not an easy one.
Mickyas Yihdego, an electrical engineering major originally from Ethiopia, helps the Lowell Housing Authority digitize its blueprints archive through his work-study job at O’Leary Library.
Kadeem Davis stepped out of his comfort zone to start the Black Student Union. He’s learned a lot about leadership and building an organization—and about the diverse interests of black students on campus.
Nicholas Gates took advantage of every possible opportunity at UMass Lowell, including a semester abroad in Belfast that led to his decision to attend grad school in Denmark.
During his six-month co-op at iRobot, Kevin Dibble was a full-time member of the software team – and he developed an automated testing system for a universal robot controller.
Kristen Racamato forged her path at UMass Lowell, earning a degree in fine arts with a graphic design concentration.
Management student Matthew Johnson entered the university in the aftermath of the global financial crisis and wanted to graduate with strong educational credentials and relevant job skills.
Edwyn Shoemaker hasn't had an easy road through life. But he’s taken the right steps for success in his education and wants to help others do the same.
Yefry Matos came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic at age 18, worked as a janitor to pay his way through community college and now has a banking job waiting for him at JPMorgan Chase & Co. after graduation.
Matthew D’Angelo loves to solve problems—and he’s great at explaining how he does it. That’s why he’s majoring in math and enrolled in the UTeach program.
Kevin Hines hopes to put his engineering skills to work designing state-of-the-art materials for the plumbing and heating industry.
Honors College graduate Dan Muise is launched on an academic research career, thanks to a pair of B.A.s in economics and political science, lots of faculty support and several undergraduate research grants.
U.S. Marine veteran Chris Perez knew he wanted to further his education, but wasn't sure of his path until he found UMass Lowell and its student veteran population.
Rajia Abdelaziz wants to run her own smart jewelry company – a goal that’s well within reach thanks to a research co-op and involvement with the Society of Women Engineers.
Through her efforts to raise awareness about the financial challenges many students and recent graduates face, mathematics major Alexis Ploss found herself attending President Obama’s State of the Union address as special guest of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Sarah Herrick’s studies and many internships prepared her for a job working with troubled teens.
Thanks to professional co-ops at New Balance and Teradyne, mechanical engineering major Matt Macioci has designs on a future career working with complex machinery.
Research and community are important to Steven Jacek. Fortunately, he’s found opportunities for both on campus.
Honors student Michael Doane won a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for his cancer-related research in labs at UMass Lowell and during a summer National Science Foundation program. He says UMass Lowell does a great job of structuring both classes and learning experiences that build on one another.
Through her summer internship at UMass Lowell, Neha Manohar gained hands-on research experience and the opportunity to present her findings at a national meeting of the American Chemical Society.
Kreg Kaminski's experience at UMass Lowell in the Biology department and UTeach Program is being put to good use at Lowell High School.
Renoel Amogawin says community service, sociology classes and work on faculty research are preparing him for a career in immigration enforcement.
By balancing her graphic design studies with a four-year field hockey career and a wealth of leadership roles, Kelly Freitas '16 graduated with America East Woman of the Year honors.
Manning School of Business MBA student Daniel Parravano began working as a real estate agent as an undergraduate to help pay his way through school. Now he is ready to make his mark in the world of commercial real estate.
A service-learning capstone in Lowell and Haiti transformed Maureen Kelly’s civil engineering education — and her life. She now works for a firm that supports her ongoing volunteer work in Haiti and her mentoring of current students.
Criminal justice major Matt Levenson loves an adventure and a challenge—and he’s bent on seizing every opportunity he can while at UMass Lowell.
The Honors College offered Peter Larsen a chance to explore outside his major, giving him a true liberal arts education and changing his career plans. Then DifferenceMaker helped him realize his dream of providing unique and inexpensive prosthetic hands to kids.
Participating in the 2017 Miss Massachusetts USA pageant helped bolster business student Keana-Grace Danier’s confidence and drive, which she sees helping her future sales career.
Manning School of Business student Rachel Silk landed a professional co-op as a marketing events coordinator that has helped shape her future career plans.
Briannah Larsen came here to play Division I field hockey – and stayed for the business school and the Honors College.
Lindsay Blount is a full-time Honors College student, military spouse and mom – but she still found time to pursue a partnership with the Thoreau Institute.
Tyler Farley has found much to satisfy his appetite for politics on campus and off, from serving in student government, to campaigning for Marco Rubio, to attending the Republican National Convention and more.
Alexandra Deckoff-Jones is earning her undergraduate degree in psychology—including doing original research on accommodations for students with disabilities—entirely online, through the Division of Online and Continuing Education.
Ayah Awadallah is starting an online magazine for young American Muslim women caught between American culture and the tenets of their faith.
Matilda Matovu discovered a passion for public health during a summer program at The Washington Center that included an internship with a public health advocacy group.
Nairoby Gabriel is graduating with an Honors College degree in Political Science after only one year at UMass Lowell, where she participated in Model UN for the first time – and was named an outstanding delegate.
Casey O’Neill didn’t originally want to follow in her parents’ footsteps and study accounting at UMass Lowell. Now that she has, she couldn’t be happier with her decision.
Asad Elmi has long been fascinated by the financial world. Now that he’s been immersed in that world in a sales and marketing co-op position at Putnam Investments, he’s ready to make it a career.
Bridget McSherry seized every opportunity she could while earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting at UMass Lowell, and now she’s ready to begin her career at Moody, Famiglietti & Andronico.
Syeda Nizami is using scholarships, research fellowships and work-study jobs to graduate with low debt, so she can afford a career helping others instead of working to pay off student loans.
For veteran Brandon Geisler, transferring to UMass Lowell from Northern Essex Community College gave him real work experience to help in his field of Information Technology.
Music student Jay Souweine is a jazz trumpeter, member of the marching band and plays taps at military funerals – yet he loves UMass Lowell for being more rounded than a conservatory.
Nutritional sciences major Catherine York seems to excel in all that she does.
Student trustee Malinda Reed is considering a career in human rights and immigration law after studying the history of Greek immigrants in Lowell.
Three bus rides, a different language and a challenging curriculum were not roadblocks for Isaura Jimenez on her path to a nursing degree. She saw them as challenges to be met.
Raised in a rural area in central Massachusetts, Brianna Dowse was unsure about living in a city like Lowell. But once she was accepted into the Exercise Physiology and the Doctorate of Physical Therapy programs, she took the leap and has never looked back.
Brianna Atwood came to UMass Lowell to study plastics engineering – but she’s done so much more. The honors student started a volunteer program that connects UML students with a local school. She has also participated in the professional co-op program, working on fire-resistant seals for airplanes.
Alessandra Greco’s understanding of the Federal Reserve Bank, the U.S. economy and monetary policy grew exponentially when she joined a team that went to the Boston Fed Challenge. She’s already preparing for next year’s competition.
For this sound recording technology grad, it’s all between the ears.
As a UMass Lowell freshman, Matthew Desmond decided he wanted to be a math teacher and got hands-on experience through innovative teacher-training programs like UTeach and Jumpstart.
Jason Norman comes from a French-Canadian family in Lowell, but his ability to speak French really took off after a summer study abroad program in Paris.
Ryan Liebel found his talent for broadcast radio as a DJ at 91.5 FM WUML, the university’s student-run radio station.
Victoria feels UMass Lowell's rigorous course curriculum and lab projects have prepared her well for the working world.
Toronto native Thalia Petsis juggles Division I soccer with business studies — and a bevy of extracurricular leadership roles.
Peace and Conflict Studies major Jenna Kapp has taken advantage of nearly every opportunity that’s come her way on campus. Now she’s finding more abroad.
When the opportunity arose for the Medical Laboratory Sciences major to work hands-on as a lab intern in Weed Hall, Kassie Pavlakos knew it was too good to pass up.
Nina Petropoulos landed a job with a Lowell nonprofit after a service-learning internship, thanks to her strong writing and website development skills.
Anthony Gaeta says his six-month co-op at John Hancock Financial gave him real-world experience in his dream job as an actuary.
Chemical engineering major, Nicholas Marinelli, finds the campus veteran community to be very welcoming. He says it really helps to be surrounded by fellow student-veterans who share a unique bond with him.
Deborah Paul transferred from Eastern Nazarene College and quickly decided on UMass Lowell when she came to visit campus. She discovered the sense of community and the university's rich diversity.
Jacob Solomon is as well-rounded as they come. The honors English and math major is assisting with research in a biology lab.
Marlon Pitter came to UMass Lowell from Connecticut because of the campus’ diversity, urban environment and strong music program.
When music education major Joshua Santana teaches local grade-schoolers to play violin through the university’s String Project, he connects with them because he was once in their shoes.
Amanda Robinson considers Jacquie Moloney a true role model. As a UMass Student Trustee, Robinson got to help her mentor become elected Chancellor of UMass Lowell.
Honors chemistry major Abigail Giarrosso found a work-study job her freshman year in the lab at the Toxics Use Reduction Institute. Now she’s helping develop and test a safer paint-stripper – with great success.
As President of the UMass Lowell Chinese Students and Scholars Association, finance major Anna Jiang stays connected to her culture — while sharing it with others.
Jessica Tawczynski has made painting her life and career with the help of her diverse undergraduate education.