Undergraduate Students

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.

Before Aaron Stella graduated from the medical laboratory science program, he had more job offers than he knew what to do with.

Aaron Wilson chose UMass Lowell because of the strength of the public health program. Once he transferred, he immersed himself in campus life, getting involved in everything from clubs to research as a laboratory assistant at the Toxics Use Reduction Institute.

Through the Manning School’s Business and Entrepreneur Scholars in Training (BEST) program, accounting major Abby McNulty developed a case study analysis of the Columbia Gas explosions for the Donahue Center for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility.

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.

Honors chemistry major Abigail Giarrosso helped develop a safer paint-stripper at her work-study job at the Toxics Use Reduction Institute. She stayed to pursue her master's and has taken on her next research challenge: finding an alternative to acetone-based removers for gel manicures.

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.

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.

Motivated by the loss of a lake he had enjoyed as a child in his native Uzbekistan, economics major Akbar Abduljalil has taken on the role of president of the Student Society for Sustainability.

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.

The Model U.N. program and a semester interning and learning in Washington, D.C., helped Alejandro Lopez put economic and political theory into practice - and paved the way for a successful career.

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.

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.

Alex DiBuono turned his own experience with chemotherapy into an honors capstone project in electrical engineering.

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.

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.

The Honors Program at Middlesex Community College helped Andrea Patino Galindo master English – and transfer to the Honors College at UMass Lowell.

After making his mark at UML as Student Government Association president, Manning School of Business senior Andre DiFilippo is excited to get started on a sales career.

Ever since moving to Lowell from the Philippines with his mom as a child, Andre Ragel has embraced a sink-or-swim attitude – one that carried the business administration major through a busy first year on campus.

The summer after his freshman year, Andrew Stanwicks worked in a hospital rehabilitation research lab.

Andrew Sciascia’s studies in political science and homeland security are combining with his student newspaper experience to prepare him for a career as a political analyst.

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.

Electrical engineering major Arielle Joasil discovered a gold mine of opportunities at UML, including a co-op at Thermo Fisher Scientific, a fellowship at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and a research assistant role at UML’s Center for Advanced Computation and Telecommunications.

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.

Ayah Awadallah is starting an online magazine for young American Muslim women caught between American culture and the tenets of their faith.

A summer co-op inspired Benjamin Gacek to pick up a second major and pursue a career in forensic accounting.

Benjamin McEvoy has been racking up wins as a DifferenceMaker competitor with partner Edward Morante and their idea for an inclusive combination of baseball and cricket, Benji Ball.

Bradley Sherwood explains history to school children and adults at the Tsongas Industrial History Center, an educational partnership between the university and Lowell National Historical Park.

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.

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.

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.

Briannah Larsen came here to play Division I field hockey – and stayed for the business school and the Honors College.

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.

After working with Alzheimer’s patients while in high school, Bryanna Ippolito is pursuing her bachelor's in nutritional sciences and developed a program for students who someday may be working with Alzheimer’s patients to understand what it’s like to live with the disease.

Carla Gonzalez Hidalgo is a full-time student and her family’s sole support. Yet she finds time to volunteer for causes she believes in.

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.

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.

Cassie Harding’s internship experiences as a public health student inspired her to tackle the big health and wellness challenges facing people in the cities and towns around her.

Nutritional sciences major Catherine York seems to excel in all that she does.

During her six-month sales operations co-op at Kronos, business administration major Chanelle Cruz developed her Salesforce CRM problem-solving skills.

In a sport where team chemistry is vital, UML hockey player Charlie Levesque brings the perspective of an actual chemistry major – one with the goal of one day becoming a chiropractor.

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.

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.

Taking advantages of opportunities outside the classroom has helped Christopher Nunez succeed at UMass Lowell.

Chummeng Soun is documenting the traditional dances of his native Cambodia with support from the Center for Asian American Studies and the Southeast Asian Digital Archive.

The thrill of figuring out how things work led Clint Perry to major in electrical engineering. He is also enrolled in the UTeach Program, where he carries his enthusiasm for engineering over to his teaching at Billerica High School.

Cora Casteel says mathematics will help her with a career in policing and criminal justice policy.

Coral Gonzalez set her sights on becoming a nurse after she was hospitalized in middle school. The Honors College student won one of the first Oprah Winfrey Scholarships to help her succeed.

Honors nursing student Corrina Quaglietta studied abroad in San Sebastian, Spain, the summer after her freshman year. The experience turned her into a huge booster of study abroad.

Dana Ibrahim chose UMass Lowell for its peace and conflict studies program, which lets her combine classes across the social sciences and humanities to suit her goal: to become a diplomat and aid refugees.

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.

When Daniel Howell interned at the City of Lowell Health Department, he helped run a forum addressing opioid abuse.

Just as she does in the high jump, junior business major Danielle Poublon reached new heights during her operations management co-op at Raytheon.

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.

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.

Honors College student Daphne Shakira Naut was already fluent in two languages and had started on two more by the time she finished high school. Here at UML, she’s picked up a fifth language and studied abroad three times – all while supporting herself.

Marine Corps veteran Daryle LaMonica is on the fast track to becoming a doctor through the UMass Medical School Baccalaureate to M.D. Pathway Program.

David Todisco says his political science classes, internships and experiences through UML's partnership with The Washington Center are helping him forge a political career.

David Entwistle strives to make student experiences at UMass Lowell as successful as his and hopes he leaves a lasting legacy.

Whether it’s working to improve campus life as Student Government Association president or responding to an emergency call as a student EMT, David Morton has dedicated himself to making UML a better place.

Davood Dashti’s love of photography helped him transition from home in Iran to college life in the United States. Now, the Manning School of Business student is focused on a professional photography career.

Honors student Denia Taylor has overcome many challenges in order to pursue a degree in political science. She plans to take up a career that allows her to combine legal training and philosophy.

Honors student Edina Hirt faced hurdles from learning English to battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma while working toward her degree. Still, she won an award for her dedication to community service.

Edward Morante says his studies in education and English, and his participation in the DifferenceMaker program, are preparing him to teach children of all ages.

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.

Elinor Mayo has lofty dreams, and Air Force ROTC is helping her find her way to the cockpit.

Ellen Panetto was always interested in anatomy and how the body works, but wasn't sure exactly what area she wanted to work in. Her clinical rotation experiences led to her decision to pursue a career as a pathologists' assistant.

Emmy Misail won an Honors College creativity fellowship to draw comic strips under the guidance of an art professor.

Studying abroad in London convinced business student Emoni Baffour ’18 to return to the UK for graduate school and pursue her passion for a career in the fashion industry.

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.

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.

Flore Stécie Norcéide won an Oprah Winfrey Scholarship to study computer engineering here.

Honors student Franchesca Arias is passionate about studying abroad after completing a summer program in Valencia, Spain.

When UMass Lowell Police Sergeant Frank Sullivan isn’t keeping the campus safe at night, he’s working on his master’s degree in criminal justice, helping raise three teenagers and training for a marathon.

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.

Gackson Wheeler found his path to the crossroads of politics and the possibilities the Air Force offered at UMass Lowell, and he calls it one of the best decisions he’s ever made.

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.

Greg Reimonn found a faculty mentor to help him research microplastics in waterways, thanks to an honors fellowship.

An exchange semester at the Czech Technical University led to a two-month internship in Prague for electrical engineering major Gregory Ensom.

Motivated to help patients regain strength to live their best possible lives, Haley LaFreniere was inspired early on by her mom to pursue a health-related field.

Hannah Daly researched the opioid crisis with one professor and the alt-right with another. She’s already published the results of a public opinion survey she helped design, and now she wants to use her research skills to influence public policy on behalf of women.

As a merchandising co-op for TJX in Framingham, senior business administration major Hayley Buonodono of Amesbury took a giant step toward her career goal of working as a buyer in the retail industry.

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.

For electrical engineering major Jack Goutier of Attleboro, failure was part of the job during his six-month product safety co-op at Bose Corp.

Jacob Solomon is as well-rounded as they come. The honors English and math major is assisting with research in a biology lab.

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.

James Joutras came to UMass Lowell to discover himself. His experiences instilled confidence – and took him to Japan, where he plans to work after graduation.

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.

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.

Accounting major Jeanine Buonopane, who has cerebral palsy, plans to one day help people with disabilities learn to become more financially successful.

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 she was younger, Jennifer Schultz didn’t want to be an engineer. Yet here she is, a summer intern in the office of Nonspec, a company that offers low-cost prosthetic limb systems. She even trekked to India with UMass Lowell’s B.V.B. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program.

Honors student Jessica Kergo has landed great jobs and internships – including one with Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. She also writes for The Connector student newspaper and advocates for mental health awareness.

Jessica Tawczynski has made painting her life and career with the help of her diverse undergraduate education.

Officer Johnny Sann, who is closing in on his business degree, says volunteering at the Special Olympics gives him a better perspective on life.

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.

Joining a club as soon as she arrived on campus got Julie Lawton experience on two political campaigns as well as internships in the Boston mayor’s office and the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus – all within a year.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Katie McGourty took advantage of UML's Bachelor’s-to-Master’s program and completed her master’s in one year. She landed a job with Pfizer Inc. in the inflammation and immunology department before she graduated.

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.

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.

As an accounting co-op at iRobot, business administration major Kelly Dankese of Wilmington discovered a symbiotic relationship between what she learned in the classroom and the work she was doing for the Bedford-based tech company.

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.

Business student Kelly Michael Skelton plans to earn his undergraduate and MBA degrees in just four years – and with zero debt – while juggling multiple jobs and extracurricular activities.

Kelsey McDonough’s Emerging Scholar research on modernist women’s literature is taking her places.

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.

As one of the university’s first DC-CAP Scholars, mechanical engineering major Kevin Akers is pursuing his dream of becoming an astronaut — while also continuing to make a difference in the lives of others.

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.

Kevin Hines hopes to put his engineering skills to work designing state-of-the-art materials for the plumbing and heating industry.

Kreg Kaminski's experience at UMass Lowell in the Biology department and UTeach Program is being put to good use at Lowell High School.

Kristen Racamato forged her path at UMass Lowell, earning a degree in fine arts with a graphic design concentration.

Laura Cabrera's studies in philosophy and psychology have given her great personal insight - and the confidence to pursue a creative career in music, art and dance.

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.

UML prepared Lianna Partee for a career that she’s passionate about. After completing her nursing degree here and working as a registered nurse for a year, she returned to earn a master’s degree in gerontological nursing.

A deep-rooted desire for financial independence drives everything that Linda Barg does as a student in the Manning School of Business.

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.

As a Student Government Association senator, Lisa Degou was invited to sit on the stage at Jacquie Moloney’s inauguration as chancellor. Now, as SGA president, she meets with Moloney every month to negotiate for student interests.

Lukas Lazarek’s summer research fellowship in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University helped prepare him for graduate school – and won him an award.

During her final semester at UMass Lowell, Maddie May Scott’s band was invited by rock royalty Melissa Etheridge to join the all-star lineup playing on Etheridge’s annual seven-night spring cruise.

An honors seminar and fellowship sent Maggie Davenport to Haiti, where she’s working on sustainability projects.

Student trustee Malinda Reed is considering a career in human rights and immigration law after studying the history of Greek immigrants in Lowell.

An Honors College student fellowship gave Marbella Leal a chance to work with at-risk students and do research with a professor.

Marilyn Saha used an Honors College Student Fellowship to help first-generation college students succeed.

Marina Novaes was inspired to pursue a career in health after a mission trip to El Salvador. Marina's experiences through her sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau, and the peer-education group Campus Advocates for Prevention Education, motivated her to apply (and be accepted into) UML’s Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Public Health program.

Marlon Pitter came to UMass Lowell from Connecticut because of the campus’ diversity, urban environment and strong music program.

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.

Matt Cherkerzian is an EMT majoring in criminal justice who helps with research into decision-making by first responders.

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.

As a sophomore, Matthew Clancy designed a small satellite with a vital mission: getting children and teens excited about their STEM studies and aerospace careers. Now he’s developing his LEARNsat for NASA launch.

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.

After Matthew Fowler's mother underwent heart surgery, he observed the nurses, who worked with both intelligence and kindness. The experience inspired him to choose nursing as his career.

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.

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.

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.

Matt Murphy quit vaping after a two-year addiction. Now he speaks out against teen vaping every chance he gets.

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.

Maxwell Aaronson transferred to UMass Lowell for that “big school experience” and the Honors College.

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.

Thanks to her co-op and internship experiences at Kronos, business administration major Maylis Brito has broadened her career options beyond her concentration in finance.

Meghan Berking ran across the country to raise $7,500 for cancer research after losing her father to colon cancer.

Melanie Carignan is so enthusiastic about the undergraduate education major that she volunteered to be the College of Education’s first alumni ambassador.

Honors student Michael Doane has won several prestigious fellowships and scholarships for his cancer-related and biofuel research. He says UMass Lowell does a great job of structuring both classes and learning experiences that build on one another.

Michelle Garcia, a rising spoken word poet, is also learning how to write poetry for the page.

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.

Senior chemical engineering major Mina Le chose a work-study job at the front desk of the Student Employment Office because she wanted to improve her communication skills. She’s done that and more, being named the university’s Student Employee of the Year.

Miranda Melo feels well prepared for her nursing career. Her past clinical rotations included working at Lowell General Hospital, Winchester Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of New England.

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.

Mya Neary won an honors fellowship to learn more about running an urban farming nonprofit. Now she’s volunteering with Mill City Grows while developing her own business plan.

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.

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.

Nick Abourizk started college with plans to pursue a biology degree – but he couldn’t deny his passion for acting. An Oprah Winfrey Scholarship affirmed his decision to switch his major to Theatre Arts.

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.

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.

When Nicholas Kerrigan spent a summer at the YMCA working with third graders, some of whom had learning disabilities, he was inspired to switch his major from business to education.

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.

Nicole Hayek came to the Manning School of Business to prepare for a career in marketing. Along the way, she's been able to fulfill her passion for music.

Nina Petropoulos landed a job with a Lowell nonprofit after a service-learning internship, thanks to her strong writing and website development skills.

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.

While double-majoring in psychology and exercise physiology, Patrice Faith Olivar has gained both research and practical experience. UMass Lowell has opened more doors than she thought possible.

Honors student Patrick Martin is studying political science to change drug policy.

Patrick McCallum got a leg up on his plastics engineering career with an internship at Wittmann Battenfeld, where he worked alongside the company's president, alum David Preusse '85.

Patrick Pang knew he wanted hands-on experience conducting research. As a college freshman in the Immersive Scholar program, he conducted research on protective wear that helps prevent injuries in the NERVE-Movement Assessment and Performance Laboratory.

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.

Qiana Curcuru loves UMass Lowell for its opportunities. The honors student is president of the campus chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, has done a professional co-op at iRobot, has taught and interned at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and done research with two professors on campus.

Rachel Record grew up as a student in the String Project at UMass Lowell, so she knew exactly where she wanted to study criminal justice. Now she’s heading for law school.

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.

Rafaela Gonzalez wants to care for people as individuals and in communities, so she's majoring in sociology and minoring in psychology. She's also started her own business.

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.

Renoel Amogawin says community service, sociology classes and work on faculty research are preparing him for a career in immigration enforcement.

Roma Aurora has become a strong and valued presence on campus, from her roles as president of both the Manning Leaders Council and Marketing Society, to her ambassador work for both international students and student alumni, to her participation in the DifferenceMaker Program.

Ryan Liebel found his talent for broadcast radio as a DJ at 91.5 FM WUML, the university’s student-run radio station.

For Salmaan Kapadia, giving back to the community has been a life-long endeavor that's rooted in family.

Sam Aikins transferred to UMass Lowell because he wanted a greater challenge – and a place he could make his mark.

Through two co-ops and two internships, Samantha Hamel discovered her true professional calling — and landed the job of her choice before graduating.

Sarah Herrick’s studies and many internships prepared her for a job working with troubled teens.

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.

After a life-changing health scare, Sean Flaherty recommitted himself to academics. He graduated from the Manning School of Business with a perfect 4.0 GPA and landed his “dream job” at a water sustainability company in New York.

For this sound recording technology grad, it’s all between the ears.

Selena Tran found lots of research opportunities at UML, including a study of gorilla behavior at the Franklin Park Zoo.

A semester in Washington, D.C., interning with a nonprofit that trains women to run for political office galvanized Shaila Bornstein. As soon as she finishes at UML, she plans to return to Washington to gain political experience so she can run for president.

Shannon Gray started earning her master's degree in Public Health with a focus on epidemiology as an undergraduate. Her internship with the Uxbridge Board of Health broadened her exposure to the role public health professionals play and strengthened her skills.

Business student Shaymus Dunn got hands-on accounting experience – and an unexpected visit to the NASDAQ stock exchange – during his summer internship at EverQuote.

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.

Sid Iyer has taken advantage of internships, research opportunities, the DifferenceMaker program and more to pursue his goal: a career in biomedical research and development.

Sofia Savoca chose UMass Lowell for the opportunity to be in the Honors College and to study civil engineering. She’s found a dozen new opportunities since arriving on campus.

Sophie Combs knows her research is going somewhere: into the online Library of New England Immigration.

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.

Research and community are important to Steven Jacek. Fortunately, he’s found opportunities for both on campus.

Sunilda Frias is studying biology to help subsistence farmers improve their soil. She also loves literature – and didn’t want to give it up completely as a biology major. An Honors College Student Fellowship pushed her to keep reading great books.

Sydney Fagundes has found her calling: teaching young children, with a focus on science and math.

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.

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.

Taylor Carito signed up to work on The Connector, the student newspaper, at the beginning of freshman year. Now she’s editor-in-chief, and her involvement has shaped her college experience.

Toronto native Thalia Petsis juggles Division I soccer with business studies — and a bevy of extracurricular leadership roles.

Thomas Baldwin is pursuing a history degree while planning a career in law.

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.

Tommy Curtis, who recently competed in his second Golden Gloves tournament, balances his studies in the Manning School of Business with training in the boxing ring.

Twisha Mohapatra says her experiences in the River Hawk Scholars Academy and the Honors College have boosted her confidence, taught her leadership skills and set her up for academic success.

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.

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.

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.

Yonnie Collins joined the Honors College to get a well-rounded education – and for challenging classes.

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.

Zayna Basma volunteered at a center that helps Burmese refugees - and became fascinated by refugee policy and research.