Biosketch
Each year, a member of the graduating class is selected to convey a message of inspiration and encouragement, share common experiences and insights, and inspire fellow graduates. This year, the graduating student who is selected to receive this honor and represent the undergraduates in the Francis College of Engineering, Kennedy College of Sciences and Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences is Madelyn Archambault.
Madelyn, hailing from Dracut, Massachusetts, always had a strong interest in physics and problem-solving, and has continued to study these concepts at UMass Lowell. Madelyn recently completed her senior capstone project, which saw her and her team build a plasma reactor that valorizes plastic, a novel method of reducing plastic waste.
Madelyn is graduating today with her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Beyond her studies, Madelyn also served many leadership roles on campus. During the summers, she worked as an Orientation Leader where she helped welcome incoming students to the campus. She was promoted to Leadership Orientation where she worked year-round on building connections with incoming students.
During the semesters she served as a Well-Being leader where she worked on initiatives to help support the well-being on campus with a particular interest in supporting STEM students. She rose to become the Lead Well-Being Leader where she worked to open a Satellite Serenity Center and assisted programs that helped students in need. Madelyn was also a resident advisor in Riverhawk Village where she helped foster a safe and supportive campus community.
Madelyn is active in many different programs on campus including Researching and Mentoring Pathways (RAMP). She attended the program in the summer of 2022 prior to starting at UMass Lowell. She continued her work in RAMP her entire college career as an advocate for well-being and women in engineering. She was also involved in athletics on campus, participating in women’s rugby and rock-climbing clubs on campus.
Madelyn’s journey will continue at UML in the fall, as she pursues her master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Manufacturing and Design. After her master's, she plans to pursue roles in manufacturing engineering, and eventually hopes to get her master’s in business.