12/07/2023
By John Feudo

Joy Tong Women in Business (JTWiB) was founded in 2019 to increase the number of women studying business and to improve the Manning School of Business experience for all students through networking and empowerment activities that accentuate career development. The group’s members network with industry professionals and participate in local community service projects. Each event is carefully designed to inspire members to find their voices, gain leadership experience and leave campus with a strong lasting network.

A generous new commitment of $100,000 from Joy Tong and John Pulichino will provide transformational support to engaged JTWiB members to help them realize much-needed career connected experiences while studying at UMass Lowell. These invaluable experiences can help set these hard-working, deserving students on a path to achieve their career success, a top priority for Chancellor Julie Chen.

“A big part of the reason why the Wall Street Journal named us the #1 public institution in Massachusetts is because our students graduate with good jobs in their chosen field. Opportunities like this give them a chance to explore career options,” said Chancellor Chen.

For calendar year 2024 — covering the Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 semesters and including Summer 2024 — this $100,000 commitment is intended to provide up to 20 actively engaged JTWiB members with a stipend to support a variety of possible enhancements to their educational experience. This includes (but is not limited to):

  • Payment for an internship or co-op with an organization or entity that could not otherwise afford to pay the student. This helps eliminate the need of the student to get a paying position to help support their educational and living needs.
  • Travel dollars for a relevant study abroad program, or money for any local/national travel needed by the student to pursue a career connected experience.
  • Funding for conference fees or other educational costs related to the students’ areas of career interest.
  • Funds paid to a student to support their academic research in specific areas of interest, centered around business disciplines. This might include assisting a faculty member in relevant business areas, or working with a local nonprofit or start up business.

Joy Tong and John Pulichino understand the inherent value of these opportunities.

“UMass Lowell students work hard to pay for this great education that can lead to a good job post-graduation. We wanted to make the path to their success both a little easier and a lot more focused,” they said.

Students interested in learning more about this great Joy Tong Women in Business career opportunity can reach out to Susanne Ferrara at Susanne_Ferrara@uml.edu.