09/01/2015
Lowell Sun
By Amelia Pak-Harvey
LOWELL -- UMass Lowell's largest class ever comes to the city under the leadership of the university's first female chancellor since its inception 121 years ago.
The school welcomed more than 2,800 new students on Monday, freshmen who came from 256 municipalities in Massachusetts and 24 other states as far away as California.
The class also has the highest average SAT score and high-school GPA in the school's history.
Incoming Chancellor Jacqueline Moloney told the Class of 2019 that she is also entering a new phase of her life's journey as chancellor.
"I couldn't be more proud and delighted to share that with you, and I want you to know that this class, the Class of 2019, will always hold a special place in my heart," she said.
With an enrollment of 17,500 students, Moloney told the new college students that they come to Lowell at a time of "unprecedented growth."
A UMass Lowell graduate herself, she assured them that a UMass Lowell education would change their lives.
"You will challenge yourself and stretch yourself in ways you may not have imagined," she said. "You will make friends who will inspire you, encourage you, people who will be your friends for life."
Keynote speaker Clancy Martin, a philosophy professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and author of How to Sell, shared his college experience and offered tips for the incoming class.
Martin recalled his own college experience, noting he was prepared to embark on a trip to Europe after high school when his father made him go to college.
He was scared, he said, because he had been terrible in high school and expelled more than once.
"I'd like to tell you why, but all these people have invited me here to speak with you, so I'm afraid I can't out of respect to them," he said to laughter.
He later found out that college was great and he was suddenly the boss, he said.
"I could decide whether or not to go to class," he said. "I could decide which classes and professors were interesting to me, which sounded dull.
For the first time, I realized I was in charge of my life, including who and what I wanted to be."
He offered tidbits of advice -- go to class, skip class if you need to breathe, don't cheat, make friends and even get your heart broken.
"Be willing to confront your own emotions, to challenge yourselves," he said. "Say hi to that super-cute person that terrifies you."
Yet his most important suggestion to students was to follow their bliss. After college, he said, he had very unhappy years in the world of business even though he had studied chemistry, English and philosophy.
"My problem was I had a closed mind," he said. "I forgot that if I did what I loved, then other things would take care of themselves."
Student Government Association President James Christopher told freshmen that getting into UMass Lowell is not an end, but an acceptance of a lifelong responsibility to live up to the school's tradition.
"UMass Lowell will help you become whatever you want to be," he said. "But it is your responsibility to take full advantage of this opportunity provided to you."