10/17/2017
Boston Globe
By Jacqueline F. Moloney
Chancellor, UMass Lowell
In its thoughtful Dear Jeff letter to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the Globe issued a provocative challenge to further elevate the University of Massachusetts Lowell in order to close a gap in science and technology education and ensure a pipeline of highly skilled tech employees.
We accept.
Since 2007, UMass Lowell enrollment has surged by more than 50 percent, especially in engineering and the sciences. Furthermore, researchers here are working to increase and encourage women in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), funded by a multimillion-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation.
Since 2012, more than 25,000 UMass Lowell students have participated in our DifferenceMaker program, which teaches entrepreneurial skills and their application to business. Students have formed 17 companies.
UMass Lowell graduates are sought by industry, thanks to co-ops, internships, and research opportunities that prepare them to step seamlessly into careers. Our graduates with bachelor’s degrees average six-figure mid-career salaries, first in New England among public universities, according to PayScale.
Ninety-five percent of River Hawks graduate with a job or go on to graduate school.
With more than 1,000 partnerships with firms ranging from start-ups to Raytheon, UMass Lowell is growing the tech pipeline today and eager to partner with industry to meet the needs of tomorrow.