UMass Lowell to Showcase its Ongoing Transformation to Alumni, Public

10/16/2014

Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu

LOWELL, Mass. – River Hawk Homecoming – the biggest alumni event in UMass Lowell’s history – will bring the university’s graduates together with students, parents, friends and the public for a spirited weekend that will celebrate their ties to the university and each other.

Homecoming events for every generation will showcase River Hawk pride in UMass Lowell’s past, its present as the Commonwealth’s most dynamic public research university, its step up to NCAA Division I athletic competition, its contributions to the Greater Lowell community and its exciting future.

“For the first time in UMass Lowell’s history, we are hosting a Division I Homecoming Weekend. We welcome our alumni, students, staff, families and the community to join with us to celebrate our legacy and our future. It is with great UMass Lowell pride that we invite all to campus for a festival of music, food, fun and so much more,” said UMass Lowell Alumni Relations Director Heather Makrez ’06, ’08.

Events on Friday, Oct. 24 through Sunday, Oct. 26 will spotlight the transforming campus. UMass Lowell has opened 10 new buildings in five years, investing more than $600 million to accommodate a nearly 50 percent increase in enrollment, which now tops 17,000 students. Ranked as one of U.S. News and World Report’s top-tier national universities, UMass Lowell matched its academic excellence by elevating its athletic teams to join its men’s ice hockey squad in NCAA Division I competition.

Two weekend hockey games will bring fans to their feet at Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. The defending Hockey East Tournament champion River Hawks will face off against the University of Michigan Wolverines on Friday, Oct. 24 and Michigan State University in the Spartans’ debut appearance in Lowell on Saturday, Oct. 25. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

Revving up fans before Saturday’s game, “Hawkey Way” – a free event open to the public – will turn the lawn of the Tsongas Center into a street fair with live performances, games and activities for all ages, a farmer’s market, food, music and more from 2 to 6 p.m.

UMass Lowell men’s soccer and women’s volleyball and field hockey teams will also host games over the weekend. For a schedule of start times and locations, visit www.goriverhawks.com. Reunions for UMass Lowell classmates, alumni athletic competitions and campus tours will be just some of the other Homecoming activities. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.uml.edu/homecoming. Highlights include:

  • 16th annual Jennifer’s 5K Fun Run/Walk, Saturday, Oct. 25, Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. and the race starts at 11 a.m. Participants will explore the city while raising money for the Jennifer D’Amour Scholarship Fund, which supports scholarships for UMass Lowell women’s cross-country and track and field student-athletes. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell.
  • Then-and-Now Campus Shuttle Tours, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2 to 6 p.m. Alumni, parents and friends are invited to see UMass Lowell’s evolving campus, including the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, the University Crossing student-engagement center, two new residence halls, the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center and the Charles J. Hoff Alumni Center. Shuttles will leave every 45 minutes from outside the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell
  • Family Fun Day, Sunday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. An autumn classic, this free event includes pumpkin-picking, hayrides and a petting zoo. Children are encouraged to dress in Halloween costumes. Parlee Farms, 95 Farwell Road, Tyngsborough
  • Deans’ Discussions, Friday, Oct. 24, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Alumni celebrating their 40th and 50th reunions will hear from the leaders of UMass Lowell’s Graduate School of Education and College of Engineering about cutting-edge advancements in providing a world-class education to students. The colleges are the direct links to UMass Lowell’s predecessor institutions founded in the 1890s: the Lowell Normal School, a teaching college, and the Lowell Textile School, established to train technicians and managers for the city’s booming textile industry. UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, 50 Warren St., Lowell
  • Golden Alumni Luncheon, Saturday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Classmates celebrating their 50th reunion and older alumni will gather to reminisce about their college days and enjoy each other. UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, Junior Ballroom, 50 Warren St., Lowell. 

River Hawk Homecoming sponsors are Circle Health and Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union.

UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its more than 17,000 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be ready for work, for life and for all the world offers. www.uml.edu

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