Story and Source Ideas for Journalists

10/14/2014

This is a notice of upcoming events, photo opportunities and story ideas at UMass Lowell, compiled by the Office of University Relations, 978-934-3224. For more stories about UMass Lowell, visit www.uml.edu and click on “Media” at the top of the page. Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.

Sources of the week

UMass Lowell faculty experts are available to discuss: 

  • Why people are drawn to Gothic stories and shows such as “American Horror Story: Freak Show” and “The Walking Dead,” which both set record ratings for their respective premieres this week;
  • Targeted breast-cancer treatment that could improve patient care;
  • The science behind global warming, as a new NASA report predicts 2014 could become the hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880.

Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.

‘Mill Power’ Traces the Course of Lowell’s National Park

When: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 5 p.m.

What: A new book that recounts the history of Lowell National Historical Park will be unveiled by author Paul Marion, UMass Lowell’s executive director of community and cultural affairs. “Mill Power: The Origin and Impact of Lowell National Historical Park” traces the urban park from 1966 through its place in the community today. The event will include readings by people whose stories are included in the book, a talk by Marion about what it was like to work on the project and book signings. Marion – a Lowell native and UMass Lowell graduate – worked for the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission in the 1980s, helping to develop the park’s programs and properties. Members of the public who have questions about the event should contact the Lowell National Historical Park at 978-970-5000.

Where: Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, 246 Market St., Lowell

Contacts for media: Phil Lupsiewicz, Lowell National Historical Park, 978-275-1705 or phil_lupsiewicz@nps.gov or Nancy Cicco, UMass Lowell, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

Jack Kerouac Festival Brings Acclaimed Authors to Campus

When: Gish Jen event – Thursday, Oct. 16, 4:30 p.m., Anthony De Sa event – Thursday, Oct. 23, 4:30 p.m.

What: Acclaimed writers Gish Jen and Anthony De Sa will read from their works at free programs for the public as part of UMass Lowell’s Jack Kerouac Festival. Jen, the author of four novels, won the 2011 Massachusetts Book Prize in the fiction category for “World and Town.” De Sa, who grew up in Toronto’s Portuguese community, was a finalist for the 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize for his first book, “Barnacle Love.” Programs throughout the month celebrating Kerouac’s work and legacy are presented by the Jack Kerouac Literary Festival and the community organization Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! (Note: Reporters are welcome to interview Michael Millner, a UMass Lowell English professor who is an expert on Kerouac’s work and legacy.)

Where: O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell

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

Speaker Series Helps Students Learn Entrepreneurial Skills

When: Thursday, Oct. 16, 6 to 7 p.m.

What: UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker Program will launch a new speaker series designed to give students the entrepreneurial skills and guidance they need to launch their own ventures. The series will get underway with a session about how to create technology-based startups that will feature Steven Geyster, vice president of Estech, a leader in the medical-device industry, and Daniel Sullivan, a UMass Lowell faculty member in mechanical engineering. Now in its third year, the DifferenceMaker Program challenges students to work in teams develop a product, business or service that answers a real-world need in industry or the community. Teams then pitch their ideas to expert judges, vying for seed money for their ideas. Future speaker series’ topics will focus on how to launch nonprofit agencies, how to secure venture capital and how to protect intellectual property.

Where: University Crossing, Room 490, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell

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

Career Fair Brings Employers to Campus for Job-Ready Students

When: Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2 to 6 p.m.

What: More than 170 employers and 1,000 UMass Lowell students are expected to attend UMass Lowell’s Fall Career Fair – this year relocated to the Tsongas Center to accommodate demand. From General Electric to Johnson & Johnson and City Year to Raytheon, businesses, nonprofits and government agencies that need employees who are ready for the working world will find them in UMass Lowell undergraduate and graduate students who are seeking full- or part-time jobs, internships and cooperative-education opportunities. Visit the fair to interview UMass Lowell students about their career plans and talk to employers about what they are looking for from job candidates in today’s market. The event is presented by UMass Lowell’s Career Services and Cooperative Education Center. (Note: The fair is not open to the public but the media is encouraged to cover this event.)

Where: Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell

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

Business School to Host Ph.D. Program Open House

When: Friday, Oct. 24, 6 to 8 p.m.

What: Members of the public who want to learn more about how to get a doctorate in business administration will be introduced to UMass Lowell’s program during this open house presented by the university’s Manning School of Business. Faculty and current students will be on hand to answer questions about coursework, which prepares students to conduct independent research and teach at the college level in business disciplines including accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, leadership and organization studies, and management information systems. Those who wish to attend are asked to register by Sunday, Oct. 19 by contacting the program’s director, Yi Yang, associate professor of strategic management and entrepreneurship, at Yi_Yang@uml.edu.

Where: UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, 50 Warren St., Lowell

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

River Hawk Homecoming is One Celebration for Every Generation

When: Friday, Oct. 24 through Sunday, Oct. 26

What: River Hawk Homecoming – UMass Lowell’s biggest celebration of campus life for students, alumni, parents, friends and the public – will give participants many ways to celebrate their ties to the university and to each other. New this year, “Hawkey Way” will be a free fair outside the Tsongas Center filled with family entertainment, food and music on Saturday afternoon. A Family Fun Day at Parlee Farm in Tyngsborough on Sunday will feature pumpkin-picking and a petting zoo. Other weekend activities will include class reunions, athletic competitions, trolley tours of the university and more. The full weekend schedule can be found at http://alumni.uml.edu. Events include: 

  • 16th annual Jennifer’s 5K Fun Run/Walk, Saturday, Oct. 25, Registration starts at 9:30 a.m.; 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 women’s cross-country and track and field athletes. For registration information, visit http://alumni.uml.edu/s/1355/lowell/social.aspx?sid=1355&gid=4&pgid=2144 and click on “Jennifer’s Family Fun Run/Walk.” Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell.
  • Hawkey Way, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2 to 6 p.m. The free, outdoor festival will include live performances, a farmer’s market, a student organization and clubs fair, food and more. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell.
  • Open Skate, Saturday, Oct. 25, 1 to 2 p.m. Members of the public will take a twirl on the home ice of the defending Hockey East Tournament champion River Hawks before the team suits up at 7 p.m. for a game against Michigan State in the Spartans’ debut appearance in Lowell. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell. 

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

Dynamic Campus on Display for Prospective Students

When: Sunday, Oct. 26. Exhibits, 9 to 11:30 a.m.; campus tours, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

What: High-school, transfer and graduate students interested in UMass Lowell will learn about the university’s wealth of academic programs and vibrant campus life at this event. Attendees and their families will meet with faculty, staff and students and tour UMass Lowell’s campus, including the brand-new student-engagement center at University Crossing, the 10th new building opened by UMass Lowell in five years. Presentations on majors and programs, exhibits and information about financial aid and educational resources will illustrate why UMass Lowell is ranked among the top public universities in the country by U.S, News & World Report. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate degree programs and options for graduate study that include 39 master’s degrees, 33 doctoral degrees and dozens of certificate programs. For more information, visit www.uml.edu/admissions/visit/open-house/default.aspx.

Where:    Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell

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

Event for Local Children Scares Up Halloween Fun on Campus

When: Wednesday, Oct. 29, 4 to 7 p.m.

What: Local children and their families are invited to have some kooky and spooky fun at UMass Lowell’s free annual Halloween event, presented by the Office of Residence Life. Now in its eighth year, the event will include games, activities and safe trick-or-treating through two of the university’s residence halls, along with a “haunted house” experience for older children. Members of the public who have questions about the event may call Residence Life at 978-934-5160.

Where:    Sheehy and Concordia halls, South Campus, 4 and 6 Solomont Way, Lowell

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

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