Jacquie Moloney Inaugurated as UMass Lowell Chancellor

10/23/2015

Media contacts: Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu and Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

LOWELL, Mass. – Jacquie Moloney, UMass Lowell graduate who has worked at the university for three decades, made history today when she was inaugurated as the first woman chancellor in the institution’s 121 years at events that also raised $1.5 million for student scholarships. 

“What is it that we do at this university? What is our mission? I believe it is to change lives,” said Moloney, who entered the ceremony to the UMass Lowell Marching Band playing the school fight song, “River Hawk Pride.” “What makes this university so special? Put simply, it is all of you: our inspiring students, our brilliant faculty and committed staff, our devoted alumni, our dedicated civic and business leaders and our community of friends and family.” 

More than 1,000 members of the UMass Lowell community gathered at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell to celebrate the inauguration of Moloney, the third person to hold the post of chancellor of the university. Among them was Moloney’s predecessor and fellow UMass Lowell graduate, UMass President Marty Meehan. 

“Jacquie Moloney is a visionary leader,” said Meehan, who, with UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Victor Woolridge, presented Moloney with a medallion symbolizing that she has assumed leadership of her alma mater.

Stating that he could not have left his post at UMass Lowell to serve as president had he not been confident that the campus was not in good hands, Meehan told Moloney: “You will lead this institution to even greater heights.”

The theme of Moloney’s inauguration, “Making a Difference Together, Leading through Innovation,” symbolizes her approach not only as chancellor but in her more than 30 years at UMass Lowell. Moloney, who earned her bachelor’s and doctoral degrees at the university, has served in a variety of roles, most recently as executive vice chancellor for eight years before being named chancellor in August. 

Those include dean of the Division of Online and Continuing Education, where she launched UMass Lowell’s award-winning online education operation that has grown over 18 years from a handful of students to more than 20,000 enrollments annually. She also founded the Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services and was a member of the university’s faculty.

“After seeing you work tirelessly for this university and this city for more than 30 years, we are not surprised by the energy and enthusiasm you have shown since your appointment in August,” said Prof. Susan Braunhut, a nationally recognized researcher in cancer diagnosis and treatment, limb regeneration and biosensors for counterterrorism who delivered the faculty welcome. “As you have stated many times, and we believe it when you say it, ‘the best is yet to come.’” 

Helping to guide the university’s forward momentum is the 10-year strategic plan, “UMass Lowell 2020: A Strategic Plan for the Next Decade,” which Moloney worked to develop as executive vice chancellor and, as chancellor, is advancing the next phase of the plan by engaging faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members through her First 90 initiative (#First90). Only halfway through the plan, UMass Lowell has already achieved its greatest growth to date, increasing enrollment by 50 percent to 17,500 and opening 11 new buildings. 

In 2017, UMass Lowell will open the new Pulichino Tong Business Building, named for alumnus John Pulichino and his wife, Joy Tong, both successful entrepreneurs in the travel goods industry. 

“It is no surprise that the theme of her inauguration is making a difference together. I share – as I am certain all of you present today and as well as tens of thousands of alumni around the world – Jacquie’s goal of helping ensure all students at this university have every opportunity to graduate, be successful in their lives and make a difference in the lives of others,” said Pulichino, who co-chaired the search committee that put Moloney’s name forward as UMass Lowell’s next chancellor. Like many alumni, he added, Moloney “is indebted to the education she received and is inspired to give back.” 

Pulichino announced that the inauguration – through sponsorships, private donations and ticket sales for a gala at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center – raised a record amount, $1.5 million. That sum includes a portion of the $1 million gift by UMass Lowell alumnus Charles Hoff ’66 made in honor of the inaugurations of Moloney as chancellor and Meehan as president.

The newly established Chancellor Jacqueline F. Moloney Scholarship Fund awarded its first scholarships during the ceremony to one student representing each of UMass Lowell’s seven schools and colleges. The recipients are: Abimalec Martinez of Lowell (College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences), Charlene Clerveau of Billerica (College of Health Sciences), James Donahue of West Newbury (Francis College of Engineering), Arnaldo Rivera of Methuen (Graduate School of Education), Alec Golas of Fairhaven (Honors College), Gladys Kibunyi of Springfield (Kennedy College of Sciences) and Sothea Chau of Worcester (Manning School of Business). 

Student trustee Amanda Robinson, a business administration major from Hingham who also participated in the search committee, said during the ceremony that it was an opportunity to make history by selecting Moloney as the first woman to serve as chancellor of UMass Lowell, calling her an advocate for students who understands them because she was once one of them.

Gururaj “Desh” Deshpande, a champion of entrepreneurship and innovation as catalysts for sustainable change and economic growth, delivered the keynote address.

“I am excited about Jacquie’s leadership because, more than anything else, she ‘gets it.’ She has a clear vision for the role of universities in the 21st century…I have all the faith in the world that under her leadership, UMass Lowell will meet its responsibility and work with the community at large to address major challenges in the world,” said Deshpande, a successful entrepreneur who has founded and led several companies and today serves as president and chairman of Sparta Group LLC and chairman of Tejas Networks. He is also the co-founder of the Deshpande Foundation, which, with UMass Lowell, established the Merrimack Valley Sandbox and the annual Deshpande Symposium for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education that draws participants from around the world to UMass Lowell every summer. “While others are trying to connect their ability to innovate with their capacity to make a difference, UMass Lowell is a role model.”

Other participants in the ceremony included UMass Lowell Provost Donald Pierson; Marcellette Williams, UMass senior vice president for academic and student affairs and international relations; state Sen. Eileen Donoghue; Lowell Mayor Rodney Elliott; City Manager Kevin Murphy; Patricia McCafferty, UMass Lowell vice chancellor of university relations; Joanne Yestramski, vice chancellor for finance and operations; Student Government Association President James Christopher, a political science and philosophy major from Peabody; and Imogene Stulken, campus minister. The UMass Lowell Marching Band and UMass Lowell Gospel Choir provided music for the event.

UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its 17,500 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