News from UMass Lowell for Week of Jan. 25, 2016

01/25/2016

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. In case of inclement weather, call UMass Lowell’s weather hotline at 978-934-2121; if the university is closed, events are canceled. For more stories about UMass Lowell, visit www.uml.edu/pressroom. Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication unless otherwise noted.

Sources of the week

UMass Lowell faculty experts are available to discuss:

• A claim by ISIS that it is responsible for the Paris attacks in November and what a video released by the group on Sunday signals about the fight against terrorism;
• How a run for president by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg as an independent candidate could reshape the race;
• Whether Groundhog Day will really tell us anything about the rest of the winter and if not, what meteorologists think the weather will bring.

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

Awards Celebrate Service, Legacy of MLK
Series Explores Latinos’ History, Culture in the U.S.
‘River Hawk Strong’ Night Honors Marathon Bombing Survivor
Charles Dickens’ Travels to Massachusetts Focus of Book Event
Boston Symphony Orchestra Conducts Session on Beethoven
Kerouac Writer-in-Residence to Present Free Program for Public, Campus

Awards Celebrate Service, Legacy of MLK

When: Tuesday, Jan. 26, 5:30 p.m.

What: UMass Lowell students, faculty, staff and members of the community will come together to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual MLK Celebration dinner. At the event, members of the campus community and the public who exemplify the civil rights leader’s commitment to social justice will be honored with Distinguished Service Awards. The program will include presentations by students and a photo exhibit, along with interactive displays about the history of the civil rights movement in the United States. The event is presented by the university’s Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Where: University Crossing, Moloney Hall, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell.

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

Series Explores Latinos’ History, Culture in the U.S.

When: Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.

What: The history of Latinos in the United States and their contributions to American culture is the focus of a six-part series presented by UMass Lowell Libraries and held at libraries on campus and in Lawrence and Lowell. The upcoming program, “Foreigners in their Own Land,” will feature a talk about how Spanish conquistadors and priests arrived in North America in the mid-16th century. Leading the session will be Maria Matz, a UMass Lowell faculty member who is an expert in Latin American studies and culture. Subsequent events in the series will be held in February, March and April. More on the series is available at uml.beta.libguides.com/programming.

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

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

‘River Hawk Strong’ Night Honors Marathon Bombing Survivor

When: Friday, Jan. 29. Event with season ticket-holders, 5:30 p.m., followed by the game at 7:15 p.m.

What: Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman will be honored during “River Hawk Strong” Night when the UMass Lowell men’s hockey team faces off against the Arizona State Sun Devils. Bauman, a Chelmsford native, lost both of his legs in the terrorist attack at the race’s finish line in 2013 and helped law enforcement officials capture the perpetrators. He will talk about his memoir, “Stronger,” which recounts that fateful Marathon Monday, and meet with season ticket-holders during a reception before the game. He will drop the puck in a ceremony at the game’s start and a live interview with him will be shown for fans during the second intermission. Note: The reception is not open to the general public, however media are welcome to attend.

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

Contacts for media: Pete Souris, Athletics, 978-934-3771, Peter_Souris@uml.edu or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

Charles Dickens’ Travels to Massachusetts Focus of Book Event

When: Saturday, Feb. 6, 1:30 to 4 p.m.

What: Author Charles Dickens’ visit to Lowell in 1842 will be explored during a free, public event featuring Diana Archibald, a UMass Lowell English professor who is an authority on the writer’s life. Archibald will read from “Dickens and Massachusetts: The Lasting Legacy of the Commonwealth Visits,” a new book she co-wrote with Lillian Nayder about Dickens’ time in Bay State learning about the American Industrial Revolution. The book expands on the award-winning exhibit “Dickens and Massachusetts: A Tale of Power and Transformation,” presented by the Lowell National Historical Park in 2012 as part of the worldwide celebration of the bicentennial of Dickens’ birth. Archibald was co-curator and lead scholar of the exhibition and directed seven months of programs associated with it. After the event, the authors will sign copies of the book, which will be available for purchase.

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

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

Boston Symphony Orchestra Conducts Session on Beethoven

When: Sunday, Feb. 7, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

What: Classical composer Ludwig von Beethoven’s music will be the focus of a free event presented by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and UMass Lowell that is open to the public and campus. BSO cellist Owen Young and Marc Mandel, who writes the orchestra’s program notes, will perform Beethoven’s music, play recorded samples of it and discuss its significance. The program expands on UMass Lowell’s community outreach efforts in partnership with the BSO and is part of the orchestra’s adult education series that seeks to enhance the public’s appreciation of classical music and other genres. Members of the public who wish to attend should e-mail customerservice@bso.org or call 617-638-9454.

Where: Durgin Hall, Fisher Recital Hall, South Campus, 35 Wilder St., Lowell

Contacts for media: Alyssa Kim, BSO, 617-638-9286, akim@bso.org or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

Kerouac Writer-in-Residence to Present Free Program for Public, Campus

When: Tuesday, Feb. 9, 5 p.m.

What: Best-selling author Steve Almond – whose recent take on Sarah Palin’s endorsement of presidential candidate Donald Trump has been widely shared on social media – will present a free program about his creative process that is open to the public. During the event, he will read from his work, talk about how he develops his subjects and answer questions from the audience. Skilled in fiction and non-fiction genres, Almond has written several books including “Against Football: One Fan’s Reluctant Manifesto” and “Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America.” He is a winner of the Paterson Prize for Fiction and his short stories have been published in the Best American and Pushcart anthologies. A frequent contributor to NPR’s “Here & Now” program, Almond is teaching on campus this semester as UMass Lowell’s 2016 Kerouac Writer-in-Residence. The residency, which is named in tribute to Lowell native and “On the Road” author Jack Kerouac, is offered through the Jack and Stella Kerouac Center for the Public Humanities at UMass Lowell.

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, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu