Story and Source Ideas for Journalists
10/23/2017
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 news about UMass Lowell, visit www.uml.edu/pressroom. Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.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 the GOP’s proposal to cap pre-tax 401(k) contributions is a bad idea;
- New UMass Lowell research on Parkinson’s disease that aims to find its cause;
- Halloween, including:
- Toxic materials used in costumes and props that pose hidden dangers;
- The Salem Witch Trials and theories behind why they occurred.
Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.
Fall Career Fair Links Employers with UMass Lowell Students
When and where: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 4 to 7 p.m. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell
What: UMass Lowell’s Fall Career Fair will introduce 200 employers to more than 1,200 students looking for full-time jobs after graduation or seeking real-world experience through internships and co-op positions. Recruiters, many of whom are alumni returning to campus, will be available to talk about the value of UMass Lowell-educated job candidates. Students seeking jobs will be available to discuss their objectives in participating in the career fair. Ninety-five percent of UMass Lowell grads are either employed full time or pursuing a graduate degree within a year of receiving their diplomas. UMass Lowell tops all New England public research universities for graduates’ starting and mid-career salaries, according to PayScale.com, which also ranks UMass Lowell in the top 25 in the nation in both categories. Presented by the UMass Lowell Career and Co-op Center, the event is one of many ways the center prepares students for professional success. Note: The event is not open to the public but members of the media are invited to cover it.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Project to Reduce Childhood Asthma Featured at Public Forum
When and where: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 5 p.m., UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, 50 Warren St., Lowell
What: UMass Lowell’s Healthy Homes Project, which has seen success in reducing childhood asthma in Lowell by providing education and intervention techniques to local families will be featured at the forum, “What Does Housing Have to Do with Health?” David Turcotte, the UMass Lowell research professor who heads the Healthy Homes Project, will speak at the event, presented by Community Teamwork Inc. as part of its “Community Conversation” series. Members of the public who would like more information or to register for the free program should do so at www.commteam.org/conversations or call 978-654-5628.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Julia Ripa, Community Teamwork communications manager, 978-654-5628, jripa@commteam.org.
Free Orchestra Concert Celebrates ‘Fright Night’
When and where: Friday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m. Durgin Hall, South Campus, 35 Wilder St., Lowell
What: Audience members are encouraged to dress in costume when the University Orchestra presents its free, annual Halloween concert for the campus and public. Selections to be performed include composer Sergei Rachmaninov’s “Isle of the Dead” and music to accompany a dramatic reading of a ghost story by Prof. Alan Williams, chairman of UMass Lowell’s Music Department. The ensemble, comprised of students, alumni, faculty and members of the community, is directed by faculty member Mark Latham.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
K-12 Computer Science Teachers to Decode Future of Field
When and where: Saturday, Oct. 28, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Olsen Hall, North Campus, 198 Riverside St., Lowell
What: Massachusetts Secretary of Education James Peyser and Steve Vinter, Google’s executive coach and tech leadership development adviser, will headline “Working Together to Strengthen K-12 Computer Science,” the first regional conference of the Computer Science Teachers Association. The event aims to give schoolteachers and administrators the inspiration and tools they need to teach all students to become literate in computer science and to ready the next generation of engineers, coders and industry visionaries. Supported by Google and Microsoft, the event is presented by UMass Lowell and the Greater Boston chapter of the CSTA. Members of the public may attend and should register in advance at https://csta-uml-2017.eventbrite.com.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Open House Introduces UMass Lowell to Prospective Students
When and where: Sunday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell
What: High school students and recent graduates, along with their families, and learners of all ages who are considering pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UMass Lowell are invited to attend an undergraduate open house that will introduce them to academic programs, faculty, students, alumni and staff. Exhibits, presentations, a resource fair and campus tours will provide participants with everything they will need to know to soar as River Hawks. New offerings include undergraduate programs in education, biomedical engineering, and animation and interactive media. UMass Lowell – which reached 18,000 total enrollment for the first time this fall – is the fastest-growing public doctoral university in New England and the fifth-fastest growing in the U.S., according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. UMass Lowell’s programs are nationally accredited and ranked for quality and return on investment and graduates earn some of the highest starting and mid-career salaries in the nation. Members of the public may get more information and register for the event at www.uml.edu/admissions/visit/open-house/.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
‘Boo-tiful’ Halloween Party Welcomes Lowell Families
When and where: Monday, Oct. 30, 5 to 8 p.m. Riverview Suites, accessible via Broadway/Riverview Lot, 952 Broadway St., Lowell
What: A spook-tacular time awaits Lowell children and their families at a free, annual Halloween party presented by UMass Lowell’s Office of Residence Life. Ghouls and goblins may go trick-or-treating inside Riverview Suites, walk through a “haunted house” and participate in other activities led by UMass Lowell students and staff. Free event parking will be available in the Broadway/Riverview lot, which is located off Broadway Street and is adjacent to the residence hall. Staff will direct guests from the parking lot into the building. Members of the public who would like more information should contact reslife@uml.edu.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Award-winning Performers Celebrate Music, Culture of Portugal
When and where: Friday, Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m. Durgin Hall, South Campus, 35 Wilder St., Lowell
What: Two of the brightest voices in Portuguese fado, award-winning singers Joana Amendoeira and Duarte will perform this stirring folk music in concert at “Sounds of Portugal.” Amendoeira, who has performed to critical acclaim at some of the world’s greatest venues, including London’s Royal Opera House, will be making her East Coast debut at the event. Duarte – a talented singer, lyricist and musician – is returning to UMass Lowell after a memorable performance in 2014. The duo will be accompanied by accomplished musicians, guitarist Pedro Amendoeira and Tiago Silva on the viola. The concert is presented by the Portuguese/American Cultural Exchange and UMass Lowell’s Saab Center for Portuguese Studies, which advances the study and appreciation of Portuguese culture, language and literature. Tickets are $30 per person and are available online. Members of the public who would like more information should contact the Saab Center for Portuguese Studies at 978-934-5199.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu