At Holiday Season, UMass Lowell Community Serves Extra Helpings of Gratitude

Media contacts:Emily Gowdey-Backus, director of media relations; Nancy Cicco, assistant director of media relations.

As the UMass Lowell campus community prepares to head home to celebrate the season of Thanksgiving, we take a moment to reflect on what we’re grateful for.

While the list is nearly endless, here are five areas where UMass Lowell is particularly thankful.

1. The UMass Lowell Richard A. Miner School of Computer & Information Sciences
   A world-renowned tech expert and philanthropist, Rich Miner, co-founder of Android, returned to his alma mater in October as the university dedicated the new computer science school in his name. Reflecting on his time in Lowell and the personal and professional breakthroughs he made on campus, Miner said: “UMass Lowell prepared me academically and entrepreneurially for a career where I was able to contribute to so many impactful innovations. I am honored to be able to give back in ways that might encourage others to meet or exceed their dreams.”
2. Accuracy of the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion
   Election seasons are always chaotic as campaigns come to a close and Americans weigh in on their picks for public office. The university’s Center for Public Opinion is uniquely successful in pulling the signal from the noise. As polling aggregator RealClear Politics pointed out, UMass Lowell was among the most accurate pollsters compared to final election results in 2016, 2018 and 2020. And then, just this month, the CPO midterm election poll identified a 10% lead in favor of New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan. After the results were tallied, Hassan was named the winner with a 9.2% lead.
3. Impactful research
   UMass Lowell’s surging research enterprise continues to create and discover new knowledge that impacts others. Some of the most recent grants received by faculty and staff include:
• funds dedicated to compiling and updating a sex offender tracking database, 
• access to clean drinking water for Merrimack Valley residents, 
• a stronger understanding of muscle function, and 
• the role telecommunication plays in the health and well-being of rural mothers and newborns before and during labor.



Research doesn’t just benefit faculty and their areas of study. In many of UMass Lowell’s state-of-the-art laboratories, work is done in collaboration with corporate, academic and military partners. Across the university, graduate and undergraduate students are gaining valuable experience as research participants – giving them a solid foundation to enter the workforce.
4. A commitment to community engagement
   The City of Lowell — with its many cultural, culinary and entertainment opportunities — is one of UMass Lowell’s best assets. The neighborhoods and communities where we live, work, study and engage in are an integral part of UMass Lowell, providing a gateway to a better future for all – especially those who are the first in their family to attend college. We are grateful for the individuals and organizations across the city and throughout the Merrimack Valley who work with us to improve our community.
5. UMass Lowell students, faculty, staff and alumni
   The River Hawks who together comprise an on-the-rise, national public research university positively impacting communities around the globe.