Dream big and work hard. That's the River Hawk way. UMass Lowell students pursue  their passion for learning in the classroom and beyond. They are each unique but are united in their drive to make a difference. Here are some of their stories.

  • Louis Cirignano
    Business Administration

    A born entrepreneur who was tuning up old lawn mowers and selling them online at the age of 6, Louis Cirignano made the most of his opportunities at UMass Lowell. He’s using his degree in business administration to launch a financial management app that he developed through the DifferenceMaker program.

  • Akbar Abduljalil
    Economics

    Motivated by the loss of a lake he had enjoyed as a child in his native Uzbekistan, economics major Akbar Abduljalil has taken on the role of president of the Student Society for Sustainability.

  • Amos Kungu
    Business Administration

    After a globetrotting career in IT, Amos Kungu of Kenya is setting his sights on starting his own company. He's working on a master’s degree in entrepreneurship — while working full time and raising a family.

  • Liam Neeley
    Physics

    Physics major Liam Neeley spends his nights looking at the stars as a student worker at the UMass Lowell Schueller Observatory.

  • Malcolm Schrafft
    Music and Theatre Arts

    Honors student Malcolm Schrafft studied his twin passions: music and theater.

  • Jamie-Lyn Cavallon
    Meteorology

    Jamie-Lyn Cavallon won an NSF-funded meteorology internship.

  • Joshua Walsh
    Environmental Engineering

    An honors seminar led Joshua Walsh to design a drinking water system and solar grid for a center in Haiti.

  • Dic Donohue
    Criminal Justice & Criminology

    Retired MBTA Transit Police Sgt. Dic Donohue finished his master’s degree in 2012. Less than a year later, he was shot during a police firefight with the Boston Marathon bombers. After earning his Ph.D. in criminology, he’s taking a job with the RAND Corp.