Ammar Nagy

If the Manning School of Business’ inaugural Artificial Intelligence Entrepreneurship Competition had been judged solely on the confidence and clarity of the students’ pitches, then business major Ammar Nagy would have won in a landslide with his UML GradMate, an AI-driven academic advising chatbot.

“If you’re a UMass Lowell student, you should be confident in yourself and your abilities, because you’re getting an amazing education,” Nagy says.

A native of Egypt, Nagy knew he wanted to attend a highly ranked college in the Boston area, where some of his relatives lived. He discovered UMass Lowell at an international college fair hosted by his high school in New Cairo.

“As soon as I saw UMass Lowell, I decided to apply,” says Nagy. “And thankfully, I got accepted. Since then, my life has changed.”

Nagy initially enrolled as a biomedical engineering major, but after speaking with his advisor, he decided that he was more interested in becoming a data scientist.

“I see the future in data science and the way the world is headed now with artificial intelligence and tech-savvy jobs,” says Nagy, who switched his major to business administration with concentrations in management information systems and analytics and operations management.

As an international student, Nagy says UMass Lowell’s supportive culture made the transition to studying in the U.S. feel natural, even during the pandemic.

“The school did an amazing job,” he says. “There was no delay. Everything went smoothly.”

Professor Harry Zhu has played a key role, mentoring Nagy in information systems courses and encouraging him to participate in the AI Entrepreneurship Competition. Nagy also credits Manning School Associate Dean Amit Deokar with supporting him well beyond traditional administrative roles.

“He has helped me since day one,” Nagy says.

After playing soccer for nine years for one of Egypt’s most successful club teams, Al-Ahly, Nagy has been able to continue the sport at UML with the men’s club soccer team.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent UMass Lowell not only in studies, but also in soccer,” he says. “I’ve been able to meet other students and make connections while playing different colleges across the area.” 

After graduating, Nagy plans to pursue an entry-level role in data science to gain hands-on experience. He then plans to return to UMass Lowell for a graduate degree.

Long term, Nagy hopes to work at a company like Dell, Bose or Nike, or maybe in academia — and give back to the community that shaped him.

“I fell in love with UMass Lowell,” he says. “UMass Lowell shaped me and made me the man who I am today.”