Honors College

Abby Mastromonaco’s passion for sustainability led to a Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy fellowship and research experience in a plastics engineering lab.

One faculty member opened a door for Adeja Crearer, and it changed her life.

Ainsley Skinner is capping her biology degree with a faculty-led trip to the Galápagos Islands, where she’ll walk in the footsteps of Charles Darwin.

Albert Farah found multiple paid research experiences at UMass Lowell.

Alyssa Puglisi was awarded a three-year, $75,000 scholarship by Entegris, the second UML student to receive this support from the company.

The Honors Program at Middlesex Community College helped Andrea Patino Galindo master English – and transfer to the Honors College at UMass Lowell.

Ever since moving to Lowell from the Philippines with his mom as a child, Andre Ragel has embraced a sink-or-swim attitude – one that carried the business administration major through a busy first year on campus.

Annie Cary found herself wading through lakes in search of stickleback fish as part of her immunology research.

Honors College student Anthony Amatucci leads the UML Marching Band and the Model U.N. team – and still finds time for a double major, a minor and research.

Anthony Gaeta says his six-month co-op at John Hancock Financial gave him real-world experience in his dream job as an actuary.

SoarCS, a summer program for incoming computer science majors, helped shape Ariana Brown’s college experience.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Aya Oulal was able to study abroad in Spain, attend COP28 in Dubai and become a resident advisor.

Honors business student and MLK award-winner Beatriz Martins has learned the value of resilience.

Benedicta Agyemang-Brantuo won the 2021 MLK Service Award for starting a club to address health disparities – amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a 1982 graduate with a degree in English, Beth Donaghey took a temporary job as a secretary at the university, just for a year. She never left.

Army Rangers veteran Brendon Aylaian is working as a financial specialist for the Air Force.

Brianna Atwood came to UMass Lowell to study plastics engineering – but she’s done so much more. The honors student started a volunteer program that connects UML students with a local school. She has also participated in the professional co-op program, working on fire-resistant seals for airplanes.

Brigid Archibald always wanted to be a superhero. Now the editor of the student newspaper, The Connector, she sees journalists as today’s heroes.

Honors transfer student Cameron McKenzie squeezed four study abroad trips into her short time at UML.

Honors history major Campbell Tacey is a commuter student bent on enjoying the full college experience, from research to leading student clubs.

Inspired by a summer program, Carolina Reyes is determined to become an English teacher at Lawrence High School.

A research opportunity helped Caroline DeSouza see that marine biology was an attainable career.

An interest in genomics took Caryn McCowan ’11 from researching spiders to working at a canine genetics company.

Catherine de Groot enjoys using her marketing skills to help nonprofits in Lowell.

Christina Han’s work with Multicultural Affairs, her club leadership and her studies in criminal justice converged in her honors capstone: running a “Support Space” for Asian American and Pacific Islander students during a surge in hate crimes.

Driven by a passion for environmental protection, Colin Ormond found his path at UMass Lowell through political science, sustainability research and public policy work.

Cora Casteel says mathematics will help her with a career in policing and criminal justice policy.

Coral Gonzalez set her sights on becoming a nurse after she was hospitalized in middle school. The Honors College student won one of the first Oprah Winfrey Scholarships to help her succeed.

Honors nursing student Corrina Quaglietta studied abroad in San Sebastian, Spain, the summer after her freshman year. The experience turned her into a huge booster of study abroad.

Dana Ibrahim chose UMass Lowell for its peace and conflict studies program, which lets her combine classes across the social sciences and humanities to suit her goal: to become a diplomat and aid refugees.

Honors College student Daphne Shakira Naut was already fluent in two languages and had started on two more by the time she finished high school. Here at UML, she’s picked up a fifth language and studied abroad three times – all while supporting herself.

Marine Corps veteran Daryle LaMonica is on the fast track to becoming a doctor through the UMass Medical School Baccalaureate to M.D. Pathway Program.

Honors physics alum Dashon Jones ’23 took advantage of research opportunities on and off campus.

David Rosario says his professors help him to stay focused and motivated.

David Levenson’s Mock Trial team experience led to a real legal internship.

Dean Kennedy always dreamed of a career at Disney. The experience he gained and connections he made while earning his bachelor’s and master’s in mechanical engineering helped make that dream come true.

Debby Fernand says the River Hawk Scholars Academy has introduced her to friends and faculty mentors – and turned her into a leader herself.

Honors student Denia Taylor has overcome many challenges in order to pursue a degree in political science. She plans to take up a career that allows her to combine legal training and philosophy.

Douglas Correa Ospina plans to combine his studies in psychology and economics to help immigrants and others from marginalized groups become more financially secure.

Duc Vu discovered his ability to teach in high school, so he signed up for the UTeach program in STEM education.

Honors student Edina Hirt faced hurdles from learning English to battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma while working toward her degree. Still, she won an award for her dedication to community service.

Eleanora Peters fell in love with teaching at the Boston Museum of Science.

Elinor Mayo has lofty dreams, and Air Force ROTC is helping her find her way to the cockpit.

Inspired by his mother’s careers in health care and business, Emmanuel Idehen-Ovabor is working toward a master’s in health care administration while also pursuing his dream of becoming a pediatrician.

Emmy Misail won an Honors College creativity fellowship to draw comic strips under the guidance of an art professor.

Eric Roy started doing meteorological research on campus the summer after his freshman year – and then won two research internships with government agencies.

Evan Dingle’s passion for helping people and love of international study led him to a job with a nonprofit in Uganda that serves children with special needs.

By her sophomore year, Feriel Boudif had secured two paid research assistant positions on campus.

Honors transfer student Fidel Castro wants to make a name for himself in the field of nanotechnology manufacturing.

Flore Stécie Norcéide won an Oprah Winfrey Scholarship to study computer engineering here.

Honors student Franchesca Arias is passionate about studying abroad after completing a summer program in Valencia, Spain.

The Bachelor of Liberal Arts program provided Gabrielle Salvatore ’24 with a great foundation for a teaching career.

The River Hawk Racing club steered Garrett Perry to UML. Now, he’s on course for a career in motor sports.

Great classes and research experience, a professional co-op and a cybersecurity competition are preparing Grace Chin for professional success.

Grace Hansen is researching sports nutrition and brain injuries.

Greg Reimonn found a faculty mentor to help him research microplastics in waterways, thanks to an honors fellowship.

Honors student Hannah Allgood came to UML for undergraduate research opportunities.

Hannah Casey signed up for the Model U.N. and Mock Trial teams and student government. She interned with a congressional candidate and a defense attorney. Now she’s student body president.

A staff accountant internship at Novogradac confirmed business major Heer Patel’s interest in auditing.

With faculty support, Hope Zouzas won a prestigious $15,000 scholarship and has lined up a post-graduation accounting internship at PwC.

Isabella De Souza has won two scholarships that will allow her to study Spanish abroad, so she can bring multiple languages to her future nursing career.

Jack Callahan is pursuing a public health degree to improve the lives of as many people as possible.

Jacob Solomon is as well-rounded as they come. The honors English and math major is assisting with research in a biology lab.

James Joutras came to UMass Lowell to discover himself. His experiences instilled confidence – and took him to Japan, where he plans to work after graduation.

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

Janelle Christopher started studying at UMass Lowell at the same time as her mom, Lorraine.

Jared Socolow turned his own struggles into a research project that he will present at the annual conference of the Association for Psychological Science.

Peace and Conflict Studies major Jenna Kapp has taken advantage of nearly every opportunity that’s come her way on campus. Now she’s finding more abroad.

Honors College student Jennifer Dossantos is majoring in business because she’s inspired by her mom.

Honors student Jessica Kergo has landed great jobs and internships – including one with Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. She also writes for The Connector student newspaper and advocates for mental health awareness.

Jeurys Santiago credits his entrepreneurship classes and experiences with helping him launch his networking and marketing company, Minds With Purpose.

An aspiring audio engineer and music teacher, Joe Paquin composed his first choral piece, “Barter,” which was performed at UML’s annual New Music Concert.

An elective course helped John Kelly ’23 figure out his career interests.

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

Business administration major Josiah Gennell loves music and gaming. He hopes that by becoming an information technology consultant, he’ll have the flexibility to pursue those interests and turn them into a career.

Juana Guerrero came to UML with strong academic credentials. A support program helped boost her confidence and leadership skills, too.

Justin Baez Peguero is studying business, working three jobs and serving in student government.

Karam Alafandi is studying history on his way to becoming a doctor.

Kay Wojtowicz ’25 is carrying on a family legacy at UMass Lowell by pursuing a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, focusing on cutting-edge materials research with real-world impact.

By participating in the virtual UML Launch! Summer Program, Khadija Mir felt better prepared to begin college remotely during the pandemic.

Honors student Kripa Joseph is earning her B.A. and M.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies in four years, while minoring in music and pursuing internships that promote diversity and respect among cultures.

Kyle Mehan began researching nutrition when trying to heal his own injuries. Now he promotes a plant-based diet.

Kylie Letendre, who struggled in school due to ADHD, wants to help children with learning disabilities.

Lawreta Kankam is passionate about public health. She plans to go on to medical school so she can provide both care and preventive health programs for underserved groups.

Lukas Lazarek’s summer research fellowship in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University helped prepare him for graduate school – and won him an award.

Maddie Gear’s favorable first impression of UML steered her to a marketing co-op position at CarGurus.

Maddy Roop transferred to UMass Lowell as a business student looking to launch a music career. But along the way she’s become president of the Student Society for Sustainability.

Madison Reed works as a research assistant with Plastics Engineering Prof. Ramaswamy Nagarajan in the UML Fabric Discovery Center.

Madison Fusco is helping to make a difference in people’s lives through her biotechnology co-op at Wave Life Sciences.

An honors seminar and fellowship sent Maggie Davenport to Haiti, where she’s working on sustainability projects.

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

An Honors College student fellowship gave Marbella Leal a chance to work with at-risk students and do research with a professor.

Her experiences in the Honors College and in a college readiness program, Let’s Get Ready, helped Marilyn Saha get a job at Raytheon Technologies.

As a pharmaceutical sciences major interested in research and business, Marita Merheb pursues all opportunities to advance her goals.

Mary Everett combined her interest in environmental science with a love of writing. An honors fellowship gave her the support to write a group of short stories – which won her admission to a top-ranked M.F.A. program in creative writing.

Mateo Rull Garza immersed himself in research – and published in a leading scientific journal.

As a sophomore, Matthew Clancy designed a small satellite with a vital mission: getting children and teens excited about their STEM studies and aerospace careers. Now he’s developing his LEARNsat for NASA launch.

Criminal justice major Matt Levenson loves an adventure and a challenge—and he’s bent on seizing every opportunity he can while at UMass Lowell.

A service-learning capstone in Lowell and Haiti transformed Maureen Kelly’s civil engineering education — and her life. She now works for a firm that supports her ongoing volunteer work in Haiti and her mentoring of current students.

Maxwell Aaronson is pursuing international experiences and languages, with the goal of working in the Foreign Service.

Student-athlete Megan Salsinha credits her honors research project and academic coursework for preparing her for medical school.

Melisa Hussain’s experience as a visibly Muslim teenager inspired her honors thesis.

A class in cognitive psychology inspired Melissa DiPano to do research with two professors and aim for a Ph.D.

Mina Lam added “Japanese Student Association founder” to her already busy schedule.

Moniphal Bing was able to study abroad in Cambodia, which his parents fled before he was born, through a new partnership with the American University of Phnom Penh.

Mya Neary won an honors fellowship to learn more about running an urban farming nonprofit. Now she’s volunteering with Mill City Grows while developing her own business plan.

So far, Honors College student Nancy Chac has signed up for three honors classes every semester. It could be a record.

Nazeli Acosta won a State Department Scholarship to study rural health care in the Dominican Republic.

Nicholas Trunfio immersed himself in history while studying abroad.

Transfer student Nicole Karp has thrived as a leader and mentor at UML, preparing herself for a global career.

Nicole Wilson ’24 discovered a passion for volunteering while earning a business degree.

An introduction to research helped Noah Mason find his passion.

Olivia Hebert discovered a passion for corporate real estate at UMass Lowell.

Pablo Ruiz returned to school for a second bachelor’s degree, and he’s going on for his master’s degree, too.

While double-majoring in psychology and exercise physiology, Patrice Faith Olivar has gained both research and practical experience. UMass Lowell has opened more doors than she thought possible.

When Payal Patel started college as an engineering major, she missed tutoring and teaching – so she decided to make education her career.

Pratibha Gautam’s job at a medical device incubator inspired her to pursue a career in health economics.

Qiana Curcuru loves UMass Lowell for its opportunities. The honors student is president of the campus chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, has done a professional co-op at iRobot, has taught and interned at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and done research with two professors on campus.

Rachel Jordan says that discovering the chair of the Economics Department was a woman helped convince her to come to UMass Lowell.

Honors student Rachel Record won a full scholarship to law school, thanks to the Legal Studies Program and research and practical experiences.

After earning two degrees at UMass Lowell, Rebecca Mendum is continuing her education at Harvard University.

Rhondyna Reth is blending global experiences, cultural advocacy and graphic design at UML — a path made possible by scholarships and smart financial planning.

Roma Aurora has become a strong and valued presence on campus, from her roles as president of both the Manning Leaders Council and Marketing Society, to her ambassador work for both international students and student alumni, to her participation in the DifferenceMaker Program.

Graduate student Ryan Cormier is enjoying one extra year on campus before joining the workforce.

With an unbridled passion for learning, Sammy Santana is pursuing his numerous interests through the BLA program.

Between UML’s rigorous coursework and vast extracurricular activities, Sara Aldahabi feels ready to take on dental school.

Sarah Elizabeth McDermott is grateful for scholarships that are helping her to graduate debt-free, because in the future she won’t have to say “No” to any opportunities.

Affordability drew Sarah Curley to UML, but her experience led to a wealth of opportunities and set her up for an accounting career.

Honors mechanical engineering major Scott Penfield has traveled extensively on two continents besides North America – and hopes to add a fourth before long.

From policy to research, Sean Simonini is making an impact.

Shanice Kelly is a leader in multiple campus clubs because she wants to get more students of color involved in STEM, especially space science programs.

Sid Iyer has taken advantage of internships, research opportunities, the DifferenceMaker program and more to pursue his goal: a career in biomedical research and development.

Sofia Savoca chose UMass Lowell for the opportunity to be in the Honors College and to study civil engineering. She’s found a dozen new opportunities since arriving on campus.

Sonakshi Chaudhary came to UML planning to transfer. She stayed after falling in love with everything the campus has to offer.

Sophie Combs knows her research is going somewhere: into the online Library of New England Immigration.

Whether studying abroad or conducting research, Stephanie Ceballos is making the most out of her UMass Lowell experience.

Honors student Stephanie Guglielmo is all about studying abroad.

Honors College Student Fellow Sunilda Frias is studying biology to help subsistence farmers improve their soil.

Syeda Nizami is using scholarships, research fellowships and work-study jobs to graduate with low debt, so she can afford a career helping others instead of working to pay off student loans.

Aspiring math teacher Tanya Kieu ’24 gained real-world teaching experience through the UTeach program.

Teerth Patel had to pinch himself after landing a manufacturing engineering internship at Tesla — just after his internship at Procter & Gamble.

Thomas Sherriff was the lead author on a paper about functional movements of firefighters.

Tim Murphy says his experiences at UMass Lowell have increased his confidence along with his expertise.

Thomas Heywosz’s experiences in the UTeach program and in Haiti have made him a successful high school math teacher.

Twisha Mohapatra says her experiences in the River Hawk Scholars Academy and the Honors College have boosted her confidence, taught her leadership skills and set her up for academic success.

Vanessa Chen likes computer science because it’s both logical and creative.

Varsha Perkins loves both her teaching and honors classes.

Veyli Ortiz Solis earned a B.S. in criminal justice in just three years – with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Computer science alum William Boag ’16, a senior health care data lead for MassHealth, remains deeply engaged with the Honors College through leadership, mentorship and philanthropy.

From attending COP28 in Dubai to joining the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy, William Lefebvre is learning that environmental science is also an art.

Wonder Ahiatsi chose UMass Lowell for its B.S. in quantitative economics.

With her people-first approach, Yonnie Collins found success in her coursework and her extracurricular activities.

Yrvanie Joseph is grateful for alumni scholarships because they confirm the value of her hard work and academic achievements.

Zayna Basma volunteered at a center that helps Burmese refugees - and became fascinated by refugee policy and research.