For many students, a bond with a professor, an advisor, a coach or another person on campus can make all the difference in their college experience and set them up for future success. We checked in with several River Hawks who talked about their mentors on campus and the impact they’ve had.

UMass Lowell has been awarded nearly $1.5 million by the U.S. Department of Education to support Asian American and Pacific Islander students, who now comprise 13% of the student body. 

A decade ago, Education Prof. James Nehring cycled across the U.S. to raise money for a scholarship to benefit first-generation education students at UMass Lowell. Now, he’s rowing down the East Coast in a boat that he built himself, in order to double the scholarship.

The River Hawk Rising program provides structured support and a personal connection to students of color, transfer students and first-generation students during their time at the university, setting them up for success in college and beyond.

Three of the Whitcomb quadruplets chose UMass Lowell, each for their own reasons. But they’re happy to be here together.