Undergraduate Students

Melanie Carignan is so enthusiastic about the undergraduate education major that she volunteered to be the College of Education’s first alumni ambassador.

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

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.

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

Michael Souza ’13, ’14 is the go-to meteorologist at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

Manning School of Business grad Emily Lara ’20 has been California dreamin’ for some time. Now her dream is coming true.

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

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

Through her coursework, business student Kanya Derisme gained the skills and knowledge needed for a career in digital marketing. Through her leadership roles in student organizations, she learned something about herself.

Inspired by Assoc. Teaching Prof. Deborah Finch, Adam Basma published his first novel for his senior Honors College project.

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

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

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

Carla Gonzalez Hidalgo is a full-time student and her family’s sole support. Yet she finds time to volunteer for causes she believes in.

Daniel Barros thought the law might be a good way to help people. His classes in legal studies confirmed it.

Matthew Almeida’s interests in real estate and finance have built off each other in the Manning School of Business.

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

Marvens Francois says switching his major to economics was one of the best decisions of his life.

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.

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

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

George Dylan Bistany completed his master’s degree abroad in fall 2019 at the Czech Technical University in Prague.

Kristin Kihara started her own digital magazine, Black, highlighting creators who “aren’t really seen.”

Studying abroad in London convinced business student Emoni Baffour ’18 to return to the UK for graduate school and pursue her passion for a career in the fashion industry.

Alana Smith is studying mechanical engineering and is committed to building a more sustainable future.

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

Laura Brushingam, a finance student and member of the UML field hockey team, landed a summer internship with Krispy Kreme, where she helped the company prepare for its IPO and presented her work to senior leadership.

A social media marketing co-op at financial firm MFS taught Nicole Resendes what goes into running corporate accounts.

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

Stacey Nwachukwu is helping communities and influencing policy at the Statehouse.

Sean Simonini is making an impact at the Statehouse and beyond.

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.

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

Dan Murphy uses his mechanical engineering skills to design sets for Broadway performances.

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

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

Anir Dasgupta leveraged internships, leadership roles and networking opportunities to build a strong foundation in finance and real estate at UMass Lowell.

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

UMass Lowell’s strong partnerships in the defense industry helped Louis Chin ’20 launch a career in the U.S. Department of the Air Force.

Software engineer Rupal Trivedi returned to her college roots when the time came to get an MBA.

Nursing student David Nguyen learned how to provide hands-on care to COVID-19 patients during the pandemic.

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

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.

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.

Thanks to professional co-ops at New Balance and Teradyne, mechanical engineering major Matt Macioci has designs on a future career working with complex machinery.

Ryan Katz invented a musical instrument that “plays” the weather.

UML men’s lacrosse player Khairi Sears shines on the world stage with Team Jamaica – and on campus.

Jaelyn Dones is slated to earn her bachelor’s degree after 2 1/2 years, and she’s already working a dream job related to her computer science major.

Michael Makiej hits his stride in and out of the classroom, competing as a high jumper on the men’s track and field team while double-majoring in philosophy and political science.

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

Immersive Scholar Jack Barron is sharpening his marketing skills with the Office of the Provost.

As one of three siblings in college, Karina Provost says her family appreciates financial awards, such as the Kennedy Family Merit Scholarship.

As a dual major in public health and political science, Anthony Milisci leads a student club that promotes organ donation, and he also serves on the Student Government Association.

Carley Bennet looks to capitalize on her Washington Center internship experience as she pursues a career in homeland security.

Arya Tetali is gaining research experience that will help her advance toward her career goal of developing drugs for the pharmaceutical industry.

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

Fahad Alden found his niche at UMass Lowell by joining student government.

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.

Alex Frieden found his calling thanks to an elective sociology course.

Karina “K45” Alves wants to combine music with criminal justice reform.

Shakira Fedna came to UMass Lowell because of the River Hawk Scholars Academy, a support program for first-generation college students.

University Alumni Award recipient Darlene Steffen ’76 helped endow a scholarship for first-gen business students.

Dejonai Willis began her UML career in a support program for first-generation college students. Now she’s thriving.

Emily Crespo came to UML for its affordability – and for the River Hawk Scholars Academy, now a supportive community for first-year, first-generation college students.

Boscaja's choice to attend college close to home gave her the opportunity to travel across the globe, making connections that will serve her well after graduation.

Exercise Science major Olivia Houle plans on pursuing a career researching prosthetics and orthotics.

A serious knee injury gave women’s soccer player Halle Anderson the chance to explore her artistic interests.

Lacrosse player Caroline Klim ’23 plans to apply public health knowledge to her future nursing career.

Gifty Kessie takes advantage of opportunities to learn and grow – and then turns around and offers a helping hand to others.

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

Jamie Aciukewicz has used his affinity for the Spanish language to create experiences for himself both locally and abroad.

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 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.

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

An internship with Microsoft turned into a full-time job offer for computer science major Abdullah Abou Mahmoud.

Lana Bashir fell in love with UMass Lowell when she toured the campus.

Internships on and off campus gave Rory Luddy museum experience.

Amina Mohammed is the first Youth Poet Laureate of Worcester and a first-year nursing major who loves helping people, especially children.

The Medical Lab Science program helped Michael McCormack use his problem-solving skills to land a job learning how diseases occur.

Alexis Day ’17, ’19, a senior health physicist at Boston Children’s Hospital, followed in the footsteps of her grandmother Terry LaFrance ’90.

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.

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

Business major Raj Aurora jumped right from school to a digital marketing campaign manager job at Data Axle.

The summer after his freshman year, Andrew Stanwicks worked in a hospital rehabilitation research lab.

Ben Jeter’s experiences at UMass Lowell, including participating in the professional co-op program and his job as a resident advisor, turned him into a student leader.

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

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.

A lost internship during the pandemic led David Levine to a promising career path at accounting firm LGA.

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

With the nonprofit Braver Angels, alumna Sabrina Pedersen ’17 is working to depolarize American politics.

Varsha Perkins loves both her teaching and honors classes.

Andrew Sciascia’s studies in political science and homeland security are combining with his student newspaper experience to prepare him for a career as a political analyst.

Allyson Toppi never thought she could work in robotics. An internship at Brooks Automation changed her mind – and turned into a full-time job.

Honors student Michael Doane has won several prestigious fellowships and scholarships for his cancer-related and biofuel research. He says UMass Lowell does a great job of structuring both classes and learning experiences that build on one another.

Jonathan Aguilar ’21 started a 3D printing company as an undergrad that he now runs at the Haverhill Innovation Hub.

In and out of the classroom, Meilani Chen found support to pursue a future career in epidemiology.

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.

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

Ed Priest came to UMass Lowell to study French and music, which led to a career teaching French and Spanish — and joining a mariachi band in Mexico.

Patrick Pang knew he wanted hands-on experience conducting research. As a college freshman in the Immersive Scholar program, he conducted research on protective wear that helps prevent injuries.

An elbow injury may have thrown the promising baseball career of Collin Duffley for a curve, but fortunately he still has his nuclear engineering career to fall back on.

At 59, Warren Wartman is embracing a second act as a college student, trading his construction tools for textbooks to study theatre arts and economics at UMass Lowell.

Khuyen Tran is pursuing a nursing degree after witnessing the care provided to her grandfather during his hospitalization.

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

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

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

Evan Yu didn’t know much about plastics engineering coming into college. He graduates with a deep appreciation for its role in helping the planet.

Transfer student Nicholas Ewing ’24 got through some “tough moments” and became a storyteller at UML.

Joining a club as soon as she arrived on campus got Julie Lawton experience on two political campaigns as well as internships in the Boston mayor’s office and the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus – all within a year.

A first-generation college student, Jeremy Duford was nervous about starting college. He says the River Hawk Scholars Academy was a tremendous support.

Nicolas Troisi gained extensive experience from his clinical lab rotations and landed a full-time job as a medical laboratory scientist at Winchester Hospital. He started in April, before he even graduated.

Rafaela Gonzalez wants to care for people as individuals and in communities, so she's majoring in sociology and minoring in psychology. She's also started her own business.

UMass Lowell was love at first sight for business major Tan Nhat Nuynh, a native of Vietnam, who is making the most of his opportunities in and out of the classroom.

Medi Woldemichael plans to use her business degree to grow her family’s coffee export business in Ethiopia.

Declan Burke struggled in school as a child. Now he plans to become a special education teacher.

Knowing how cultural differences make an impact on health, Rabia Haider is pursuing a Master of Public Health degree.

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.

A class in archival methods and a directed study, working in the Lawrence History Center, led Jaden Belizaire to pursue graduate schools for archiving.

A required computing course launched mathematics alum Evana Gizzi on a path to working at NASA.

Valeria Saldana knew she had found a welcoming community from her first visit to campus.

Shirley Adubofour is putting her studies in political science and race and ethnic studies into practice as a student representative on UML’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force.

Augustin Cruz came to UMass Lowell for its exercise science program and the wealth of research opportunities for undergraduates.

Mechanical engineering grad Maxwell Dumerant, who was activated by the Mass. National Guard to assist with the state’s pandemic response during his senior year, landed a job at General Dynamics Electric Boat.

Biar Kon grew up in refugee camps in Kenya. Now he gives back to the city’s refugee community through his work with the International Institute of New England.

As a merchandising co-op for TJX in Framingham, senior business administration major Hayley Buonodono of Amesbury took a giant step toward her career goal of working as a buyer in the retail industry.

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.

Through the Manning School’s Business and Entrepreneur Scholars in Training program, Abby McNulty developed a case study analysis of the Columbia Gas explosions.

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

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.

Zachary McCann developed computer science skills while working in Prof. Fred Martin’s lab and as a peer leader for SoarCS.

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

Linh Nguyen developed a cloud-based market data tool — and a newfound interest in financial technology — through her data science experience with the Nasdaq Futures Internship Program.

A scholarship introduced Andreas Himariotis to research – and a possible career as a sports researcher.

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

As president of the student-run record label SevenSix, Sophia Cavalcante is preparing for a career managing recording artists.

Jacob Villeneuve was drawn to UML by its sound recording technology and Air Force ROTC programs.

Despite personal loss and a pandemic, Jonah Burnham completes his business degree.

The Model U.N. program and a semester interning and learning in Washington, D.C., helped Alejandro Lopez put economic and political theory into practice - and paved the way for a successful career.

After living through civil war in her native Ivory Coast, Senior Class President Anna Kouadio is grateful for her opportunities at UML.

Business administration major Melanie Sunnerberg has a passion for finance that she’s honed through a co-op experience at MFS Investment Management and her leadership roles in student organizations.

José Archila Quezada found support and a network of friends in the MAGIC program, which helps students from underrepresented groups pursue medical school.

Kevin Harrington’s love of the French language has translated into transformative academic research and a semester abroad in France.

Sam Angelli-Nichols got help for his ADHD and will work for Philosophy Chair Nicholas Evans on an AI research project after graduating.

Patrick McCallum got a leg up on his plastics engineering career with an internship at Wittmann Battenfeld, where he worked alongside the company's president, alum David Preusse '85.

Kellsie Howard has managed to achieve a lot in her first two years in the Manning School of Business, including organizing a DECA competition, starting two clubs and working as a co-op at Putnam Investments.

Erin McGuire has been able to ease into her new job as staff geologist at Nobis Group in Concord, N.H., while putting the finishing touches on her bachelor’s degree in environmental science with a geoscience option.

Finance student Carson Tully built on his passion for real estate at UML, serving as president of the Real Estate Network Association.

After making his mark at UML as Student Government Association president, Manning School of Business senior Andre DiFilippo is excited to get started on a sales career.

Thanks to his internship and co-op experiences, plastics engineering major Kraig Scharn ’20 discovered that sales was the right career path for him. He is now a junior technical service engineer for Entec Polymers in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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.

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

Grace Hansen is researching sports nutrition and brain injuries.

Senior chemical engineering major Mina Le chose a work-study job at the front desk of the Student Employment Office because she wanted to improve her communication skills. She’s done that and more, being named the university’s Student Employee of the Year.

As student newspaper editor, Ashley Rivera helps other people tell stories.

Emily Sayler made the most of her two years at UMass Lowell.

Double River Hawk Cassia Fontes’ work with the Radiation Safety Office has set her apart in the job market.

Matt Cherkerzian is an EMT majoring in criminal justice who helps with research into decision-making by first responders.

Gianna Geraci ’23 was destined to study accounting at UMass Lowell.

The Moloney Student Fellowship Fund allowed Mathew D’Entremont to take an unpaid internship with a Lowell nonprofit.

Kimani Brown is doing research on racial equity and inclusion with a professor.

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

Roberto Rivera combined a B.A. in English literature and Spanish and Italian with a master’s degree in education to become an ESL teacher in the Lawrence schools.

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

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

Political science major and lacrosse player Jade Catlin is making her mark as the team’s leading scorer while preparing for a career as a criminal defense attorney.

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

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.

During her final semester at UMass Lowell, Maddie May Scott’s band was invited by rock royalty Melissa Etheridge to join the all-star lineup playing on Etheridge’s annual seven-night spring cruise.

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

Jessica Dossantos chose UMass Lowell for its patient simulation labs – and because her twin sister liked the university, too.

Business student Kelly Michael Skelton plans to earn his undergraduate and MBA degrees in just four years – and with zero debt – while juggling multiple jobs and extracurricular activities.

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

Triple River Hawk Rigel Cappallo ’13, ’16, ’19 went from pianist to physicist.

Annie Soup Koagne is getting everything she can out of UMass Lowell, while working to make it a better place.

Ariel Shramko is growing food for Earth and beyond.

Meghan Berking ran across the country to raise $7,500 for cancer research after losing her father to colon cancer.

Jenny Lerman hit reset during the pandemic, transferred home to UML and earned a business degree.

Michelle Garcia, a rising spoken word poet, is also learning how to write poetry for the page.

Once unsure if she would physically be able to get through college, Meaghan O’Brien landed a director position at the Lowell Regional Transit Authority while wrapping up an MBA.

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

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

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

Transfer student Keya Linton gained valuable lab experience during a six-month paid co-op at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals.

Ryan Jubb applies his management education to his work as a student EMT and his hobby of flying planes.

When Nicole Cruz Merced overcame her shyness and reached out to a professor, it changed her life.

Marina Novaes was inspired to pursue a career in health after a mission trip to El Salvador. Marina's experiences through her sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau, and the peer-education group Campus Advocates for Prevention Education, motivated her to apply (and be accepted into) UML’s Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Public Health program.

To pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, Sonma Agundu joined MAGIC, a program to help students from underrepresented groups succeed in health care careers.

Music studies major Rachel Sullivan discovered more than a way to earn money through her campus job with Transportation Services. She also found a genuine camaraderie that has enriched her college experience.

Rameez Shaikh ’21 has been accepted by more than six dental schools, thanks to mentoring by Chemistry Assoc. Teaching Prof. Khalilah Reddie.

Edwyn Shoemaker hasn't had an easy road through life. But he’s taken the right steps for success in his education and wants to help others do the same.

The River Hawk Scholars Academy, a support program for first-generation college students, gave Monica Kong the confidence she needed to succeed – and lead.

Shannon Gray started earning her master's degree in Public Health with a focus on epidemiology as an undergraduate. Her internship with the Uxbridge Board of Health broadened her exposure to the role public health professionals play and strengthened her skills.

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

Nick Abourizk started college with plans to pursue a biology degree – but he couldn’t deny his passion for acting. An Oprah Winfrey Scholarship affirmed his decision to switch his major to Theatre Arts.

Emerging singer-songwriter Julia James is drawing national attention for her music and preparing to release her first album.

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

Transfer student Kristina Boni got her bearings in community college and is now reaching for the stars after an internship at NASA.

Albert Farah found multiple paid research experiences at UMass Lowell.

Leslie Marrero says schools are already inviting her to apply for teaching jobs because she’s earning dual certification in teaching students with moderate disabilities.

Nicholas Salerno came to UML for a business degree, but an architectural studies minor allowed him to broaden his horizons.

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

Lena Maria Arango ’19, ’20 loves meteorology.

Michael Hines, a former college athlete who wants to own his own athletic or physical therapy facility one day, is following the exercise and fitness management degree pathway.

After a life-changing health scare, Sean Flaherty recommitted himself to academics. He graduated from the Manning School of Business with a perfect 4.0 GPA and landed his “dream job” at a water sustainability company in New York.

Haris Mukanga’s passion for computer science drew the praise of Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.

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

For her practicum course experience, Alytah Noum was hired by the Lowell Community Health Center as a community health worker.

Research experience and an internship solidified Deepshikha Ananthaswamy’s interest in biotechnology.

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

By working with the Office of International Experiences & Study Abroad, chemical engineering major Nicholas Langberg was able to add a two-month internship to his summer school program in Germany.

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

Working as a client services and relationship management co-op at MFS Investment Management debunked a lot of assumptions business major Kristen Reardon had about the financial industry.

As a music business major, Brynne Santos performs in four ensembles while also learning about marketing, management and licensing.

Laid off from his job, Matt Zablocki used the setback as an opportunity to return to UMass Lowell and complete his undergraduate degree in business administration.

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

As one of the university’s first DC-CAP Scholars, mechanical engineering major Kevin Akers is pursuing his dream of becoming an astronaut — while also continuing to make a difference in the lives of others.

Whether it’s working to improve campus life as Student Government Association president or responding to an emergency call as a student EMT, David Morton has dedicated himself to making UML a better place.

Through leadership opportunities as a student-athlete, exercise physiology graduate Amanda Baptiste found her voice — and discovered her calling to become a high school biology teacher.

Benjamin McEvoy has been racking up wins as a DifferenceMaker competitor with partner Edward Morante and their idea for an inclusive combination of baseball and cricket, Benji Ball.

Biology major Nicholas Benjamin has a penchant for keeping things healthy and safe — whether it’s people or animals.

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

Marcus Whitlow began pursuing a health care degree after caring for his family.

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

A data analytics summer internship at candy giant Mars Inc. gave Ginika Okoli a new perspective on her mathematics degree.

Business student Nadine Chamoun stepped out of her comfort zone for an IT internship. And she’s glad she did.

Until her senior year of high school, Angela Messina assumed she couldn’t afford college. But thanks to scholarships and work, she’s pursuing her dream of being a public school teacher.

Donald Rogers gained research experience as an exercise science major, which fueled his desire to become a physician scientist.

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

Student Government Association Vice President Nosagiegbon (Sai) Igiede takes advantage of leadership opportunities to develop his skills and support his classmates.

Computer science skills come in handy for mushroom farmer Owen Hunter ’23.

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

Exercise science major Zachary Kyros is one of the first UML students accepted into the Boston University Early Medical School Selection program.

Three bus rides, a different language and a challenging curriculum were not roadblocks for Isaura Jimenez on her path to a nursing degree. She saw them as challenges to be met.

Cassie Harding’s internship experiences as a public health student inspired her to tackle the big health and wellness challenges facing people in the cities and towns around her.

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

Sergio Rodriguez mentors incoming transfer students as a TAP peer ally.

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.

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

Motivated to help patients regain strength to live their best possible lives, Haley LaFreniere was inspired early on by her mom to pursue a health-related field.

An introduction to research helped Noah Mason find his passion.

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

Davood Dashti’s love of photography helped him transition from home in Iran to college life in the United States. Now, the Manning School of Business student is focused on a professional photography career.

Andrew Whitcomb is representing 75,000-plus UMass students on the state Board of Higher Education — while working as a digital marketing co-op at Keurig Dr. Pepper.

A work-study job with the Center for Lowell History is preparing Lilian Whitehead for a future museum career.

A born extrovert, business major Angel Molekunnel is seizing every opportunity that she can at UML.

Ellen Panetto was always interested in anatomy and how the body works, but wasn't sure exactly what area she wanted to work in. Her clinical rotation experiences led to her decision to pursue a career as a pathologists' assistant.

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

Kadeem Davis stepped out of his comfort zone to start the Black Student Union. He’s learned a lot about leadership and building an organization—and about the diverse interests of black students on campus.

Daniel Howell spent several years addressing the opioid epidemic in Lowell. Now, he’s working on a pandemic: COVID-19.

Gabriel Muniz is gaining hands-on experience that will help propel him toward his career goal of working in wildlife conservation.

Kieran Scofidio discovered a passion for travel and international business at UMass Lowell.

Cristian Ramos Delgado sang his way into a job with an a cappella group.

Fahad Alden says college is about finding where your passions and skills align.

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

Gerry Siracusa is combining his degree in exercise science with an MBA, which will help him open his own physical therapy practice someday.

Francesca Kamwa ’21 nearly dropped out when her father died. Thanks to support from UML faculty, she’s now applying to medical schools.

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

Prabakar Adithya’s early interest in finance developed into an appreciation for accounting and its impact on organizations.

Despite multiple roadblocks, biological sciences alum Emmanuelle Oliveira ’10, ’12 is on her way to becoming a doctor.

Julia Measmer’s experiments with spinach led to research with a professor.

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.

For Nhuy Phan, an aspiring math teacher who emigrated from Vietnam, "mathematics is a universal language."

Rosmery Medrano analyzed her culture and hometown in a field research class.

After switching from mechanical engineering to English, Troy Lafond uses his writing skills to excel with two student organizations.

Emily Makrez ’07, ’09 turned her passion for farming, fermenting and foraging into her own business.

Urdilinya Smith helped paint the new mural on South Campus.

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

Tariq Brathwaite’s superpowers — creativity and work ethic — have already taken him farther than he dreamed possible.

As co-president of the Society of Environmental Scientists student organization, Evelynn Cousey has developed leadership skills that she plans to take into a career in environmental policy and law.

Honors student Stephanie Guglielmo is all about studying abroad.

Thanks to her co-op and internship experiences at Kronos, business administration major Maylis Brito has broadened her career options beyond her concentration in finance.

Curiosity led Russell Todd ’81, ’83 to a wide-ranging career that included nuclear subs, weather radar and disease outbreak modeling.

Drawn to UML by the DifferenceMaker program, business major Cameron Famiglietti is now paid to help market it.

Lindsey Roberts worked her way through the clinical laboratory science program and a master’s degree, too. Now she’s the laboratory supervisor at Lowell Community Health Center.

The Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell helped Manning School of Business student Sopheak Mean discover a path to college. Through his part-time work at the nonprofit organization, Mean is helping kids like himself from Lowell who may need guidance and mentorship.

Political science alum works on White House staff.

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

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

Brian Richard sees the importance of diversity on campus.

Tiana Robinson is working on a research collaboration with the city of Lowell to help inspect and monitor the city’s aging infrastructure.

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.

Daniela Peña fell in love with research after a faculty member offered her a paid research assistantship.

Stefany Campbell was hired by Comprehensive Environmental Inc, a civil engineering and environmental consulting firm, before she graduates.

Mike Carpenter ’97 is busier than ever after retiring from a successful network security sales career.

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.

Mike McCone parlayed a co-op job and internship at TJX Companies into a full-time allocation analyst position with the Fortune 100 retailer.

Garima Jain transferred from J.C. Bose University of Science and Technology, YMCA in her hometown of Faridabad, India, to UMass Lowell, where she has gained research and internship experiences.

As she begins her career at Fidelity, Yeaharne Hout sees how transformative her UML experience has been.

Stephanie Nicum found her place at UMass Lowell, taking on leadership roles as she excels in the field of public health.

A summer co-op job with the DifferenceMaker program gave Nick Jarek a wider lens on his future career.

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.

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

Tom Stranberg rounded out his business degree with co-ops at the Boston Federal Reserve and Wayfair.

Business administration major Keviana-Joy George transformed from a shy transfer student to an outgoing student leader who is on track for a career in human resources.

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

Thavaleak Prum came to UML to pursue her dream of transforming people’s lives through research.

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

Simone Peironnet secured a job with Boeing as a health physicist before graduating from UMass Lowell.

Erin Soulia gained on-the-job experience at Morphic Therapeutic, a biopharmaceutical company that was recently acquired by Eli Lilly and Company.

2021 Student Commencement Speaker Jamie Smorczewski knows what it means to persevere, over injury, health issues, the pandemic and life’s curveballs.

Criminal Justice major and community organizer Mayara Reis says the diversity at UMass Lowell let her be who she's supposed to be.

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

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

With family ties to the criminal justice field, Casey McCauley looks to forge her path to law school through the School of Criminology and Justice Studies.

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.

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

Matt Murphy quit vaping after a two-year addiction. Now he speaks out against teen vaping every chance he gets.

Rafal Thaher brings a unique international perspective to her coursework in the Manning School of Business. After fleeing war-torn Iraq with her family in 2005, she has spent the last two decades pursuing her passion for entrepreneurship.

Giulia Rabbito came to UMass Lowell for soccer and a business education – and then fell in love with economics.

Josh Santana’s passion for community music grew from the UMass Lowell String Project.

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

Mickyas Yihdego, an electrical engineering major originally from Ethiopia, helps the Lowell Housing Authority digitize its blueprints archive through his work-study job at O’Leary Library.

Jennica Hamm was mentored and is now a mentor herself, helping first-year students get acclimated to campus and academic life.

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

Ryan Descheneaux was inspired to teach by his uncle.

Kristina Ogbarmey-Tetteh took advantage of the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences’ Student Resource Center as a first-year student, and then became a tutor herself.

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

Katie McGourty took advantage of UML's Bachelor’s-to-Master’s program and completed her master’s in one year. She landed a job with Pfizer Inc. in the inflammation and immunology department before she graduated.

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

Michael Aloisi always knew that he wanted to teach. The College of Education is helping him discover all the ways that he can do it – even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lisett Córdoba Pren found support to overcome personal tragedy and earn a degree.

Electrical engineering major Arielle Joasil discovered a gold mine of opportunities at UML, including a co-op at Thermo Fisher Scientific, a fellowship at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and a research assistant role at UML’s Center for Advanced Computation and Telecommunications.

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

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

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

Nardine Faheem is UML’s first recipient of a three-year, $75,000 Entegris scholarship for STEM students from underrepresented populations.

For Nery Rodriguez, public health is the perfect major to combine science with helping people and communities.

Business student Shaymus Dunn got hands-on accounting experience – and an unexpected visit to the NASDAQ stock exchange – during his summer internship at EverQuote.

As Student Government Association president, Lisa Degou meets with Chancellor Moloney every month to negotiate for student interests.

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

Miranda Melo feels well prepared for her nursing career. Her past clinical rotations included working at Lowell General Hospital, Winchester Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of New England.

Majoring in Public Health helped Ashley Ventrillo turn her passion for women's rights into a career.

Nicole Hayek came to the Manning School of Business to prepare for a career in marketing. Along the way, she's been able to fulfill her passion for music.

Nancy Pin is on her way to becoming a family nurse practitioner so she can help the community.

Honors pre-med biology major Joe Mendes has taken a leading role with UML Emergency Medical Services.

As a well-being coach, Angeline Castillo reaches out to other health sciences students to ease their stress.

As an accounting co-op at iRobot, business administration major Kelly Dankese of Wilmington discovered a symbiotic relationship between what she learned in the classroom and the work she was doing for the Bedford-based tech company.

In a sport where team chemistry is vital, UML hockey player Charlie Levesque brings the perspective of an actual chemistry major – one with the goal of one day becoming a chiropractor.

A series of mentors helped Cleidir Mendes thrive at UML — and land a job at Fidelity Investments.

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

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

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

A deep-rooted desire for financial independence drives everything that Linda Barg does.

Dorcas Ruhamya found a mentor in Assoc. Prof. Khalilah Reddie.

Thomas Baldwin is pursuing a history degree while planning a career in law.

Chummeng Soun is documenting the traditional dances of his native Cambodia with support from the Center for Asian American Studies and the Southeast Asian Digital Archive.

A semester in Washington, D.C., interning with a nonprofit that trains women to run for political office galvanized Shaila Bornstein. As soon as she finishes at UML, she plans to return to Washington to gain political experience so she can run for president.

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.

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.

Class of 2024 Vice President Jason McKeon has made the most of every minute at UML.

Hannah Daly researched the opioid crisis with one professor and the alt-right with another. She’s already published the results of a public opinion survey she helped design, and now she wants to use her research skills to influence public policy on behalf of women.

Becoming a Red Sox Scholar in middle school set Nicole Carrasco-Cruz on course for her UML degree.

Plastics Engineering major Molly Tecce and partners from the 3D Club leapt into action to make PPE when the pandemic struck.

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

When she was younger, Jennifer Schultz didn’t want to be an engineer. Yet here she is, a summer intern in the office of Nonspec, a company that offers low-cost prosthetic limb systems. She even trekked to India with UMass Lowell’s B.V.B. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program.

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

Caroline Owusu lost an internship because of the COVID-19 pandemic – and found a passion for research.

EJ Judge received his Master of Public Health degree during the pandemic, which provided real-world opportunities to learn what epidemiology is all about.

Bradley Sherwood explains history to school children and adults at the Tsongas Industrial History Center, an educational partnership between the university and Lowell National Historical Park.

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

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

Transfer business student Julia Marino discovered a passion for sales at UML.

David Todisco says his political science classes, internships and experiences through UML's partnership with The Washington Center are helping him forge a political career.

Accounting student Victor Souza knew all about hard work when he arrived at UMass Lowell. His focus was on getting involved during his undergraduate career — while also gaining valuable professional experience through internships.

Javier Palma is earning a teaching license along with his B.S. in electrical engineering.

For this sound recording technology grad, it’s all between the ears.

Taylor Carito signed up to work on The Connector, the student newspaper, at the beginning of freshman year. Now she’s editor-in-chief, and her involvement has shaped her college experience.

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

Jake Abramowitz won a statewide pitch contest for his short film.

Sandi DeRuntz invented ZipperBuddy, an aid for people with disabilities, through an interdisciplinary class and DifferenceMaker.

Sydney Fagundes has found her calling: teaching young children, with a focus on science and math.

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

Laura Cabrera's studies in philosophy and psychology have given her great personal insight - and the confidence to pursue a creative career in music, art and dance.

Nicholas Trunfio immersed himself in history while studying abroad.

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

After Matthew Fowler's mother underwent heart surgery, he observed the nurses, who worked with both intelligence and kindness. The experience inspired him to choose nursing as his career.

Jeongjae Han halted his studies at UML to serve in the South Korean military. Now that he is back on campus, he is focusing on earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Jessica Ross landed a job after graduation as a research associate in the gene therapy analytical development department at Sarepta Therapeutics.

For electrical engineering major Jack Goutier of Attleboro, failure was part of the job during his six-month product safety co-op at Bose Corp.

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.

Big ambitions, combined with practical thinking, led Jessica Tran to UMass Lowell.

Edward Morante says his studies in education and English, and his participation in the DifferenceMaker program, are preparing him to teach children of all ages.

After working with Alzheimer’s patients while in high school, Bryanna Ippolito is pursuing her bachelor's in nutritional science and developed a program for students who someday may be working with Alzheimer’s patients to understand what it’s like to live with the disease.

Just as she does in the high jump, junior business major Danielle Poublon reached new heights during her operations management co-op at Raytheon.

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

Exercise science alum Alex Sarazen ’17 went on to chiropractic school and now treats athletes at his own clinic. He also teaches classes at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

First-gen student Neyder Fernandez is president of the Student Government Association.

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.

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

Between the mathematics and UTeach programs, UMass Lowell was a perfect fit for aspiring math teacher Sam Colby.

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

Even as a transfer student and a commuter, Vincent Ciaramella found friendship and a helpful community at UMass Lowell.

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

Tiana DeCrescenzo ’23 discovered a love of competitive powerlifting en route to her degree.

During her six-month sales operations co-op at Kronos, business administration major Chanelle Cruz developed her Salesforce CRM problem-solving skills.

Dannalee Watson loves working in hospital labs, where she analyzes patient samples for signs of disease. She says it’s like being a medical detective.

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

As an aspiring broadcast meteorologist, Victoria Wisniewski was attracted to UML due to its bachelor’s-to-master’s programs, successful alumni and research opportunities.

By constantly building his network, Dennis Patel ’19 ’20 made the most of his undergraduate and graduate education — and landed a global supply chain analyst co-op job at Lockheed Martin.

Joyce Vega is grateful for all of the scholarships she was able to apply for through UML’s scholarship portal.

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.

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

Nisarg Jhaveri is learning all about global supply chain operations — and how to work remotely with colleagues in far-flung locations — in his summer internship with Dell Technologies.