UMass Lowell by 2020:
3
RD
largest public university in New England
21,000
students enrolled
$114M
in Annual sponsored research
$115M Endowment
millions
OF dollars in tuition ROI
Office of University Advancement | Charles J. Hoff Alumni Scholarship Center | 1 Perkins Street | Lowell, MA 01854 | 978-934-2223 www.uml.edu/ourlegacy-ourplace
Chancellor Meehan becomes president of the UMass System.
I know UMass Lowell transforms lives With an enrollment increase of 40 percent over the previous five years, UMass Lowell is named No. 10 on both Forbes’ list of Best Value Colleges and Payscale’s list of best return on investment among publics.
—because it transformed mine. First as a student, then as a faculty member and now as chancellor, I have seen how our university has helped generations of smart, hard-working students achieve. And what they achieve is transforming our region, our country and our world. Transformation is at the heart of Our Legacy, Our Place, the university’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign. Building on our shared history and strengths, we can transform the future of UMass Lowell. The best is yet to come, and we invite you to be part of it. —Jacqueline Moloney ’75, ’92 Chancellor
2009
Chancellor Meehan and Executive Vice Chancellor Moloney lead the development of the strategic vision known as UMass Lowell 2020.
UMass Lowell buys the Tsongas Arena for $1, renames it the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell.
2011 UMass Lowell is ranked a top-tier national university for the first time by U.S. News & World Report.
Jacqueline Moloney ’75, ’92 becomes first female chancellor in university history.
UMass Lowell publicly launches Our Legacy, Our Place, its first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign.
Building boom continues, with opening of the Health and Social Sciences Building, University Suites and Riverview Suites.
UMass Lowell acquires the Doubletree Hotel and renames it the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center.
2008
University Crossing, a $95 million studentengagement center, opens in the fall.
2012 The Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center opens on North Campus.
2013 Athletics join America East Conference, with all teams moving up to Division I.
2014
2015
Ground breaks for the new Pulichino Tong Business Building, future home of the Manning School of Business.
The Innovation Hub and M2D2 incubator open in Lowell’s Hamilton Canal District.
2016
McGauvran Student Center reopens with 52,000 square feet of dining space, learning commons and smart classrooms.
University Crossing—one of 12 buildings to open on campus since 2009—has become a vital connection between our three campuses, and a vibrant center of student life.
AT UMASS LOWELL WE BREAK BARRIERS. And that’s nothing new. For generations, fiercely determined students, faculty and researchers have come to Lowell to study, teach and innovate. The visionaries who came before are walking with today’s students as they prepare for a world of complex challenges. They’re standing alongside the faculty teaching in technologically smart classrooms. They’re looking over the shoulders of researchers at the edge of discovery.
This is a place with a legacy of determination, and that legacy is fueling a transformation at UMass Lowell. There’s a tangible energy as the university harnesses its desire to do its best for its students, for the region, for the world. More students than ever—who are better prepared than ever— are flocking to UMass Lowell. They’re seizing classroom knowledge and fanning out around the globe to help solve real-world problems at internships, co-ops and service-learning placements.
Our progress is guided by the university’s strategic plan, which defines what we aspire to be by the year 2020—and identifies the steps that will take us there. Why does all this matter? Because we have the power to help generations of students achieve, to ensure that multiple communities thrive. We want to make sure that what we do here at UMass Lowell matters, that our actions leave a legacy we can be proud of.
Faculty researchers—often working side-by-side with students and with increasing funding from government agencies and businesses— are tackling today’s most vexing challenges in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, business, health, education and the arts.
The university has taken many steps forward. We’ve committed time, hard work and resources. But now we need help. And that’s where our first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign comes in. Our Legacy, Our Place: The Campaign for UMass Lowell will span the next several years.
The very look and feel of the campus has been dramatically invigorated with new academic and research buildings, new residence halls and a huge new student engagement center. Athletics? Now Division I.
In the end, you are this university. You are the legacy. Let’s work together to break this new barrier. Help us build Our Legacy, Our Place.
The result: Rankings and national and international attention are soaring as UMass Lowell breaks barriers to take its place among the best public universities in the world. It’s a proud legacy and we’re building on it for future generations.
The $80 million Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center—home to pioneering research in nanotechnology, molecular biology, plastics engineering and optics—opened on North Campus in October 2012.
MEET OUR CAMPAIGN CHAIR, Charlie Hoff ’66, ’04 (H) Charlie Hoff received a bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Lowell Technological Institute and went on to distinguish himself as a highly successful venture capitalist and as an executive at companies such as Bausch & Lomb and Gillette. A longtime supporter of UMass Lowell and a former University of Massachusetts trustee, Hoff, together with his wife, Josephine, created the largest privately financed scholarship program in the history of the system. Hoff received UMass Lowell’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1992 and an honorary doctorate in 2004. We asked him to share his thoughts on Our Legacy, Our Place.
WHY IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME FOR OUR LEGACY, OUR PLACE? As we know, this university has a rich tradition of excellence dating back to the Lowell Normal School and Textile School, Lowell Tech, Lowell State, the University of Lowell and now UMass Lowell. Our two most recent chancellors, Jacquie Moloney and Marty Meehan (now president of the UMass System), and their leadership teams have done an outstanding job building upon that tradition and leading the university into its next phase of growth. I see it in the quality of students who are seeking a UMass Lowell education and receiving scholarships that enable them to fulfill their aspirations. While we celebrate all that has been accomplished, UMass Lowell is at a pivotal time in its evolution as an institution. I personally believe this is the time for us to embrace the challenge and propel the university to the next level.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SUPPORT THIS CAMPAIGN? I believe that if you’ve been given the chance to make something of your life, you should give back to the people and the places that gave you the opportunity. In my case, that chance came because of the education I received at Lowell Tech—an education that changed my life and that was made possible by financial aid. So, one of my life’s highest priorities has become to pass that opportunity along to today’s students. They’re going to go on and do important things, and I think we, as UMass Lowell alumni, should help them get there. That is why I’ve been supporting scholarships for many years, and that is why I believe in Our Legacy, Our Place: The Campaign for UMass Lowell. Fellow alumni, thousands of you have a story like mine. Join me and let’s make this effort succeed!
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IF YOU’RE GOING TO INVEST IN SOMETHING, IT SHOULD BE WORTHY. UMass Lowell is worthy. The university that grew up on both sides of the Merrimack River over the past 122 years has been a creative, resourceful, hard-working steward of the legacy it inherited from Lowell’s entrepreneurial and innovative founders. We intend to continue that legacy.
UMass Lowell provides a transformative education at an affordable price. Our alumni are earning among the top starting and mid-career salaries in New England. The university is ranked high for affordability, overall value and return on investment. Initiatives such as our DifferenceMaker Program encourage creative problem-solving, innovative thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit among students.
Our researchers are making advances in renewable energy, health care, education, manufacturing processes, economic development in communities and environmentally friendly alternatives to hazardous materials used in industry—to name just a few areas. Because of these advances, sponsored research grew by 81 percent between 2007 and 2014 to approximately $65 million.
Our reach is global, drawing students from around the world and sending students and faculty abroad for study and research. The university has partnerships with more than 120 top universities in more than 45 countries.
Wherever you look at UMass Lowell, you’ll find proof: This university is an excellent investment.
UMass Lowell continues to be a driver of economic growth, with an estimated annual economic impact on our region of over $850 million. The campus has helped to spark the revival of the City of Lowell, resuscitating properties and creating new revenue streams for the city. Sixty-eight percent of our alumni continue to live in Massachusetts, supporting the state’s high-tech, knowledge-based economy.
3
rd
We aim to be the third-largest public in New England by 2020.
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Our Legacy, Our Place has 5 priorities, each equally important:
1 2 3 4 5
LET’S BUILD ON THE LEGACY—FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW.
Help shape the UMass Lowell of the future. The legacy started with the place. Lowell was born in the early 1800s when entrepreneurs
STUDENT ACCESS & SUCCESS
realized that the 32-foot drop in the Merrimack River could fuel an American industrial revolution. Those innovators and entrepreneurs transformed the promise of the place into a city and a university that are an enduring legacy nurtured, enriched and passed on to the next generations.
FACULTY LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION
LIVING & LEARNING
EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
The Lowell Normal School and the Lowell Textile School were founded in the 1890s to educate the teachers, engineers and managers who would advance the region beyond 19th century technologies, keeping the legacy robust. The campuses evolved and merged to become the University of Lowell. In 1991, the campus became part of the University of Massachusetts system. At the start of the 21st century, the university launched a strategic plan to guide growth in the face of new economic, societal and technological revolutions. The place is still Lowell, but its reach is national and international. Inspired by our history, anchored by our strengths and validated by recent benchmarks that place us among the elite public universities, the campus has laid out a clear vision to build on the legacy by advancing research, engaging with the community and enriching the student experience.
The legacy’s return: economic vitality; a skilled and innovative workforce; environmental, health, social and technological advances; and the promise of continuing educational and economic opportunity for our children and grandchildren. The goal: By 2020, the campus will: • stand as the third-largest public university in New England • enroll nearly 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students • secure $114 million per year in sponsored research • manage an endowment of $115 million • remain a national leader in return-on-investment for tuition Vision and decisive action will help UMass Lowell nourish its legacy of excellence and innovation, as it continues to rise to the top ranks of public universities nationwide.
SUSTAINABILITY & ENGAGEMENT
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STUDENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE REAL WORLD.
We intend to make sure they are.
The cost of higher education can be prohibitively expensive for some students, even at a public institution. As a result, some never make it to college, a waste of potential for themselves and for society. Other students
1
finance college by holding one or more jobs, hindering their studies and participation in student activities that
STUDENT ACCESS & SUCCESS Providing need-based financial aid and key opportunities for real-world career and life experiences
promote personal growth and life skills. For many students, paying for college means taking on crushing debt that will make it more difficult for them to buy a home, save for their children’s education or prepare for retirement.
At UMass Lowell, access to education is a pillar of our mission. We aspire to be not simply a world-class educational institution, but also an affordable one for all talented and motivated students. Our Legacy, Our Place will create endowed funds for scholarships to meet the needs of deserving students with financial challenges. It will also help ensure that students get the kind of enriching experiences— from internships and co-ops to study abroad exchanges—that will make them ready for life after college.
In the short term, this investment will enable the university to recruit and retain the kind of academically talented students vital for continuing our rapid rise to national and international prominence. In the long term, these students will graduate to become the talented, innovative, versatile professionals needed by industry and society.
21%
of our budget is supported by the state, compared to 70 percent two decades ago.
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A PLACE FOR HIGH ACHIEVERS PROFILE: Elizabeth and Laura Kender ‘16 UMass Lowell’s nationally acclaimed plastics engineering program brought Honors College students Elizabeth and Laura Kender to the university. In addition to their engineering studies, the twins from Chelmsford, Mass., are minoring in business to gain the skills to run their own sports-equipment company someday. Both young women held summer internships at Amphenol TCS in Nashua, N.H., an industry leader in designing and manufacturing high-speed, high-density connectors for computers and servers. The twins tested resins, worked with data managing software and injection-molding machines, and coordinated with companies, suppliers and customers.
Elizabeth and Laura say that receiving financial aid from an endowed scholarship fund meant they did not have to take on jobs during the school year. “We’re grateful we can focus more fully on our academic and athletic commitments,” says Laura. The two are co-captains of the UMass Lowell women’s club ice hockey and lacrosse teams. They also make time for community service such as coaching the Chelmsford High School junior varsity ice hockey team.
“ Because of scholarship support, we are both able to move onto campus and experience campus life and the whole college experience.” – Elizabeth Kender ‘16
ABOUT ELIZABETH AND LAURA KENDER ’16 The twins graduated from Chelmsford High School with 4.0 grade point averages and multiple athletic honors. Both were class representatives, members of the National Honor Society and All-Conference for ice hockey. At UMass Lowell, they are Dean’s List students and members of the Society of Women Engineers and the Society of Plastics Engineers.
90
%
of current student need is met. We need to pay it forward.
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$27,717 $27,717 $24,200 $24,200
$28,482 $28,482 $25,00 $25,000
2011-12
2012-13
STUDENT ACCESS 2011-12& SUCCESS 2012-13PRIORITIES
$86,449,734
$86,449,734
$80,916,162
$74,720,546
$80,916,162
Total Annual Borrowing by Undergrad, Grad and Continuing Ed Students
$74,720,546
SCHOLARSHIP AID In a typical year, UMass Lowell meets 90 percent of demonstrated student need. That’s good, but a significant gap still remains. As much as possible, we want to free students from taking on multiple jobs and high levels of debt so that they can concentrate on their studies— and not on making ends meet. Increased funding for need-based scholarships will attract more applicants and allow our graduates career options unrestricted by heavy debt. Those graduates will become contributors to our region, country and world. As for the university, greater scholarship resources mean the ability to compete for, enroll and retain high-achieving, highly sought students.
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Average Undergraduate Loan Debt
The amount of money that UMass Lowell students and their parents are borrowing to finance their education is increasing each year—by an average of 7.5 percent the last two years—a trend that we want to slow and reverse.
2012-13
By 2013–14, our average undergraduate left UMass Lowell having borrowed over $30,000. While national figures for that year are not yet available, trends suggest that our students graduate with a higher rate of debt, which can have negative impacts on their future. We seek to reverse that growth trend and reduce the average loan debt that our alumni carry.
63% 63%
Public University
2011-12
Public University
National Average
UMass Lowell
UMass Lowell
UMass Lowell
$25,000
$28,482
$24,200
$27,717
Percentage of Undergraduates with Debt
57% % National 57 Average National Average
$86,449,734
$80,916,162
$74,720,546
UMass Lowell’s percentage of undergraduates with debt is slightly above the national average. Our goal is to change that ratio significantly.
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STUDENT ACCESS & SUCCESS PRIORITIES (continued)
CO-OP EXPERIENCES Co-ops and internships allow students to integrate classroom studies with professional work experience and to gain valuable skills in real-world settings—a “head-start” in a competitive job market. Though companies typically pay students during professional co-op experiences, funding is needed for expenses such as travel and lodging, or to supplement the relatively low pay provided by start-up companies. Internships and service-learning opportunities with nonprofit and social service organizations often are unpaid, meaning that only students who can afford work without pay can take advantage of these experiences. UMass Lowell seeks to make co-op and internship opportunities available to students in every discipline and major. Doing so will equip students to make an impact as soon as they graduate.
DIVERSITY INITIATIVES UMass Lowell seeks to bring together a student community with geographic, socioeconomic, educational, ethnic and cultural diversity. The dynamic, multi-perspective community we create helps to prepare graduates for success in the complex environments in which they will live and work. These initiatives help the university attract, retain and support top-quality students from all over the country and all over the globe. The outcome is a stronger UMass Lowell, whose graduates are ready to make positive contributions to a multifaceted society. INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS UMass Lowell’s international programs offer meaningful and substantive learning experiences that enhance the perspectives of our students. UMass Lowell students have a strong interest in international study programs, but with the cost of a 10-week program starting around $6,000, few can afford to participate. Those who would likely gain the most from life-changing international experiences may be the least likely to have the resources to take advantage of those opportunities.
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WE WANT TO ATTRACT—AND KEEP—THE BEST FACULTY IN THE WORLD.
All we need are the resources to do so. The heart of a university is its faculty. Professors teach, guide and inspire students. They also engage in academic exploration and research, resulting in advancements that make the world a healthier, safer,
2
more humane place. The UMass Lowell faculty includes business leaders, scientists and engineers making groundbreaking discoveries, best-selling authors, award-winning artists and community leaders.
FACULTY LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION Recruiting, retaining and supporting the academic endeavors of a dynamic, innovative faculty
Our Legacy, Our Place invests in the recruitment, retention and development of this dynamic and high-caliber faculty. We seek to bring the best of the best to UMass Lowell and to provide the intellectual space, physical environment and organizational structures and resources to support their passion and vision and to promote collaboration and innovation. This core commitment—enabling faculty to become the best teachers and most effective researchers possible—has an impact far beyond the classroom. That impact is practical, relevant and will reach to all corners of the globe.
65
$
+
MILLION
in research funds are brought in by our faculty every year. More funds will mean more impact.
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A PLACE FOR THE HUMANITIES PROFILE: Prof. Andre Dubus III Andre Dubus III followed up two New York Times bestsellers with the acclaimed memoir “Townie”and the haunting short-story collection “Dirty Love.” When he set his sights on completing a screenplay based on the true story of a former prison inmate, UMass Lowell helped him do it.
Being awarded the Nancy L. Donahue Endowed Professorship for the Arts enabled Dubus to conduct critical research on his subject. He says, “The professorship allowed me to—among other things—travel to Chicago and interview dozens of people who knew this man.” When Dubus returned, his students benefited, too. He discussed his research experiences, methods and the process of converting interviews into dramatic form. He says, “There’s a certain courage that I consistently see in the classroom at UMass Lowell, a willingness of these young people to take chances and speak their truths.”
ABOUT ANDRE DUBUS III Prof. Andre Dubus III is the author of six books, including “House of Sand and Fog,” which was a finalist for the National Book Award and a No. 11 New York Times Bestseller and which was made into an Academy Award-nominated film. His honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the National Magazine Award for Fiction, The Pushcart Prize and an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature.
Dubus praises UMass Lowell as a place for the humanities. “There is a lot of exciting inter-departmental work going on,” he says.
“ There’s a lot of exciting inter-departmental work going on here. I think it would be intriguing to co-teach a writing class with an engineer.” – Prof. Andre Dubus III
Why do professors like Dubus matter? Because the best faculty members make a lifelong impression on their students. Decades later, alumni tell stories about professors who went the extra mile to help them.
91
%
of our faculty have the highest degree in their field.
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FACULTY LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION PRIORITIES CHAIRS AND PROFESSORSHIPS Prominent endowed faculty positions benefit the university in many ways. They are perpetual sources of funding that ensure UMass Lowell will always have the resources to attract outstanding teachers and scholars—individuals who will bring not only prestige to the university but also external grant funding and collaborative initiatives. Many students and alumni view the superlative quality of the faculty as a critical component of the overall value of a UMass Lowell education. For public university costs, our students have opportunities to learn from some of the foremost thinkers and leaders in their fields. GRANT-FUNDED RESEARCH Grants dedicated to research are key to the faculty’s ability to initiate, explore and test promising new ideas and to forge partnerships with corporations and government agencies. Sponsored research grew by 81 percent between 2007 and 2014 to approximately $65 million. UMass Lowell researchers are making advances in areas such as renewable energy, disease eradication, curricular school reform, sustainable economic development and environmentally friendly alternatives to hazardous materials. These advances offer real-world applications that solve problems.
INTERDISCIPLINARY INITIATIVES Collaboration across traditional academic boundaries integrates a wide range of perspectives on an issue to provide a more comprehensive understanding. For example, the subject of gender may appear differently when examined through lenses such as economics, politics, cultural context or history. And research in robotics takes on expanded levels of understanding when explored through art, computer science and mechanical engineering. In order to remain relevant, all disciplines must increasingly find ways to adapt and overlap. ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION From incubators (like the university’s Office of Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property and its Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center) to student entrepreneurship initiatives (like the DifferenceMaker program and its annual $35,000 Idea Challenge), UMass Lowell works hard to move research from the laboratory to the real world. Our Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship was created to engage not only students, but also faculty, alumni and community partners to seek solutions to global challenges. Increasing the support to all of these ventures impacts the lives of people all over the world. ACADEMIC/RESEARCH CENTERS AND INSTITUTES Research centers address a range of difficult challenges facing the world today by bringing together campus researchers from different academic areas as well as external partners. Just a few examples: the Center for Terrorism and Security Studies, which serves as a hub of interdisciplinary research and education on the most pressing security challenges of our time; the UMass Lowell Public Opinion Center, which examines political and public opinion trends; and the Jack & Stella Kerouac Center for Public Humanities, which focuses on interdisciplinary study of American culture.
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WE WILL CREATE AN IDEAL CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT.
Place matters—especially this one. UMass Lowell’s physical spaces support learning, collaboration and social development. For example, in the new undergraduate Honors College, students will reside together and take the same core curriculum, strengthening academic experiences and fostering teamwork and meaningful interaction beyond the classroom.
3
LIVING & LEARNING Creating the ideal campus environment that fosters fruitful engagement in academic and campus life
Our Legacy, Our Place will have a profound impact upon the physical environment in which our students live and learn and in which our faculty members teach and conduct research. Improvement to campus facilities will support growing enrollment, enhance and expand academic programming, enrich community life and provide an environment that attracts accomplished, community-engaged students who meet UMass Lowell’s rising standards for admission.
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We have opened 12 new buildings since 2009. But the transformation has just begun.
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A PLACE FOR STUDENT GROWTH PROFILE: Matilda Matovu ’16 Two things inspired Matilda Matovu to pursue a masters in public health. One is a childhood illness. “I want to help people the way I was helped,” she says. The second is a love of discovery. Even as an underclassman in introductory science courses, she liked to attend informal talks by campus researchers to hear what new knowledge was on the horizon, including research into preventing transcription in cells to prevent the spread of disease.
Matilda’s first campus job was in the Fox Commons, a multi-purpose social space. “I got to be a part of creating a positive campus experience, especially for first-year students,” she says. As a sophomore, she began working in the Office of Student Activities and Leadership, supporting cultural, social, educational and leadership opportunities for students. She now works as coordinator for Fox Commons, and is vice president of the senior class.
“ This is an amazing institution and in a few years everyone is going to know that without a doubt.” –Matilda Matovu ‘16
She has a front-row perspective on how our new one-stop student center, University Crossing, is impacting students. By form and function, it demonstrates the university’s commitment to students. “Having everyone in one convenient location makes University Crossing a hub for student activity,” she says. “UMass Lowell is making it possible for us to learn both inside and outside of the classroom.”
ABOUT MATILDA MATOVU ’16 From Tewksbury, Mass., Matilda Matovu is a Student Alumni Ambassador who loves to show visiting alumni “that we are getting better every day, with new buildings and with more diversity on campus. It’s a constant change to a better UMass Lowell.”
83%
of first-year students live on campus. Research shows that results in more success academically and socially.
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LIVING & LEARNING PRIORITIES UNIVERSITY CROSSING After decades without new academic facilities, UMass Lowell now has a master plan for strategic growth, expansion and renovation. UMass Lowell’s first dedicated student center, University Crossing has become a vibrant hub for student activities that bridges the university’s three campuses and the downtown Lowell business and cultural district. The bookstore, dining facilities, Student Activities and the Registrar’s Office are located there, offering one-stop convenience for students. University Crossing is an emphatic statement about the university’s commitment to the student experience. Home also to the Admissions Office, this high-visibility facility plays a key role in creating a positive first impression for campus visitors. THE PULICHINO TONG BUSINESS BUILDING The future home of the Robert J. Manning School of Business (formerly the College of Management), this facility will continue the school’s growth in size and global reputation, allowing us to train future business leaders and entrepreneurs. By location and design this facility, which is now under construction, links the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, the Lydon Library and the Manning School of Business to emphasize interdisciplinary research for practical and commercial applications.
Scheduled to open in 2017, the Pulichino Tong Business Building will form an essential part of the North Campus Innovation District, and will help foster cutting-edge business education, research and industry interactions.
NORTH CAMPUS INNOVATION DISTRICT UMass Lowell’s science and engineering facilities—along with the Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, the Lydon Library and the Pulichino Tong Business Building—are positioned to create the dynamic North Campus Innovation District. Renovations here will enable UMass Lowell to continue a legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship in service to the community and to industry. Major renewal to the Perry Engineering, Olsen and Olney buildings is the top priority. Refurbishing and modernizing laboratories, classrooms and department rooms will ensure that our facilities match the high quality of our programs. SOUTH CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION PLAN The university has leveraged state and federal funds and limited debt to begin this physical transformation and now is working to secure private resources that will continue growth. Some of that growth will reflect the university’s strong commitment to the vitality and quality of programs in the arts, humanities, education and social sciences. A top priority is the $34 million renovation of McGauvran Center, resulting in more than 52,000 square feet of new dining space, learning commons and smart classrooms. Plans for expanded green space next to McGauvran will create a traditional campus quad. A third priority is Coburn Hall, so symbolic of the university’s earliest days, but sorely due for renovation.
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WE AIM TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF DIVISION I ATHLETICS.
The results will be felt across the university.
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UMass Lowell’s recent step up to NCAA Division I status puts the university into an elite category of prominent academic institutions, raising our stature nationally, both in terms of athletics and overall quality. The America East Conference, which UMass Lowell has joined, is a particularly good match. The conference strongly values academic achievement in addition to athletic excellence. In fact, nine America East schools are listed among the top 100 public institutions in U.S. News & World Report rankings, and America East is consistently among the top-achieving academic conferences by any NCAA metric.
EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS Investing in athletic programs and facilities to realize benefits for the university as a whole
The ascent to NCAA Division I athletics has prompted a number of positive results, including a dramatic increase in alumni support and corporate partnership support for UMass Lowell athletics. Close to home, UMass Lowell’s recent athletic achievements have engendered a strong sense of pride on campus and in our extended community. Meanwhile, expanded media coverage will put UMass Lowell on the map for aspiring athletes and for high-caliber students and faculty members who are seeking a place at a nationally renowned university.
Our Legacy, Our Place invests in River Hawk athletics to the benefit of the entire university. In addition to providing a superior intercollegiate athletic experience for team members, a high-profile and well-rounded athletics program engenders a stronger sense of community pride and gives widespread visibility to the university and its programs. Division I status and success in athletics have been proven to enhance outreach geographically and to increase the number of applicants. Put simply, athletics serves as the “front porch” that invites countless people through the university’s doors. In turn, these individuals and groups support UMass Lowell in a variety of positive ways and thereby extend its reach.
RIVER HAWK COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE
1
NCAA Frozen Four appearance
2
Hockey East Tournament Championships
7
Team National Championships
9
Individual National Championships
72
Conference Championships
268
All-American student-athletes
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A PLACE IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT PROFILE: NORM BAZIN ‘94, ‘99 April 11, 2013: UMass Lowell’s men’s ice hockey team faces off against Yale in its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Frozen Four to contend for the national title. That moment was the cap to a historic season in which Coach Norm Bazin led the River Hawks to their first Hockey East regular season and tournament championships, as well as the NCAA Tournament Northeast Region Championship.
In 2011, Bazin inherited a program that in the previous year struggled to a 5-25-4 record. But the River Hawks were ready for Bazin’s culture of accountability. “I believe in keeping student-athletes off balance and challenging them to learn every day,” he says. “There are a lot of parallels between teaching and coaching, and that’s what I’m doing—I’m trying to teach life lessons.”
“ If we can use sports to increase exposure for this world-class university, we’re all winning.” –Coach Norm Bazin ‘94, ‘99
The approach is working. Sixteen players achieved 2014-15 Hockey East Association All-Academic honors. “Those are examples of young men taking full advantage of the opportunities they’ve been given. Statistically, most will not make a living playing pro hockey but they will earn their UMass Lowell degree. Those are success stories.” Bazin thinks the timing is right for UMass Lowell to achieve the reputation for excellence that it deserves on a national level—and that the River Hawks can be a part of that.
ABOUT NORM BAZIN ‘94, ‘99 A scholarship recipient and first-generation college student, Bazin received the River Hawks Most Improved Player, Unsung Hero and Most Spirited awards. A Dean’s List student, he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and later a master’s degree in education administration. Bazin brought 15 years of coaching experience to his position as head coach at UMass Lowell. His many honors include being named NESCAC Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2011, followed by Hockey East Coach of the Year in both 2012 and 2013. He also won the Spencer Penrose Award for the National Division I Men’s Coach of the Year in 2013.
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student-athletes now receive full scholarships. We aim to increase that to 177.
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EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS PRIORITIES
ATHLETIC FACILITIES Key facilities—including practice facilities for ice hockey, men’s and women’s basketball and field hockey, along with strength/conditioning areas—will be upgraded as part of the university’s plan for a successful transition to NCAA Division I. The range and quality of facilities is a key factor in maintaining a Division I program. Upgrades ensure that facilities meet gender equity standards and provide room for expanded staff needed to meet the needs of a Division I program. ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS Athletic scholarships will be critical to UMass Lowell’s future success in NCAA Division I competition as a member of the America East Conference. This funding enables the university to cast a broad geographic net to recruit top athletes well beyond New England. Investment in athletic scholarships also helps to ensure that UMass Lowell enrolls the student-athletes who are the best match for the university and that the athletic program meets gender equity goals.
At present, the total number of full scholarships allowed by the NCAA for our athletic programs is 177. UMass Lowell’s commitment is to fund the maximum number allowable so that we can compete at the highest level, and we are seeking private resources to help us do so. STUDENT-ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS UMass Lowell is committed to enabling River Hawk student-athletes to excel in the classroom, on the field and as members of the larger campus community. Because the university is committed to developing 21st century leaders, our student-athletes graduate with the tools they need to be successful in their careers and lives. UMass Lowell student-athletes achieve higher graduation rates than the general student body. Investment in this area will further increase graduation rates and improve outcomes for student-athletes, the vast majority of whom will not make careers as professional athletes.
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LET’S BUILD THIS LEGACY TOGETHER. Partnerships and people are the keys to UMass Lowell’s success. The greatest strength of our university can be found in our people: students, faculty, staff and community friends and partners, as well as over 80,000 alumni— you are the living legacy of UMass Lowell and its predecessor institutions.
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SUSTAINABILITY & ENGAGEMENT Ensuring the long-term vitality of the university through fundraising and community building
Though our strong foundation remains in the New England region, our reach is global. Representing the university well wherever they go, our alumni live and work in every corner of the world. They are engineers, authors, entrepreneurs, teachers, CEOs, artists, industry leaders and more. Our alumni have also played an important role in UMass Lowell’s recent achievements.
The efforts we are making today will sustain UMass Lowell’s advances into the future. They will tie together the university’s proud history, our vibrant present and our ambitious and promising future. You have a vital role to play in this effort, and we invite you to join us in Our Legacy, Our Place: The Campaign for UMass Lowell.
As volunteers and donors, they have contributed to the assessment and planning of university goals and objectives and have generously provided capital to help transform the vision articulated in our strategic plan into reality. Our Legacy, Our Place will sustain UMass Lowell’s advances today and in perpetuity. This engagement matters in practical ways: it is a key factor in national and global university rankings and ensures that the university remains continually relevant to alumni.
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Alumni giving to the university has grown by 62 percent since 2009. Every gift makes a positive impact.
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A PLACE FOR ALUMNI PROFILE: Kunal Sampat ’04 Silicon Valley and UMass Lowell are geographically distant but share a spirit of innovation. Living in Northern California, Kunal Sampat ’04 likes thinking about the potential for fruitful connections. What bridges could be built between industry and his former professors? What advantages for current students could be reaped if alumni like him get involved?
With a dual degree in electrical engineering and computer science, Sampat calls attending UMass Lowell “one of the best decisions I have made in life.” That’s why today he is eager to do all he can to support his alma mater. His volunteer efforts have helped to create community among West Coast alumni, spread the word about UMass Lowell’s recent accomplishments and begin the conversations that might someday build those bridges.
” I really encourage other alums to visit campus— no matter how far away you live. I promise it will be worth it. And seeing is believing.” –Kunal Sampat ‘04
Sampat has also been engaged in alumni giving. Capitalizing on a matching gift from his employer, he established two scholarships to support international students who take leadership positions. He says his own experiences—as a resident advisor, secretary for the South Asian Student Association and senator for the Student Government Association—played an important role in his transition from student to working professional. “I strongly feel that your academic education is just one component of your overall growth,” he says. “Soft skills are extremely critical out in the real world, and the student leadership role will train you in how to work in teams and how to communicate.”
He says, “I think everybody should seriously consider giving back to UMass Lowell financially. Think about how much value you got at the university.” There is also the opportunity to be a part of the advances that are taking place at UMass Lowell today, he notes. ABOUT KUNAL SAMPAT ’04 A former Honors Program student and scholarship recipient from Mumbai, India, Kunal Sampat currently works for Abbott Vascular, a medical device company, where he manages clinical trials. “I feel like I’m making a meaningful difference in society by bringing devices to patients who need them the most,” he says. “I like knowing that these devices are going to save their lives.”
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PayScale ranks UMass Lowell as the top public research institution in New England for salary potential.
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SUSTAINABILITY & ENGAGEMENT PRIORITIES
ANNUAL FUND A strong Annual Fund is a critical resource to the university. Unrestricted giving through the Annual Fund gives UMass Lowell the flexibility to meet new opportunities and address unforeseen challenges as they arise. The Annual Fund helps to keep a UMass Lowell education both affordable and of high quality. ALUMNI PARTICIPATION The alumni participation rate in annual giving is an important indicator of the value UMass Lowell alumni place on their educational experience. It is also a factor in national college ranking formulas. According to U.S. News & World Report, there is a correlation between the most highly regarded colleges and the percentage of alumni who support them. Participation in annual giving is one of the simplest, most direct ways that alumni can help to raise UMass Lowell’s national profile.
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT Alumni represent a tremendous human resource, a great pool of talent, expertise and energy. UMass Lowell seeks to build with alumni lifelong relationships of mutual benefit. Alumni strengthen the university through philanthropic support, the establishment of corporate partnerships, the provision of co-op and internship opportunities and the recruitment of outstanding students. In return, an ongoing relationship to the university offers alumni access to professional networks, mentoring opportunities and rewarding involvement in affinity communities. Creating additional networks and pathways for alumni engagement is a key goal of the campaign. VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP Creating leadership positions through advisory boards and defined networks is a priority of the university going forward. With growing alumni communities in various states and countries, we seek to build a structure that will support ongoing alumni involvement with the university. The university will be greatly strengthened by alumni who feel connected not simply to UMass Lowell’s past, but also to UMass Lowell’s future.
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THE MAKING OF UMASS LOWELL: A TIMELINE Durgin Hall opens on South Campus, with a 1,000-seat concert hall.
Lowell Normal School is founded to prepare teachers to fill the needs of the emerging middle class (South Campus).
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Southwick Hall is built on North Campus and is dedicated in 1903.
Coburn Hall is built on South Campus.
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Lowell Textile becomes Lowell Technological Institute in 1953, a leader in engineering and science education and research. Martin J. Lydon is named its president.
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1932 Lowell Normal becomes State Teachers College at Lowell.
Lowell Textile School is founded to train leaders who would shape and grow the textile industry (North Campus).
The academic year at Lowell Normal School opens with an enrollment of 108 students—105 women and three men.
1950 Daniel H. O’Leary becomes president of State Teachers College at Lowell.
Fox Hall dormitory opens, followed by O’Leary Library and McGauvran.
1968 State Teachers College at Lowell becomes Lowell State College, a leader in K-12 teaching innovations.
1973
William T. Hogan becomes president of the university.
Lowell’s two educational institutions merge to form the University of Lowell, a comprehensive university.
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1976 John B. Duff becomes president of the University of Lowell.
1981
UMass Lowell takes ownership of and oversees more than $1 million in renovations to the Bellegarde Boathouse on the Merrimack River.
LeLacheur Park opens, providing a riverfront home for the UMass Lowell baseball team and the Lowell Spinners.
The Distance Learning program is launched.
1991 UMass Lowell is established as part of the University of Massachusetts system.
1994 The campus celebrates its Centennial with a year of events and publication of a history of the university.
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2002 UMass Lowell opens the Campus Recreation Center, a 65,000-square-foot fitness facility complete with a basketball court, running track, racquet ball and squash courts, cardio equipment and exercise studios.
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2007 Marty Meehan ’78 becomes chancellor of UMass Lowell.