Engaging Students Online

strategies for online learning. She said both faculty and students have felt more comfortable with their remote learning environments over the last year thanks to the eLearning and instructional design teams.

Salvucci is also teaching the freshman clinical nursing course, which meets for three hours each week. With over 120 students enrolled in the course, Salvucci says student engagement is critical. By using the ECHOplatform, she integrates polling questions, patient case studies, Zoom breakout rooms, videos, and other engaging activities that help reinforce the class content.

“I stress to students the importance of taking time for themselves and recognizing the difficulties they may be facing with online learning,” she said. “It’s key for students to hear that we are here for them.”

Attracting New Students For prospective and admitted students, the university’s move to remote learning meant a sudden stop to campus events and visits. To avoid any disconnect, Director of Enrollment Management Corey Ford said that within a week of moving to remote work, the enrollment team had shifted their events and resources online, including a campus walking tour video and a virtual “Welcome Day.” The team has since refined their approach to virtual engagement. They created an online space that features prerecorded videos and live programming using a new tool called PlatformQ and integrated a system where people can schedule one-on-one appointments with different university representatives. For those who want to visit the campus in person, but safely, they rolled out a new Campus Driving Tour that ties in virtual elements along the route.

Ford credits the different modes of technology, the university’s commitment to transparency, and the unversity’s concern for the health and safety of the campus and local community for last year’s increased numbers in both new and continuing enrollment. Ford said they will continue to use virtual tools, noting the flexibility they provide students and families to engage with the university in a meaningful way.

“It’s been nice to break down barriers of entry,” he said. “From that standpoint, we will continue to look to improve on some of our virtual offerings so that students can engage with us and get a sense and feel of the campus without necessarily having to come here.”

Illustration by Allison Gross

Cagen Luse ’11 Illustrates “New Normal” in Comic Strip Series

By Vanessa Chatterley

UMass Boston alumnus Cagen Luse ’11 is providing comic relief for those whose lives are filled with uncertainty. The Boston-based artist and entrepreneur dedicates his lunch break at the Massachusetts State Lottery to creating a comic series. Aptly titledLunchTime Comix, the series is an autobiographical rendering of Luse’s life as a self-proclaimed “racially ambiguous” person and touches on various topics, from life, love, and family to issues that people of color face in the world today.

Luse has always enjoyed reading and making comics, but it wasn’t until he worked as production manager for UMass Boston’s student newspaper,The Mass Media, that he began experimenting with creating comics for a larger audience.

“My editor said, ‘Why don’t you put in a comic?’ I started to really love the format of the strip comic,” said Luse. “A couple of years later, I’m at work. I feel like I’m not drawing enough, so I started doing comics on my lunch break, and it turned intoLunch Time Comix. It’s kind of grown from a little idea of ‘draw more.’ Four years later, I’ve been taking it as far as I can, and I’m going to keep pushing it forward.”

In the midst of the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic and current events, Luse has expandedLunchTime Comix into a new series calledThe New Normal. The series takes a humorous approach to life during what has become a stressful time for many.

“It was a dual purpose. Not only was it relatable to people, but it was also helpful to me,” said the comic artist. “We’re in such an uncertain time. We could hardly move forward with anything because the future was so uncertain, so it was really helpful to me to kind of examine my life and what was going on and be in this moment. And it helped me to work through those first couple of months of quarantining where we were all trying to figure out how life was going to move forward.”

Luse’s comics have appeared in alt-weeklyDig Boston and across social media. He has also self-published four collections of comics:This is Boston (2016),Joy & Pain (2018), The Racially Ambiguous Guidebook (2019), andThe New Normal (2021). Additionally, Luse has served as a panelist at several comic book conventions and has participated in workshop sessions at the Boston Book Festival. Luse is a member of Comics in Color, a networking group for comic artists of color in Boston.

Meet Student Leader Kush Patel ’21

By Vanessa Chatterley

Student trustee Kush Patel ’21 first discovered his passion for public service and leadership at UMass Boston. Recently serving his second term on the UMass Board of Trustees, Patel says his current responsibilities on the board include “bringing the student perspective of UMass Boston students to their meetings.” He currently sits on three committees under the board: Academic and Student Affairs, Administration and Finance, and Advancement.

His career in student government has followed a zigzag path, with each stepping-stone along the way leading to greater leadership roles. It all began in 2017 when he learned about an opportunity to join the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) through a special election. Patel, who had wanted to participate in student government since high school, jumped at the chance to get involved.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do within student government and what passions I would find from it, but that definitely helped me find the passions I have right now,” said Patel, a senior who is due to graduate this year with a bachelor’s in political science and a minor in economics.

Under USG, Patel served on the Student Events and Organization Committee (SEOC), first as senator, then as chair. The committee handles funding and budget allocation for all student clubs and organizations, and Patel said it offered the opportunity to meet other students and expand his network.

“Talking to different clubs and meeting new people helped me be more confident and want to be more involved,” said Patel, adding that he was surrounded by like-minded individuals who enjoyed what they were doing for the university.

At the end of his freshman year, Patel was elected student representative for the Board of Higher Education for Massachusetts, a role that allowed him to weigh in on issues like funding priorities for the public higher education system and the quality of academic programs. The following year, he was elected student trustee of the UMass Board of Trustees for the 2019–2020 term.

Although he’s accomplished a lot since arriving at UMass Boston, Patel has one more goal he’d like to reach before graduating. He urges the university to consider adopting open educational resources, or OER, which would make learning resources more accessible for students.

“There’s been a lot of research done where student retention actually increases,” Patel said. He explains that students who can’t afford to buy new textbooks sometimes resort to purchasing older, outdated versions of the book; struggle through the class without purchasing the textbook; or drop the class entirely. “So many students come from different financial backgrounds. Adopting OER on campus would help alleviate some of the cost and stress that are already on them as students,” said Patel. “It’s been a long battle that we’re trying to fight, but we’re making progress.”

As Patel approaches graduation, he said he’ll enter the alumni community with the hope of staying connected to UMass Boston.

“I’ve built so many great relationships over these past few years, and that’s just something I want to continue fostering. Hopefully I’ll come back to speak to the students. They can see what you can do at UMass Boston,” said Patel. “A lot of people go to classes and come back home, but I want to show them what UMass Boston has to offer that you can take advantage of while you’re here.”

1960s

Reverend Louis H.G. Bier G’62 celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination. He served Trinity Lutheran Church of Boston for 38 years. Bier also earned the Education for Service Award from UMass Boston in 2016.

Arthur Mabbett ’69 was recognized in theBoston Business Journal in 2020. He is the CEO and chair of Mabbett and Associates, Inc., which was a finalist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Dream Big Awards. The award celebrates the achievements of small businesses and honors their contributions to America’s economic growth.

1970s

Laurence Donoghue ’77, an attorney at Morgan, Brown, and Joy LLP, was named toThe Best Lawyers in America 2021 listing for Employment Law –Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment. He was also namedThe Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” in the area of Litigation – Labor and Employment.

Russell DuPont ’71 published two poems in JerryJazzMusician online magazine: “Corona 1” and “Corona 2.” JJM featured a broadside and a short story of DuPont’s last fall. Three of his poetry broadsides were displayed in an exhibition at the TILL-Wave Gallery in Watertown, MA.

Wilbur Evans, Jr. ’78 retired from the insurance industry after more than four decades. He began his career at Aetna Life & Casualty Insurance Company and went on to receive his insurance adjuster’s license in 28 states. In 2003, he joined American International Group, where he supervised adjusters nationally and specialized in public entities, health care, and higher education.

1980s

Kathleen Dunn ’83 retired from the Boston Public Library, where she worked as an archival center supervisor. Dunn earned her BA in art from UMass Boston and is currently pursuing her interests as a fine artist.

Stacey Isles-Brako ’85, G’91 retired after 33 years as an educator in the Boston Public Schools. Most of her career was spent as a first grade teacher at the John D. Philbrick School in Roslindale, MA. In 2001, she was named a Boston Educator of the Year. For many years, she mentored student teachers from UMass Boston and other local universities during their pre-practicums. She is currently a volunteer literacy tutor in Boston.

Jane Rose ’85 became chair of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners in November 2020. A senior assistant county attorney with the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, Rose previously served on the Florida Bar’s Judicial Nominating Procedures Committee and the Judicial Administration and Evaluation Committee. She has also received a gubernatorial appointment to the Statewide Judicial Nominating Commission for Judges of Compensation Claims.

Jain Ruvidich-Higgins ’88, G’94, who earned her bachelor’s in accounting and her master’s in human service administration, received the Distinguished Alumna Award at the William Joiner Center’s 2020 Virtual Celebration of Service in September.

1990s

Robert Brock G’93, who received his master’s in public affairs from the McCormack Graduate School, was promoted to deputy director of Connecticut Landmarks, a statewide network of 11 historic sites and gardens that celebrates four centuries of Connecticut history. Talita Guerrero ’15

Talita Guerrero ’15, who founded Right Key Mortgage LLC after graduating from UMass Boston’s College of Management, was recently named to theScotsman Guide’s annual list of lead brokers in the mortgage industry. She was the only female broker in Massachusetts to be named to several categories. Founded in 1985, theScotsman Guide publishes an annual ranking of the top mortgage originators in the United States. The rankings are broken out by volume of loans and types of mortgage. Mortgage lenders are invited to submit performance data toScotsman Guide and are vetted by staff for accuracy.

James W. Hunt, Jr. ’80

James W. Hunt, Jr. ’80, a leader in the national movement to bring highquality, low-cost health care to underserved neighborhoods, is retiring after 41 years as chief executive of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. Hunt played a pivotal role in creating the network of 52 community health centers, with nearly 325 locations, that provide care to 1 million mostly low-income residents across the state. He was also instrumental in incorporating community providers into the state’s groundbreaking universal healthcare law and establishing two organizations that help plan and finance capital projects for the centers.

Ayanna Cooper ’96 published two books in September 2020:And Justice for ELs: A Leader’s Guide to Creating and Sustaining Equitable Schools and Black Immigrants in the United States; Essays on the Politics of Language, Race, and Voice. She owns the education consulting firm ACooper Consulting, an advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

2000s

Abigail Dudley G’08 was named assistant principal at Monomoy Regional Middle School. Previously a special education coordinator and dean of students at Evergreen Middle School, Dudley taught in special education for 13 years. She earned her MEd from UMass Boston.

Danielle Knight ’02 joined Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) as chief financial officer. She has more than a decade of NGO financial leadership experience, spanning climate change research, international development, and community-driven conservation. Knight will lead CPI’s global team for financial and accounting functions across all programs.

Christopher Lewis ’09 has been named an assistant professor of law at Harvard Law School. His research explores how law, particularly criminal law, can be more fairly administered in response to social and economic inequality in the United States. He earned a BA in Africana studies and philosophy from UMass Boston.

Bhartiben Patel G’06 passed her Psychiatry Board Certification examination in Daytona Beach, Florida. One of nine board-certified psychiatrists in her city, she is also one of three female psychiatrists in a population of 100,000. Patel recently accepted a fellowship with Health Care of America in Florida for July 2021 to continue her work in public service. She thanks Dr. Ellen Birchander for giving her an opportunity to learn at UMass Boston. Alexis Trzcinski ’02 was promoted to director of the Animal Care and Control Division of the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. Trzcinski has worked for Boston Animal Care and Control since 2004 and served as the division’s assistant director since 2015.

David Turcotte G’04, who has an MEd from UMass Boston, has been named the new principal of Canton High School.

2010s

Caitlin Carey G’17, PhD’20 who received her master’s and her doctorate in public policy from McCormack Graduate School, was named a postdoctoral scholar with the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative at the University of California San Francisco. Carey will continue her research on Housing First programs, and expand her research on the ways that cities attempt to remove people experiencing homelessness from public view.

Catherine Christenson CER’11 is currently a family nurse practitioner in orthopedics and regenerative medicine. She earned her doctor of nursing practice degree in 2015 from Chatham University in Pittsburgh.

Igor Silva DaCruz ’11 was appointed director of life sciences in the SW Division of Silicon Valley Bank. He earned his degrees in finance and economics from UMass Boston.

Erik Diedrichsen ’14, who studied business management and marketing at UMass Boston, celebrated his 11th anniversary at Volume 11 Marketing Inc. The company specializes in 3D marketing and the creation of trade show exhibits and corporate environments. Ijeoma Julie Eche G’10, PhD’18, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, was awarded the 2020Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing Writing Award. Eche joined Dana-Farber in September 2019 after earning her PhD in nursing from UMass Boston. Her research focuses on improving psychosocial outcomes in minoritized pediatric oncology families. Kristie Ferrantella G’16 has stepped down as president and CEO of the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce to become director of finance at Island Energy Services, the parent company of Harbor Fuel and Yates Gas.

Pamela Lomax G’16 was named executive vice president at Roxbury Community College. She was formerly administration and finance deputy at the MA Office of the State Auditor.

Ronald Mariano G’72

Ronald Mariano G’72 was recently elected Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives after serving as majority leader since 2011. The longtime Quincy Point resident was elected to the House of Representatives in a special election in December 1991 to represent the 3rd Norfolk District, which comprises Quincy, Weymouth, and Holbrook. He holds a master’s degree in education from UMass Boston, taught in the Quincy Public Schools for 12 years, and served as a member of the Quincy School Committee for 18 years.

Anna Svetchnikov ’10, G’14

Anna Svetchnikov ’10, G’14 was named one of theBoston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” for 2020. The award annually highlights Boston’s brightest young professionals who aim to better their communities. Svetchnikov is the executive director of Longwood Care, a family therapy and behavioral center with offices in Swampscott, Lynnfield, and Danvers, MA. Svetchnikov earned her bachelor’s in psychology and her master’s in family therapy from UMass Boston.

David Lun ’11 has been named Salve Regina’s women’s hockey coach. Lun spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach for the men’s ice hockey team at Wesleyan University. While at UMass Boston, he was a four-year standout forward and played in the Federal Hockey League for four seasons.

N’Dia Riegler G’12, a teacher at the Eliot K–8 Innovation School, has been named the 2020 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year, an award presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Riegler received her MEd from UMass Boston.

Gloribel Beatriz Rivas ’18, a legislative aide to Rep. Adrian Madaro, was recognized by the Boston Foundation for her leadership, social justice advocacy, and public service in Boston. While at UMass Boston, Rivas was a volunteer at the East Boston branch of City Life/ Vida Urbana. She also volunteered on the campaign of Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards.

Maria Servellon ’12 was honored as one of the 2020 “Ten Outstanding Young Leaders” by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and City Awake. The award recognizes the most prominent and influential young professionals across all sectors who strive to make the Greater Boston region a place for businesses and people to thrive.

2020s

Nora Fitzwilliam ’20 was hired to work full time as a clinical care technician on the Mother-Infant Unit at Tufts Medical Center. She earned her BS in biology from UMass Boston.

Kyéra Sterling G’20 was named executive director of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus. Sterling formerly served in the Massachusetts House for the last five years. She previously supported former councilor/current congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and helped foster the early stages of the 2015 Pay Equity Coalition in the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.

IN MEMORIAM

Since our last issue, it has saddened us to learn of the passing of the following members of the UMass Boston community.

Alumni

John Aherne ’71 Maryanne Akins ’80 Marion Antonellis ’86 Elizabeth S. Asher ’15 Bernadette M. Aylward ’52 James Ashley Baker ’83,

G’87 Ingrid A. Banks-Filzer ’85 Sarah Nehemie Berlus ’20 Kathleen M. Boynton ’66 Peter Francis Brady G’63 Janet A. Branch G’71 Carol L. Bright G’89 Romus Broadway ’78 Gerald R. Brown ’61, G’68 Carol A. Bugala ’62 Robert F. Burke ’74 James K. Burns ’81 Marcia J. Byrne ’72 Dorothea Riley Byrnes

CER’95, CER’97 Mary Ellen Cafferty ’68 Richard Allan Carle Joan C. Carson ’78 Sandra N. Cassidy G’99 Richard T. Caves ’78 Katherine R. Chadwell G’91 Robert J. Colannino ’69,

G’70 Mary Holderried Conlin ’64 John F. Connor G’82 Margaret Mensoian

Conrad ’69, G’70 Professor Emerita Theresa

M. Corcoran G’51 Kerry A. Corriveau ’90 Edward J. Cotter ’72 John Francis Cronin ’71 John J. DeMarco ’69, G’71 Bernadette Keish

DiGiovanni ’95 Arthur Dirks EdD’01 Joan M. Doherty ’74 Peter F. Dolan ’74 William P. Dooling ’65 Brian P. Dorsey ’70 Jean L. Doyle G’95 Vincent P. Eddy ’87 Kristine M. Esposito ’94 Robert F. Falite ’71 David L. Fitzgerald ’78 Lawrence K. Foti ’59 Meredith A. Franck ’69 Natalie Fultz CER’97,

CER’98, ’01 Francis M. Gill ’73 Lorraine Connolly

Giumetti ’61, G’68 Dennis Peter Green ’74 Alice Marie Guiney ’80 Lorraine Frances

Hamilton ’59 Captain Richard C.

Harris ’78 Michael W. Harron ’73 Andrea V. Haye-Lewis ’88 Kelly S. Herlihy ’95 Carol Kropiwnicki

Holland ’65 James E. Howley ’84 William F. Hudson ’64 David A. Hurd ’72 Timothy Hurley ’61 Maureen Hurney ’73 Joanne Marina Jeffers ’58 Mimi Jones ’71 Harry Kamataris ’75 James W. Keenan ’63, G’70 Mary Heiser Kelly ’59 Michelle K. Kindred ’88 Leonard H. Kroll ’07 Robert J. Lawrie ’78 Thomas F. Lee ’70 Andrea L. Leiblein Marie-Christine Costa

Leon ’74 Margaret R. Lockwood ’73 James J. Lynch G’71, P’86 William A. MacGregor ’84 Marcia H. MacMillan ’63 Josephine Mattina ’84 Judith A. McCarthy ’92,

G’95 Martina F. McCormack

G’93 Margaret Reis McCormick

G’61 Paul J. McGillicuddy ’62 Joseph T. McGrath ’94 James A. McKay ’77 Joseph G. McLaughlin ’81 Jane E. Milano ’55 Mary Jane Mudge ’88 Maureen E. Murphy ’73 Richard Nakashian ’93, P’12 Professor Emerita Irene A.

Nichols ’52 Mary Virginia O’Brien ’58, G’61 Professor R. Patricia

O’Grady G’89 Paul K. O’Leary G’61 Thomas A. Palli ’76 Nora C. Pelrin ’84 Mary B. Pender ’59, G’63 Bruce Peters ’74 Ann Marie Reade ’73 Janet M. Reid ’77 Catherine M. Riva

CER’88, ’91 Robert F. Rodick ’94 Leo J. Ronan ’83 Jeanne Ronayne, SDN, ’85 Irene A. Rosenthal ’72 Alice T. Ryan ’05 Benjamin Slomoff ’93, G’97 Anne L. Smead ’77 Helen Tenney Smith G’95,

CER’97 Karen M. Souza ’02 Joanne Sullivan ’88 Kathleen M. Sumera G’95 Suzanne Tabasky ’73 George T. Talbot, MD, ’68 Grace Adele Thomson ’82 Phyllis E. Tobin ’70 Joseph Richard Valle ’81 Eileen F. Weaver ’66 Milton J. Wolk CER’98 Paul F. Zeolla ’65, G’69

Faculty and Staff

Christian C. Agunwamba,

Former Faculty Harry Brill,

Retired Faculty Dennis L. Byrnes,

Retired Faculty Frank Caro, Retired Faculty Marilyn A. Cirafice,

Retired Staff Brian R. Clarridge,

Retired Staff Edith G. DeAngelis,

Retired Faculty Xiaogang Deng,

Retired Faculty William J. Fitzpatrick,

Retired Faculty Murray W. Frank,

Retired Faculty William R. Hamilton,

Retired Faculty Sari Kawana,

Former Faculty J. Theodore Klein,

Retired Faculty Alice W. LeBlanc,

Retired Staff Mariah McGill,

Former Faculty Michael G. Mensoian,

Retired Faculty Bernard E. Michels,

Former Faculty Joan M. Moon,

Retired Faculty Ronald N. Perry,

Former Staff Jean Prendergast,

Former Faculty Fuad Safwat,

Retired Faculty Melissa Shook,

Retired Faculty Robert H. Spaethling,

Retired Faculty David G. Terkla P’07, P’16, Former Faculty

Friends

Adele P. Ames Sophia Barrera Maxine Bontrager Norma A. Crowley Anne Marie Cussen Linda Finstein Thomas P. Fitzgibbon Anna Bell Foster Na-Jae Josephs Tunney F. Lee Giovanni Lopez Luz Maria Lopez Yuriko Mah James E. Mahoney Antoinette K. Mamish Dorothy J. O’Connell Sumner Redstone James Savicki Richard A. Smith Raymond J. Stockless Don Stoddard Marjorie Southwick

Thurlow Linus Travers John Winske

Irene A. Nichols ’52, proud alumna and philanthropist, passed peacefully on November 1, 2020. She attended Boston Teachers College for her undergraduate degree and briefly taught in the Boston Public Schools as an elementary teacher. She attended Harvard University for both her master’s and doctoral degrees in education. A professor of psychology in education at Northeastern University for 35 years, Professor Nichols mentored many students, including J. Keith Motley, who went on to become the eighth chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston. Irene was a passionate UMass Boston volunteer, serving as a founding member of the Board of Visitors. She was pleased to establish a scholarship fund at UMass Boston in her mother’s name, the Jessie A. Nichols Early Education Scholarship, to support future teachers. Irene was a generous benefactor of the arts and education, contributing annually to a number of causes, including the Boston Teachers Scholarship Fund at UMass Boston.

Benjamin Slomoff ’93, G’97 passed peacefully at his home on December 5, 2020, having celebrated his 107th birthday just weeks before. Ben will be fondly remembered by generations of UMass Boston students and alumni as the benefactor behind the annual Benjamin and Sylvia Slomoff and Judith Green Loose Lectureship in Conflict Resolution, an event he sponsored for 21 years. The lectureship brought the greatest thinkers in mediation, international relations, diplomacy, and dispute resolution to our campus for an annual dialogue. Ben will be remembered for more than this generous lectureship, however. He will be remembered for embodying the belief that education is a lifelong pursuit. He enrolled at UMass Boston at the age of 78 to earn his bachelor’s, and finished with a master’s degree in dispute resolution in 1997 at age 85. Prior to joining UMass Boston as a student, Ben served in the United States Air Force from 1941 to 1957, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. After the military, he had a long career in the shoe industry, including as CEO of Milford Shoes Incorporated.

David Terkla P’07, P’16, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, passed on October 21, 2020, after a yearlong battle with cancer. Dean Terkla became a highly respected and influential campus leader after joining UMass Boston in 1987 as an assistant professor of economics. His contributions in academia and to the campus led to promotions to associate and then full professor before he became an associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts in 2010. In 2014 he was appointed dean of the college. Dean Terkla’s academic approach was interdisciplinary before that term came into common usage. He was a professor of economics, with a joint appointment in the Department of Economics and the School for the Environment. He held several formal and informal leadership positions at UMass Boston thanks to his deep understanding of and informed approach to complex issues in environmental management and economic development. Most importantly, his students and colleagues remember him fondly as a leader who always used his voice to lift others.

Virtual Beacon 5K Brings Together UMass Boston Community

The Office of Alumni Engagement and UMass Boston Recreation teamed up last October to launch the university’s second Virtual Beacon 5K. Participation in the three-day event grew to more than 350 members of the UMass Boston community. Virtual 5K runners represented 17 states, 1 U.S. territory, and 4 countries, including Pakistan, Singapore, and Ireland.

The event raised a total of $3,570 for the Beacon Student Aid Fund.

Director of Alumni Engagement Steve Whittemore said the initiative was a fun way to unite the UMass Boston community and help everyone feel more connected.

“During these trying times, it’s imperative that we, as a community, come together and be a beacon of hope to those who may be struggling around us,” said Whittemore, who launched the first virtual 5K in April 2020, shortly after social distancing measures and mask mandates made in-person alumni events difficult to implement. “I’m incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support and interest in the Virtual Beacon 5K, and I offer my sincere gratitude to all those who participated and helped organize the event.”

A third Virtual Boston 5K took place in April 2021.

Photos: (right) Erica Perry ’22 and her younger sister Alexis participated in the Beacon 5K last fall. (below right) Run for Krystle team members Jennifer Kanyugi G’10, ELP’19; Dina Scarpelli; and Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Kathleen Kirleis after completing their 5K. (below) Senior Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions Sharon Gringeri Giroux and her family show off their school spirit in UMass Boston blue and white!

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We are grateful to the over 400 alumni and friends who participated in our Sponsor a Mask Initiative. So far we’ve distributed 600 masks to students in need and raised over $11,000 for emergency student aid!

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Masks are still available— join this opportunity by visiting umb.edu/maskitup or use your phone camera to scan:

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1 Sherri Siegel CER’16 received her post-master’s certificate in gerontology/adult nurse practitioner and resides in Boise, ID. 2 Gregory White ’83, workforce educator/ corporate delivery specialist and HR consultant in Beaumont, CA, and member of the San Diego Regional Alumni Committee. 3 Majid Dawood ’70, CEO of Yasaar Ltd., in London, UK. 4 UMass Boston students Eriq Gassé ’21 and Flavia Martins ’22 on the campus Harborwalk. 5 Marco Curnen G’08, assistant principal at the Escuela Amigos School in Cambridge, MA. 6 Lisa DiVasta ’89, owner of Plymouth Cards, and husband Vincent DiVasta ’89, principal consultant at Citisoft in Riverview, FL. 7 Jennifer Kanyugi G’10, ELP’19, VP at Eastern Bank in Boston, MA, and member of the Run for Krystle marathon team.

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