The Tea

Residence Halls Named for Dr. J. Keith and Angela Motley

The namesakes of the newly christened Dr. J. Keith and Angela Motley Residence Halls were honored for their steadfast commitment to UMass Boston at a dedication ceremony hosted by the University of Massachusetts and attended by more than 400 people. Chancellor Emeritus Dr. Motley and former first lady Angela Motley G'94 have been the driving force in expanding the on-campus residential experience for students.

“It is an honor to pay tribute to two UMass Boston legends,” said UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco. “The incomparable Angela and Keith are tireless champions toward equity for students, staff, and the UMass community. The naming of this building is a testament to their leadership, making their legacy a permanent honor of their forceful efforts to build our first on-campus living space.”

“This is beyond our imagination,” said Dr. Motley. “When you walk onto this campus, you can see transformation everywhere. That should not be a surprise—excellence is what you should expect at an institution. And as a university built on love, we cannot move on without thanking all those who stood by our side to ensure our students’ success with the opening of the campus’ first residence halls. Let us continue to reach, inspire, and empower the next generation of leaders.”

“The residence halls were a dream of ours realized and only complements the work of those around us. Thank you to everyone who made this possible,” said Angela Motley, who played a critical role during Dr. Motley’s tenure by supporting fundraising efforts and making service and student mentorship a hallmark of her time at the university. “We are truly humbled and forever grateful to be receiving an honor of this stature.”

Built in 2018, the Dr. J. Keith and Angela Motley Residence Halls provide housing for first-year students, flexible living and learning spaces, and a venue for fostering a stronger on-campus educational experience.

A visionary gift positions UMass Boston to lead in applied AI

UMass Boston recently announced the creation of the Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute, conceived and funded by tech entrepreneur and UMass Boston alumnus Paul English ’87, G’89, H’19. The new institute—created with a $4 million commitment and an additional $1 million in scholarship support from English—will be the first of its kind in the nation.

“I’ve had the privilege of visiting dozens of universities over my career,” said English.

“What stands out about UMass Boston is its pragmatism, grit, and diversity. It is these things that will propel UMB to lead on applied AI.”

The institute will be embedded in academic study across UMass Boston’s schools and colleges and will include a focus on the social, ethical, and diversity challenges associated with AI. It will also catalyze UMass Boston’s efforts to gather experts from the full spectrum of the university’s research and organize its activity and expertise around this everexpanding technology. These combined emphases will allow the institute to give UMass Boston students in every field—who overwhelmingly join the Massachusetts workforce after graduation—the tools necessary to succeed in and shape the increasingly AI-powered world of work.