Meet Grace Smith ’22

MEET MASS MEDIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GRACE SMITH ’22

BY ADRIENNE HARRISFRIED ’22

Editor-in-Chief Grace Smith ’22 was dedicated to The Mass Media—UMass Boston’s student-run newspaper—before she even stepped foot on campus. Currently finishing up her second year as head of the publication, Smith said her time at the newspaper shaped her college years and presented opportunities that she would not have otherwise had.

“The paper has paid for me to do things, and it’s given me connections. We get to go to conferences, and I can get press passes to go to exhibits, concerts, and events,” said Smith. “Those experiences are things that would normally be exclusive or expensive if I wasn’t part of The Mass Media.”

Smith chose to enroll at UMass Boston because of the paper, and she attended her freshman orientation with the goal of landing a job on it.

“I was able to step into the role as arts and lifestyle editor, which is atypical for a freshman with minimal experience,” said Smith. “But I had a lot of drive and passion for journalism, which I think they saw. Before we even had our first day at school, I had already driven two hours to go to the first Mass Media meeting.”

This position opened a new world of possibilities for Smith. She attended concerts, wrote reviews, and interviewed pop singer-songwriter Christian French twice. Smith dined in multiple restaurants and attended events in Boston as well, including Glow Boston’s Halloween Party in 2019; the Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker; and Boston Fashion Week, where she interviewed the models and head designer.

Smith’s ultimate promotion to editorin-chief should have been a celebratory time—but then COVID struck. The global shutdown caused difficulties for the paper.

“During COVID, I was completely on my own and had no training. It was harder than usual to get students involved. All the clubs and organizations were struggling. It was hard to build upon the paper with little involvement,” said Smith, adding that the return to campus reignited student interest. “COVID helped me to grow a lot and step up when I really wasn’t fully prepared…. It gave me great experience for the workplace.”

The knowledge she gained from The Mass Media allowed her to secure two internships at small businesses, where she handles marketing and communications. Smith is on track to graduate this month with a degree in communications and a concentration in professional and new media writing. After graduation, she hopes to continue writing for a newspaper or magazine that reviews music. But before she leaves, Smith has one more goal.

“I would love to see the paper get the recognition that it deserves. I want more students picking it up and more students getting involved,” said Smith. “We are a staple of the UMass Boston community. The students that we do have on our team are so hardworking and they deserve to have their work read.”

Two students enjoying the student-run paper, circa 1985. Were you part of the The Mass Media when you were a student, or recall your favorite spot to read it? Share your memories with us at alumni@umb.edu.

Read more stories by students at The Mass Media at umassmedia.com.

ABOUT alumni

1970s

Frances Bak ’79 was the first tourist to officially visit Bhutan in 2021 after tourism remained closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic. Even before the pandemic, traveling to Bhutan required a fair bit of coordination. Under the kingdom’s “High Value Low Impact” policy, visiting is prohibitively expensive and designed to prevent overtourism. Bak said all the hurdles were worth it. During her threemonth stay in August, she visited various monasteries and institutions and played her western gong.

Marie Finn ’78 retired from Gorman Fort Banks School, marking the end of a superlative 43-year teaching career in the Winthrop school system. Finn started in 1979 at Winthrop Junior High as a physical education teacher. She graduated from Boston State College with her bachelor’s in exercise science/physical education.

1990s

Paula Cloghessy ’93 joined Seres Therapeutics, Inc. as executive vice president, chief people officer. She brings to Seres more than 20 years of human resources expertise with broad business experience leading human resources organizations in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Seres is a leading microbiome therapeutics company developing a novel class of multifunctional bacterial consortia that are designed to functionally interact with host cells and tissues to treat disease.

Dan Currie ’95, former New England events programming representative for C-SPAN in Boston, created a map of Edgar Allan Poe’s Boston called “The Raven’s Trail” and co-curated a popular exhibition at the Boston Public Library called “The Raven in the Frog Pond: Edgar Allan Poe & the City of Boston.” He then became founding president of the Edgar Allan Poe Foundation of Boston for the purpose of spearheading the public art project that resulted in the 2014 unveiling of a permanent life-size bronze statue of the writer at Boylston and Charles Streets in what the city now calls Poe Square.

Sean Meagher ’99 was featured in the ninth season of Bravo’s Emmy-nominated hit series Below Deck. Meagher has sailed to the polar ice caps and the South Pacific, which means that he carries quite an impressive resume. Meagher is also impressive off-land, and spent five years photographing wildlife.

Ronald Taylor ’98 was named executive vice president and head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) of Natixis Investment, based in Boston. In this role, Taylor leads Natixis IM’s U.S. DEI initiatives and also serves as a resource for Natixis IM’s affiliates in the region to support their DEI efforts.

2000s

Nora Rose Adukonis ’06 was named partner at Litchfield Cavo LLP. Prior to this appointment, Nora was awarded the Rising Stars distinction in 2019. Rising Stars is a designation of top-rated practicing attorneys selected through extensive evaluation.

Monique Austin ’01, G’05 was named director of equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism (EDIA) at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, RI. In this newly created position, Austin will develop, organize, and implement equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism initiatives and strategies in support of Trinity Rep’s EDIA goals. Originally from Boston, Austin has spent over 20 years in higher education, having worked at both public and private institutions. The majority of her work has focused on creating opportunities and spaces that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Meredith Guerriero ’03 has been named chief operating offer at Klover, a Chicago fintech startup James Kelleher ’78

James Kelleher ’78 retired as Liberty Mutual’s chief legal officer and executive vice president at the end of 2021. Kelleher held multiple leadership roles during his notable, nearly four-decade career at Liberty Mutual, including managing the corporate litigation group, serving as General Counsel of Liberty International. As deputy counsel, he oversaw the provision of legal services to all of the company’s domestic and foreign insurance operations. In 2016, Kelleher and his wife, Susan, established the James F. and Susan Kelleher Scholarship Fund to support UMass Boston students with strong academic credentials and demonstrated financial need.

that’s creating a new way for consumers to access loans. Guerriero has spent the last four years at Pinterest, where she was VP of sales and partnerships. Before that, Guerriero spent two years as a director at Facebook and a decade at Google.

Amy Hackett G’04 joined Peckar & Abramson’s Boston office as a partner. Hackett represents general contractors, owners, developers, and other clients in a wide range of complex construction, real estate and commercial disputes. Her experience includes representing clients in matters involving contract disputes, design and construction defect claims, payment disputes, mechanic’s liens, warranty claims, lease and build-out disputes, shareholder disputes, and unfair and deceptive trade practices.

Imari Paris Jeffries ’97, G’99, G’03 was named to the “Power 50 List” by the Boston Business Journal. This list recognizes the individuals in the Greater Boston business community who are taking a stand, creating change, and taking actionable steps to work together to make Boston continue to grow as a place for equity, inclusion, and diverse points of view. Jeffries is the executive director of King Boston, a nonprofit working to create a memorial and programs in memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Kate Woods ’09 joined Foxboro High School as school nurse. Woods has over 10 years of experience as a staff nurse at Boston and suburban hospitals. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at UMass Boston.

2010s

Rebecca Arellano ’12 was named senior advisor for the City of Boston earlier this year. Previously, Arellano was a director of scheduling and advance for Mayor Michelle Wu’s office, as well as a sustainability coordinator at a property management company. She has a bachelor’s in psychology from UMass Boston, a master’s in urban affairs from Boston University, and a certificate in equity-based leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School.

ABOUT alumni

Kacy Granitsas ’17 recently published The Holy Grail War: The Hedgehog. The book is urban fiction exploring the psychological torment human beings go through when exposed to acts of violence, particularly warfare.

Sofya Gray ’16 launched her sustainable swimwear brand ANNAMAY in 2017. Her products are handcrafted in limited quantities and made from 100 percent recycled eco-materials. Gray said she takes serious actions to educate people about the danger of microplastic pollution at sea and proper disposal techniques of their products with respect to the environment.

Talita Guerrero’s ’15 company Right Key Mortgage was named to Inc. magazine’s 2021 list of “America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies.” Guerrero, who co-founded Right Key Mortgage, said, “We are very honored to be a recipient of such a prestigious award. Our team’s hard work and dedication propelled Right Key to number 1,612 on the 2021 list. We helped thousands of families, and that’s why we are here today. As a company, we are proud to say that we try, day after day, to provide the best customer service, and entering this list confirms that we are on the right track.”

Stephanie Shamoun Levin G’03 was named vice president of Global Human Resources at ChannelAdvisor Corporation, a leading provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions. Levin brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources, program management, and community engagement to the role. In this role, Levin will oversee the strategic development and execution of global HR programs and initiatives in talent acquisition, learning and development, talent management, employee engagement, DE&I, and benefits and compensation.

Tiffany Lillie ’15 has been appointed assistant superintendent for Equity, Diversity, and Community Engagement for the Framingham Public Schools and began her appointment following a vote by the Framingham School Committee. Prior to this role, Lillie served as the director of Community Resource Development for the Framingham Public Schools. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UMass Boston and a master’s in urban affairs from Boston University.

Clarissa Oliveira ’12 has joined Metro Credit Union (MCU), Massachusetts’ largest state-chartered credit union, as a partner in the Training and Development Department. Oliveira joins MCU with over a decade of experience within the financial services industry, most recently as a BSA analyst at Naveo Credit Union.

Pavel Payano G’11 announced earlier this year that he is running for state senate for the seat comprised of Lawrence, Methuen, and a piece of Haverhill. The Lawrence city councilor served as the outreach director for the Massachusetts Democratic Party and then as a special assistant and immigration specialist for Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. He also worked on former President Barack Obama’s 2008 electoral campaign as his New Hampshire Latino’s Campaign co-director and field director for a campaign headquarters in Nashua, New Hampshire. He earned his master’s in public affairs from UMass Boston.

Sarah Son-Theroux ’18 is leading an art project for Cape Cod Hospital. Five patient-submitted art pieces will be installed in the behavioral health unit of the hospital. The pieces, which are all roughly about 30-by30 inches, range from a colorful “Gratitude Tree” where patients and students wrote things they were grateful for on the leaves, to a blackand-white paper collage titled “City of Refuge.”

Alexander Zamenhof ’12 joined McGlinchey Stafford as an associate Ellise LaMotte PhD’16

Ellise LaMotte PhD’16 was named associate dean of Student Diversity, Inclusion, and Success for the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering at Tufts University. The university conducted a national search, and LaMotte rose to the top of the list, having previously served as director of the Center for STEM Diversity. In her role, LaMotte will lead the Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion, which serves as a resource for undergraduate and graduate students interested in social identities and the ways they impact our lives and the world. The division is composed of the six current identity centers: Africana, Asian American, FIRST, LGBT, Latinx, and Women’s.

John Bysiewicz ’07

John Bysiewicz ’07 has been named a partner of assurance practice at BDO USA, LLP, a global accounting network. In his role, Bysiewicz provides audit and consulting services for private business owners, start-up/ emerging growth companies and established private middle market clients in the construction, real estate and technology industries, along with performing employee benefit plan audits for his clients.

in its New York City office. He has firsthand experience with real estate litigation in supreme and appellate courts, as well as surrogate/estate, eviction, and financial services litigation, mortgage review, bankruptcy, default servicing, mediation, and other civil practice. As an undergraduate student at UMass Boston, Zamenhof spent a semester abroad studying international law at Oxford University in England. Diane Zeitler ’13 accepted the position of fourth grade teacher at the Igo Elementary School. Zeitler comes to Foxboro with five years of teaching experience as a grade four teacher in the Rockland Public Schools and also served many years in Newton Public Schools as a teacher assistant. She earned her master’s degree in education at Endicott College and her bachelor’s degree at UMass Boston.

2020s

Cleo Falvey G’21, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, is studying lizards in the Rutgers University‒Camden Center for Computational and Integrative Biology PhD program. Falvey spent her undergraduate years at UMass Boston working in a lab studying lizards, beginning in her first year of college. She is the co-author of an article published in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society about lizards in urban areas evolving to have shorter, thicker claws than lizards found in forests.

Nathalia Benitez Perez ’21 was appointed East Boston Liaison by Mayor Michelle Wu’s Office of Neighborhood Services. In her role, Perez will distribute information and facilitate the delivery of services in collaboration with City departments to the constituents of East Boston. A new graduate of UMass Boston, Benitez Perez earned her bachelor’s in political science.

U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo ’98

U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo ’98 is a ZimbabweanAmerican poet, author, speaker, singer, and educator who has performed internationally in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria, Portugal, and Ireland. She is fiercely passionate about using her voice for women’s empowerment, wellness, diversity, and inclusion and the exploration of translation or “hyphenated identities” through her work. Mhlaba-Adebo is member of the New England Poetry Club and The International Women’s Writing Guild and an advisory board member for Write on the Dot, a community reading initiative in Dorchester. Most recently, she worked as a costume stylist on “Memoirs of a Black Girl.” The comingof-age film was written and directed by Thato Mwosa and won the Best Narrative Feature at the Roxbury International Film Festival in June 2021.

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 George B. Adams ’82 Margaret W. Allen G’00 Paul J. Andrews G’60 Ellen P. Bean ’86 Mary F. Sullivan Bertain ’56 Joseph C. Broderick ’66 Anne Marie Naughton

Brown ’69 Stephen F. Carey ’87 Sister Mary Clancy ’73 Mary Micheal Connolly ’87 Lawrence J. Conroy ’78 James B. Conway ’72 Helder S. Costa ’79 Patrick J. Crossen ’81 William B. Dalrymple

Jr. ’00 Patrice Factor Doherty ’47 Anne Miller Downing ’56 Tegan Dubey ’13 Eileen Fonzo Dwyer ’63 Hinda Lampke Elwyn ’41 Mary E. Farren ’86 Gabriel M. Ferrante ’78 Hugh T. Field ’70 Jane Casey Fitzpatrick ’50 Lois Potts Foley ’63 Michalene Rollins

Forsythe ’63 Albert J. Fortier ’74 Judy Friedman ’82 Dorothy E. Gagnon ’73 Professor Moira A.

Galvin ’60, G’64 Anestis John Ghanotakis

G’97 Ceres V. Greer ’01 Mary P. Dineen

Harshany ’70 Edith E. Haynes ’66 Flora Mazzone Joyce ’82, G’86 Anne Doyle Kenney ’78 John Kessinger ’55 Doris M. Travis Keyes ’47 Eileen Kibrick ’46 Edwin H. King G’63 Estelle L. Koutoulas ’57 Alexander Kuznezov ’73 Patricia A. Long ’69 Anne Keefe Lyons ’60 Nobuko Mammoto ’05 Nicole M. Mars ’98 Anne Connolly

McCarthy ’49 Michael A. McCarthy

PhD ’69, G’72 Barbara Short

McDonough ’56 Russell G. McGilvray ’81 Sheila M. McGinty ’73 William H. McIntyre ’82 Rita A. McLaughlin ’41 Consuelo A. Medina ’87 Mary Broderick Melia ’53 William A. Minkle ’89, G’91 Robert T. Moran ’85 Marie A. Morello ’55 Katherine Elizabeth

Morrissey ’19 John D. Murphy ’68 Valentina N. Alale

Nwosu ’82 Gloria Salamy O’Brien ’61 Patricia M. O’Brien ’88 Gregory J. O’Halloran ’84 Gail M. O’Reilly ’63 Harry Panopoulos ’58 Andrew A. Pevarnek ’79 Mary J. Preskenis ’94,

CER’96 Susan D. Prophet ’81 Marguerite W.

Quinlan CER’97 Denise A. Radko ’81 Ellen Louise O’Hearn

Redgate ’45, G’70 Lourdes Maria Roth ’95 Patricia A. Coghlan

Samodelov ’58 Lawrence S. Sands ’77 Hazel McFerson

Schiavo-Campo ’69 Thelma Rayman

Schwartz ’50 Ralph S. Seastrom ’76, G’08 Claudia M. Semper ’68 John Sforza ’72 Mary K. Shia ’08 Mildred Silverman Stahl ’40 Kyle A. Wallace Sterne G’92 William F. Sweeney ’76 Ursula M. Looney Tafe G’58 Helen Dowd Walsh ’58 Mr. Michael C. Young ’06

FACULTY AND STAFF William P. Carlo Dr. Joanne H.

Frey Professor Emeritus

Kenneth C. Kleene Roni A. Lipton Senator William Owens Professor Emeritus

Joseph Schork Dr. Claire A. Van

Ummerson H’88 Professor Peter Westort Professor Jodie Wigren

FRIENDS Delille Beliard Valerine Beliard Timothy P. Boughner P’24 Peter Carino Professor Jules Chametzky Charles Steward Curran III John S. Duley James T. Farrell Newell Flather Sr. Avram J. Goldberg Marjorie Hamilton Jeanne D. Keller, MD Arlene Kirshen Michael J. Levitt Anne M. Hourihan

Marshall Esra McDaniel Joseph McDermott Margaret McDermott David G. Mugar John Sal Munsey Professor Hidegoro Nakano Netchie Patterson Sampson Robert J. Regan Catherine A. Riley Jerry Smith Robert J. Starratt, EdD Ruth Stuart Starratt, PhD Mildred Washington

Senator William “Bill” Owens

Senator William “Bill” Owens, the first Black state senator in Massachusetts, who fought for racial justice and economic equality, passed away on January 22, 2022, at the age of 84. Owens attended Boston English High School and Boston University, earned a master degree in education from Harvard University, and studied in a PhD program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Elected in 1972, he was also a businessman, owning a dry-cleaning business on Blue Hill Avenue. He was one of the founders of the Black Legislative Caucus on Beacon Hill and secured funding to build Roxbury Community College campus. Upon leaving office, Sen. Owens continued to pursue his interests in social policy and human services, procuring legislation that supported the Health Education and Learning Program for Black Males Health (HELP), which serviced communities around the state from its base at UMass Boston. He was a staff member at the Trotter Institute and remained on the advisory board from 2006 to 2011.

James “Jim” B. Conway ’72

James “Jim” B. Conway ’72, a health care leader and longtime resident of Woburn, passed away peacefully at Lahey Hospital on July 14, 2021. Conway graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Cambridge and received a bachelor of science from Boston State College and a master of science from Lesley University in Cambridge. He began his health care career at Children’s Hospital in Boston, progressing over 27 years to become assistant hospital director. During his professional career, he was the COO and executive vice president at Dana-Farber Cancer Center, an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health, senior vice president of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and later served as a senior fellow. Throughout his career, his focus was on patient safety, patient and family-centered care, crises management and governance, and executive management. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joanne M. (Duffy) Conway, his children, grandchildren, siblings, and extended family and friends.

Edith Haynes ’66

Edith Haynes ’66 passed away in April 2021. She graduated from Girls’ Latin School and majored in mathematics at Boston State College. She was active in campus activities, serving as class vice president for three years and playing varsity basketball. After college, Haynes joined the Navy, graduated from the Naval Officers Candidate School, and during her military tenure advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. She earned a master’s degree in computer systems management from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1970 and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1980. Haynes worked in the data processing industry, as well as in the banking industry. She operated a natural food distribution company in Portland, Oregon, and led her own management consulting firm.

Investing in UMass Boston

BOSTON TEACHERS COLLEGE ALUMNA LEAVES POWERFUL LEGACY

BY VANESSA DICARLO CARTA G’11

Dr. Irene Nichols ’52 (R) with her mother, Jessie A. Nichols, on the occasion of her doctoral hooding at Harvard University.

Dr. Irene Nichols ’52 (R) with her sister, Phyllis (L) and mother, Jessie.

For Irene Nichols ’52, as for her peers at Boston Teachers College (BTC), the opportunity to attend college was a generational shift that changed her life and set her on a more affluent trajectory.

Born in 1929, Irene was one of five children raised in a two-bedroom apartment in Boston by her single mother, Jessie. Determined to see her children overcome the hardships of their youth, Jessie insisted that Irene focus on her education and attend college. Irene took this encouragement to heart, graduating from BTC, then serving in the Boston Public Schools, attending Harvard University for her advanced degrees, and becoming a professor of psychology in education at Northeastern University for 35 years.

Along the way, she was a fierce advocate for women’s rights, equity and inclusion, peace, and the promotion of art in all its forms.

When Irene passed away in 2020, she left clear instructions for her estate to benefit three scholarships for UMass Boston students: the Jessie A. Nichols Early Childhood Education Fund (named for her mother), the Boston Teachers College Scholarship Fund, and the Gina M. Cappello Scholarship Fund. The first two funds support future educators; the last is a tribute to the late Vice Chancellor for University Advancement whom Irene worked closely with during her years on the university’s Board of Visitors.

Irene’s combined bequest to these meaningful scholarships totals in excess of $1 million. As endowed funds, Irene’s contributions will grow the principal of these scholarships and create a ripple of impact in the lives of countless students across generations.

“Boston Teachers College changed [my aunt’s] life and gave her a chance to escape poverty,” wrote Irene’s niece, Tracey Nichols. “She loved her time at Boston Teachers College and wants other young people to have the opportunity to become teachers.”

Through her deep engagement with UMass Boston over the years, Irene recognized that today’s UMass Boston students share many commonalities with her generation of alumni: hard-working, motivated, passionate students who seek to use their education to build stronger communities and families. Precious Hernandez, the 2021 Jessie A. Nichols Scholar, upon learning of her scholarship award, shared: “This money has taken a huge financial weight off my family’s shoulders... I am hoping to receive my doctor of education in education policy studies. Hopefully, to create change from a higher rank in the system of education.”

Irene valued education and the opportunities it provides. The leadership she demonstrated at every turn now lives on in the next generation of UMass Boston Beacons.

Supporting Future Educators: Boston Teachers College Scholarship Fund Hits $1 Million

BY VANESSA CHATTERLEY

The Boston Teachers College (BTC) Scholarship Fund recently surpassed its $1 million goal. The milestone was announced at the 25th Boston Teachers College reception, an annual reunion for alumni of Boston State College, Boston Normal School, Teachers College of the City of Boston, and State Teachers College at Boston.

The BTC Scholarship Fund was founded by alumnae Marie Fox ’52, Mary

Doucette Duseau ’57, Virginia M. Duseau ’52, Alice O.C. DeGuglielmo ’52, Virginia Lee Langley ’48, Jane

Monahan Milano ’55, and Madeline McLean Smith ’51. Established in 1996, the scholarship was one of the first of its kind to collectively represent UMass Boston and its legacy schools for a specific profession. Since its inception over 20 years ago, the scholarship is annually awarded to deserving UMass Boston students pursuing a degree in education.To date, 70 students have received the award, and as the fund has grown, so has its annual impact.

“Our first scholarship was for $250, and now we’re giving out six of them at $5,000 each. It’s just beyond anything we’ve ever anticipated,” said Scholarship Committee Chair Marie Fox ’52. “It’s beyond description.”

The overall response surrounding the scholarship has been overwhelming, said Fox, attributing it to alumni’s eagerness to honor their alma mater and support future educators.

“The enthusiasm has been incredible because of the love of the school. It’s beyond anything that we ever expected. It truly has been,” she said. Scholarship recipient Yadi Castillo ’22 said she realized the importance of creating a flexible and inclusive classroom after her own difficult high school experience. A senior majoring in social psychology with a minor in secondary education, Castillo said she plans to pursue a career in teaching psychology at the high school level with a focus on special education.

“I am more than honored to be a recipient of the Boston Teachers College Scholarship. I’m doing this for all of the students who had a difficult time in school because they were too afraid to speak up,” she said.

Those interested in making a gift to support the BTC Scholarship Fund can contact giving@umb.edu.

Marie Fox ’52

Scholarship recipients and luncheon guests gather. L to R: Alexis Poindexter ’22, Mia Čirkić ’22, Christine Tierney, Denise Patmon, Darragh Fahey ’22, Yadielis Castillo ’22 (recipients not pictured: Elizabeth Healy ’22, Samantha Le ’22)

Alumni

EVENTS

s Alumni and friends gather for a group picture at our San Diego reception last October. s Chancellor Suárez-Orozco updates our L.A. alumni on the campus quad project.

s Chancellor Suárez-Orozco addresses the audience at our Los Angeles reception this past fall.

s Alumni and friends enjoy a beautiful view of the San Francisco skyline at our San Francisco reception last November.

s Alumni and friends gather for an evening of networking and catching up at our San Francisco reception last November.

s David Manning ’15, Natalie Belflower ’15, Noemi Lopez ’07, CER’07, Jethro Dely ’07, and Caitlin Pinkham ’15 pose for a photo at our Washington, DC, reception last semester.

s Chancellor Suárez-Orozco is joined by Catherine Frisone Scott ’38, G’39 at the Washington, DC, reception last November. s Chancellor Suárez-Orozco addresses the audience at our Washington, DC, reception this past fall.

s Young Alumni Council members Alexandrea Kreuser ’16, G’19, Heather Powell ’13, Natalie Belflower ’15, Gray Milkowski ’18, Jake Bohenko ’19, Chhenlee Ly ’15, G’18, and Andreia Soares ’15 gather at the annual Alumni Holiday Reception. s Chanel Bryant-Alexander ’17 and guest Lloyd Collins at the Alumni Holiday Reception in December.

s Young Alumni Council member Chhenlee Ly ’15, G’18 and wife Linh Tran G’20 at the Alumni Holiday Reception in December.

Women Beacons in Business Program Empowers

Alumni and Students BY HEATHER BRIGHAM G’18

N THE SPRING OF 2020, faculty in the College of Management noticed a trend among female students as they prepared for the job hunt and life after graduation.

“Faculty members and I were seeing that some of our female students were not speaking up in group settings with potential employers and not applying for challenging internships at the same rate as their male classmates,” said Professor Kristen Callahan. “The confidence gap between males and females is not unique to our students.”

Research shows that men will apply for a job if they have 60 percent of the skills required, while women will often only apply if they have 100 percent of the skills needed.

Director of College Engagement Heather Brigham G’18, an alumna of UMass Boston’s MBA program, worked with College of Management colleagues Allison Rubin and Professor Callahan to launch the Women Beacons in Business Program. Their objective was to give students access to alumni mentors while also providing alumni with a networking platform.

The program started by gathering female students and alumni in small virtual meetings to discuss topics from the book Lean In for Graduates. Since then, the program has grown to offer access to conferences such as Boston Business Journal’s Mentoring Monday; a presentation by McKinsey and Co. on their annual Women in the Workplace study; interactive workshops such as “How to Navigate Difficult Conversations in the Workplace,” hosted by College of Management board member Mary Thistle ’83; and a discussion about how men can be better allies for women in the workplace, featuring a panel of alumni.

Jonas Roessel ’14, managing partner of Roessel Joy, led the event about men being allies for women and said, “I understand the importance of supporting women in the classroom and in their careers. I recognize that I have the opportunity—and obligation—to help make advancements for female students entering the workforce. Men need to be a part of the conversation if we want to see change.”

All the programming has taken place virtually during the pandemic, except for one opportunity in December 2021 where students met their mentors over dinner.

“I was overjoyed to have the opportunity to meet and thank the women in person who had been virtually mentoring me during my final semester and job search. They constantly made themselves available and taught me important interview skills and guided me through the intimidating job hunt, which resulted in me landing a great job,” said Noshin Omar ’22, G’22, who started as a financial analyst at Northeastern University earlier this year.

Members of the Women Beacons in Business Program gathered in December 2021 for dinner and networking for the first time in person since the program began. Pictured L to R: Allison Rubin, Noshin Omar ’22 G’22, Reshmeen Chowdhury ’22, Kelly Fagan ’21, Dulce Cisneros ’24, and Heather Brigham G’18.

For more information or to get involved with mentoring opportunities, please visit alumni.umb.edu/wbb.

achievement alumni awards

The Office of Alumni Engagement is pleased to announce our inaugural Alumni Achievement Awards ceremony! After receiving nearly 70 nominations, we are excited to name five alumni award recipients from UMass Boston and its legacy schools who have made an impact in their community and on the university.

Recipients will be announced at the awards ceremony on June 22, 2022. If you’re interested in attending the event, please email alumni@umb.edu. Space is limited.

We will be opening the nomination process for next year’s awards in July 2022. For complete details of the nomination process, as well as award description and eligibility criteria, go to umb.edu/AAA.

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INVEST IN THE FUTURE

Your generosity changes our students’ lives, and they go on to change our world! Please make your gift at umb.edu/gift by June 30 to be counted as a loyal donor this fiscal year.