Student success brochure final

The Case for

STUDENT ACCESS & SUCCESS Providing need-based financial aid and opportunities for career and life experiences

OUR LEGACY, OUR PLACE. UMass Lowell is a place with a legacy of purpose and resolve. Since the 1890s, this campus has educated the professionals and entrepreneurs who have fueled the regional and national economies. It has also been helping to solve society’s most vexing problems with wide-ranging research and engagement in mutually enriching partnerships with community, business and government.

A stunning—and carefully planned—transformation over recent years has reinvigorated the campus with increased enrollment; greater student success; new academic programs; greatly enhanced student life; global partnerships; new academic, student life and research buildings; and a move to Division I athletics.

This transformation has brought about a surge of national and international attention, a rise in national rankings and a spirited new energy to the campus.

The university will continue to commit time, hard work and resources to keep UMass Lowell an engine of economic growth and innovation. But we need help. Our first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign—Our Legacy, Our Place—will span the next several years and help support vital campus programs and initiatives.

The campaign seeks support for five strategic priorities: • Student Access & Success • Faculty Leadership & Innovation • Living & Learning • Excellence in Athletics • Sustainability & Engagement In this piece, we focus on Student Access & Success, explaining why it’s vital to provide need-based financial aid and key opportunities to students who otherwise would not have access to the experiences and education that can change their lives.

Generations of students depend on us to work together to nurture, enrich and pass on the proud legacy of this place.

STUDENT SUCCESS: Access to Campus and Access to the World What do college students today need to achieve success? First, they need the financial resources to pay for tuition, books and living expenses. Then, they need opportunities to expand learning beyond the classroom.

Scholarships play a critical role for many UMass Lowell students who could not afford a university education without financial support. Any strategy for ensuring that talented, determined students persist to graduation—and then step into careers or graduate school with confidence—starts with access. No one should be turned away because they cannot afford an education.

Your gift to the scholarship endowment opens the door to success for these deserving students.

In these pages we describe how your contribution can help make all of this happen. By supporting scholarship aid, co-op experiences, diversity initiatives and international programs, you will create access and success for deserving students—and, ultimately, a stronger, healthier world.

Once students enter through that door, they are taught and inspired by UMass Lowell’s excellent professors. But we know we can increase their chances for successful lives and careers by also exposing them to opportunities outside the classroom, and giving them experience in the workplace. And we consider it vital that every graduate leaves this campus as a comfortable world citizen—one who embraces diversity and understands other cultures.

4.6K

$

UMass Lowell’s endowment per student is $4,586, compared to at least double that at peer institutions.

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“ Through this scholarship, the burden on my family is greatly reduced. I can continue with the volunteer work I love while achieving my goal of earning both CPA and MBA degrees.”

—Nandana Penukonda, business

SCHOLARSHIP AID: Helping Students Change the World UMass Lowell works hard to provide an accessible education—by diversifying revenue streams and bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in funded research and private support—but many students still need help. Where once it was possible to earn a year’s tuition through summer jobs, today students and their families often have to take on significant loans—or give up the dream of higher education entirely.

The value of a degree from UMass Lowell has increased rapidly.

In 2009, the campus was named a top-tier national university for the first time by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2015 National Universities rankings, UMass Lowell rose to No. 156 and is one of only six institutions to advance in the standings every year since 2010.

In part, that’s because being a state school doesn’t mean what it once did financially. Just a few decades ago, about 80 percent of UMass Lowell’s annual operating revenue came from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Now, state funding covers only about 20 percent of the university’s costs.

With quality comes better return on investment. PayScale ranks UMass Lowell 20 of 437 U.S. public universities for return on tuition dollars. Still, 79 percent of UMass Lowell students graduate with debt, borrowing an average of $28,481.

28K

$

UMass Lowell students graduate with an average of $28,481 of debt.

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“ My internship in the Infection Control Department at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary prepared me for a job because I can see how a health-care facility works and how much effort you must put into patient care. It has also helped me to network and meet many outstanding health-care officials.”

—Michael Boyer, community health

CO-OP EXPERIENCES: Merging Classroom Learning with Real-world Work One of the best ways for UMass Lowell students to gain a top-notch education is through co-op programs and internships. Such programs allow students to translate classroom knowledge into a professional work environment.

In addition to increased responsibility and independence, they also get an invaluable head start in the job market.

For years, the university has collaborated with industry in experiential learning partnerships, typically in paid co-op positions. Though helpful, these positions are currently provided in limited fields, and often don’t provide enough funding to cover all expenses.

It is critical for UMass Lowell students to find—and be able to accept— placements that best suit them and their aspirations. Many students, for instance, want entrepreneurial experience in start-up companies.

Further, even beyond co-ops, many students wish to attend seminars and career conferences but can’t afford the registration fees. A donor-supported professional development fund could help UMass Lowell students take advantage of these important chances to gain in-depth insight and build their networks.

The university is preparing students for their careers through programs such as ProPath, a four-year plan designed especially for those who know UMass Lowell is the right choice but may not know which career path to take. Participants are able to better explore choices that shape their future, including internships and co-ops.

In order to make all of these experiences possible, we need private support for co-ops and internships in as many settings as possible.

We want every student who is interested to be able to participate in a co-op or internship experience. The invaluable, real-world experience students will acquire will prepare them to make an impact as soon as they graduate.

49

%

of U.S. employers made full-time offers to their co-op students in 2013.

—National Association of Colleges and Employers

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“ My favorite thing about this place is the diversity.

I know we gravitate toward people who are like us, thinking they will understand us, but I find myself talking to athletes, to musicians, to all sorts of people who are really different from me. � —Deborah Paul, sociology

DIVERSITY INITIATIVES: Preparing Students for the World At UMass Lowell, a commitment to diversity is not just rhetoric. From building an inclusive campus to striving to show our students the rest of the world, the university values the unique perspectives and identities that our students bring.

At UMass Lowell, we celebrate our differences as strengths, as contributions to our campus community and as imperative to building the kind of accessible and welcoming environment that enables students to succeed.

The university is part of a larger community within one of the nation’s most historically diverse cities. As the birthplace of America’s industrial Revolution, Lowell drew wave after wave of immigrant populations to work in its mills.

UMass Lowell offers an entirely different experience to those who come to the city to learn to join the workforce of the 21st century.

Lowell, a city of just over 106,000, embraces our legacy of diversity and welcomes newcomers as neighbors.

As we grow, we remain mindful that critical thinking, asking difficult questions and developing innovative approaches to solving society’s complex issues are enhanced through diversity.

When we attract a diverse student body, we not only reflect the world around us, we strengthen it with graduates prepared to solve problems through a broader lens. Diversity at UMass Lowell will mean more students from out of state and from beyond the Northeast, more students from underrepresented populations and more international students.

Private support of UMass Lowell’s diversity initiatives will lead to improvements in student organizations, cultural programming, community partnerships and learning opportunities outside the classroom. In return, we anticipate benefits that include greater student retention, improved academic performances and a more complete education for our students.

85

%

of organizations say that innovation is driven by diversity.

—Forbes

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“ I spent a semester studying at the University of Barcelona. It really gave me a better understanding of global business and cultures. It was an incredible experience— I recommend every student study abroad.”

—Vladimir Saldana, finance and management

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS: Changing Students’ Lives The university’s international programs have the power to change students. They are among the most powerful learning experiences students can have, broadening perspectives along with networks and building essential skills like adaptability and maturity.

In a time when students are trying to find a competitive edge in a changing job market, such experience is invaluable. No longer merely a cultural or educational experience, international study is now a stepping stone to the workplace. The modern marketplace is global, and students need to be prepared.

UMass Lowell is committed to helping each interested student find the right international experience. Annually, we offer over 120 short-term winter and summer programs along with full semesters and academic years abroad, ranging from traditional academic study to service learning.

An example? Students from UMass Lowell’s Francis College of Engineering can earn nine credits over six weeks at Pforzheim University in Germany with the Engineers Made in Germany program. In addition to classroom time, participants benefit from on-the-job learning. Students visit global corporations such as BMW, Porsche and Bosch along with historic and cultural sites in Berlin and Munich.

Our goal is to increase participation in study-abroad programs like this significantly by the year 2020. To meet this goal, greater private resources will be necessary. The average price tag beyond standard UMass Lowell costs is $6,000 per student for short-term programs; semester- or year-long programs can cost between $12,000 and $20,000.

Sometimes, the students who would benefit the most from study abroad lack the resources to do so. A world-class institution brings the world home to its students—all of them—and we are determined to make this the case at UMass Lowell. We will need your help.

20K

$

A yearlong study-abroad placement can cost a student as much as $20,000.

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THE BIG PICTURE: WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. For the good of UMass Lowell students and the communities engaged through the university’s global reach, we must increase scholarship aid, expand the valuable work opportunities we offer and broaden the diversity of experiences on campus and around the world. But we can’t do it alone.

Students have always needed help to attain higher education.

Family financial support, federal grants and private giving have each played a role in easing the way for those seeking to expand their options and pursue the joy of learning.

Students benefit from education. But so does society. Graduates go on to become the engineers, teachers, business leaders, artists, writers, health-care professionals and scientists who help make their communities stronger and healthier.

Here is what is new: Need has intensified dramatically.

The cost of education has grown. State support has declined. The average federal Pell grant for 2013-14 was $3,651, a fraction of the cost of higher education and awarded only to students whose families can contribute nothing. More students are coming from lower income backgrounds. That’s great news for them and society, but their families are less able to support these worthy and determined students.

Bottom line: Students need you. The communities in which you live and work also need a steady flow of diverse, educated and innovative graduates.

We are truly all in this together.

In the pages of this publication we have described how UMass Lowell provides its students with exceptional opportunities—in classrooms, labs and at co-op placements; on campus and around the world.

Your contribution to scholarship endowments will mean deserving students can avail themselves of the offerings at UMass Lowell. It will mean students do not have to take on two or more jobs while balancing the demands of school. It will mean students will graduate with less debt.

Generation of students have benefited from the legacy of support thriving at this campus from its earliest days over a century ago.

Please invigorate that legacy by investing in the students of today and tomorrow.

IT’S YOUR LEGACY. IT’S YOUR PLACE.

Office of University Advancement | Charles J. Hoff Alumni Scholarship Center | 1 Perkins Street | Lowell, MA 01854 | 978-934-2223 www.uml.edu/ourlegacy-ourplace