Celebrating student success Our high-achieving students know the value of their education is beneficial toward professional growth and toward uplifting our community, our region, and our world. This understanding keeps them motivated and helps UMass Dartmouth remain the “#7 best hidden gem public university for learning outcomes and student opportunities.” Several Class of 2021 graduates discuss how their academic journeys are guiding their career paths. From New Hampshire to New York, here are their stories.
arah Dulac, Tiverton, RI | Mechanical Engineering S “A big part of my motivation for continuing my academic focus is the female faculty in the department,” says Sarah Dulac. She says Dr. Banafsheh Seyed-Aghazadeh, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, became a major part of her growth experience. “In fall 2019, Sarah developed an interest in a fluid mechanics course. She and Dr. Aghazadeh met to discuss her research and by the end of the semester, Sarah received an invitation to join Aghazadeh’s research team. “She kept me motivated by reminding me that I show strong skills and I have proven myself capable of anything I put my mind to.” Stephen Gacioch, Tiverton, RI | Civil Engineering Stephen Gacioch, who served as captain of the UMassD football team, said the cohesive college community helped him define his career path. “The culture of the Civil Engineering Department as a whole makes for an experience that is one of a kind. The students and faculty all work closely together, and for personal relationships that makes for a better educational experience,” he said. He also worked at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) as a project management intern. “This internship influenced me to pursue a future in transportation engineering and opened the doors to many other opportunities. I was able to use my experience and network through the connections I made at RIDOT.” William Holman, Wakefield, MA | Physics “My story would not be complete without discussing my time studying abroad before I became a student at UMass Dartmouth,” said William Holman. “I spent the fall 2019 semester at the University of Limerick in Ireland, and this experience helped me to grow as an individual in many ways.” He said the challenge of integrating into a different culture, university, and style of teaching helped to keep him on track. “Also working as a tutor in the Physics Department has proven beneficial. In my leadership roles, there has been a clear directive to collaborate, and this real-world experience is invaluable in a professional setting.” rianna Johnson, Plymouth, MA | Data Science and Honors College B “When I came to UMass Dartmouth, I knew that I wanted to be able to use my skill set to help others and improve my local community. I feel that I have been able to do just that,” said Brianna Johnson. In 2020, she worked as a technical projects intern at Lumaxia Consulting LLC. The company focuses specifically on robotic process automation. “While at Lumaxia, I became a certified Advanced RPA Professional in Automation Anywhere, earned many badges, and attended numerous webinars on implementing automation into various industries.” Brianna said the UMassD community helped her to grow and become an influential leader, a more insightful academic, and overall better individual.
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Summer 2021 news
