Student Succes

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.

Sarah Dulac, Tiverton, RI | Mechanical Engineering

“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.”

Brianna Johnson, Plymouth, MA | Data Science and Honors College

“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.

Cachelle Johnson-Lewis, Dorchester, MA | Data Science

Cachelle Johnson-Lewis chose to complete two field-related internships and served in various leadership roles on campus, including as a College Now Peer mentor, an IT classroom service technician, and an academic chair for the UMassD chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. She completed internships with Quantopian and Dell EMC, where she recently accepted a full-time position in a project/program management analyst position. “Both internships increased my opportunity for employment, built my network, sharpened my problem-solving abilities, and equipped me with skills that I am able to bring to any position.”

Melanie Luperon, New Bedford, MA | Computer Engineering

Melanie Luperon has participated in research projects since she entered UMassD. One of her first projects, sponsored by NASA, involved assisting graduate students with an in-depth analysis of data to help draw connections between growth models and the processes in which software can track defects. The following year, she had the opportunity to conduct subject matter research under Dr. Lance Fiondella. “Dr. Fiondella’s lab taught me to study more and to always try to see the bigger picture,” she said. Melanie recently landed a full-time job with Dell EMC after completing an internship with the company. “The internship resulted in much more than a full-time job. I built lifelong connections with people that I look forward to cooperating with for years to come.”

Alexander Moulton, Wolfeboro, NH | Computer Science

Alexander Moulton says when it came to the rigor of earning his degree, his peers and faculty advisor kept him driven. “One of the keys to success is surrounding yourself with successful people and sometimes that means you’re not the smartest person in the room. It does, however, usually mean you can learn from the people around you,” says the Wolfeboro, NH native. Prior to enrolling at UMass Dartmouth, Alexander became familiar with the importance of leadership while serving in the US Navy, and continued to foster his abilities while serving on various teams and within organizations at UMassD. “Being a part of the Student Government Association, Pandemic Emergency Response Team, and serving as the Veteran Assistant at UMassD taught me to manage my time wisely. It also taught me to be the change you wish to see.”

Nick Paternostro, Mineola, NY | Mechanical Engineering and Honors College

Nick Paternostro says supplementing his studies with other activities made his rigorous program more manageable and enriched his time at UMassD. “I challenged myself to not only be an engineer, but to be a student who is a part of the campus community–whether it was lacrosse practice, going to conferences/ seminars for my own interest, attending classes, or participating in research,” he said. During the summer of 2020, Nick worked at Curtiss-Wright. “This internship followed a course in which I learned how basic systems operate. I collaborated with senior engineers on the first article builds of hydraulic and electronic actuators and offered insight for troubleshooting arising issues. Through collaboration, we were able to develop new procedures for implementing these actuators.”

Dylan Tocci, Townsend, MA | Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering

As part of the College of Engineering’s Accelerated BS/MS (4+1) program, Dylan Tocci pursued a concentration in cybersecurity and supplemented his studies by serving as webmaster of the UMassD Cybersecurity Club. The club helps to increase interest in the cybersecurity field and promote internet safety among the students. “Through this club I found my passion in the field, and gained the drive to pursue it,” he says. Over the summer, Dylan worked with Professor Paul Fortier on the Wet Aircraft Sensor Project. This experience taught him many things. “I became more familiar with test plan development and execution. I also gained a much better understanding of audio and acoustics engineering. I was able to run tests and experiments that familiarized me with things I had learned conceptually in class.”

Taylor Walsh, Groveland, MA | Bioengineering

“My leadership experiences have prepared me for future career opportunities by showing me how to keep my eye on the bigger picture,” said Taylor Walsh. Taylor pursued her degree in bioengineering, a world she discovered after speaking with some of her track teammates and faculty advisors. While at UMassD, she also served as captain of the Cross Country and Track teams. Taylor said leading her team helped to build an environment that strives for reaching new limits no matter the circumstances. “Leading and running as a collegiate athlete has given me a new perspective on what it takes to make a strong team. My coaches taught me, through their intensive training and active involvement, that I am capable of more than I could have ever thought.”