Your Take
Karen Darley ’92
“The student newspaper, The Mass Media, gave me a chance to become a journalist, as well as hone my interviewing skills. I valued the opportunity and still have clips of my published articles. As a commuter student, being on the newspaper made me feel part of the UMass Boston community.”
Chloe McDowell ’12
“Through student government, I connected with amazing people and developed deep friendships while working to improve campus life and advocate for students, clubs, and organizations. The Queer Student Center helped me find comfort in who I am and discover—and eventually embrace—my identity as a queer, transgender person. I am thankful every day for the joy and meaningful conversations I experienced.”
John Rouillard ’90
“The physics and engineering clubs became a place to drop off heavy coats and backpacks and spend the day between classes. Professors from nearby departments would often stop by for a coffee break and to chat with students, which frequently turned into impromptu group tutoring sessions. The social community we built remains one of my fondest memories of UMass Boston.”
Joe Miller ’14
“As a lacrosse and cross country/track athlete, I spent many hours in the Clark Athletic Center weight room. As a student athlete, I learned resilience and commitment—skills I use in my professional career every day.”
David Manning ’15
I worked in several leadership roles on campus: member of the Undergraduate Student Government, orientation leader, Beacon Ambassador, and First-Year Leadership Institute Mentor. It was a pleasure to engage, support, and collaborate with prospective and current students in these roles.”
In addition to joining registered student organizations and clubs, some alumni, like Elizabeth Paden ’81, G’87, took advantage of the CPR trainings and unique archaeology digs in Boston. The campus daycare was essential for Anna Goodwin ’77 to maintain her coursework, and access to a shared piano on campus brought joy to her and her classmates.
Q: What’s the most memorable book you’ve ever read?
Visit umb.edu/yourtake to submit your answer!
Submissions are edited for length and clarity.
Latest University News
- In Convocation Keynote, University of Massachusetts General Counsel David Lowy Calls for Civil DiscourseFollowing a prestigious judicial career, the Honorable David Lowy (retired) now serves as the General Counsel for the University of Massachusetts. During the 2025 UMass Boston convocation ceremony, Lowy encouraged the incoming class to be open to hearing new ideas, because they will be the ones to reinvent civil debate.
- UMass Boston Holds Grand Opening for New Coffee Shop in the ISC CaféUMass Boston celebrated its new partnership with Recreo Coffee at a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.
- Chancellor Calls for Resilience and Responsibility at Fall ConvocationAt UMass Boston’s 2025 Fall Convocation, Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco urged the university community to meet today’s challenges with resolve, resilience, and responsibility—calling resilience not just a virtue, but “an imperative.”
- UMass Boston’s Emerging Leaders Program Celebrates Annual ShowcaseThe Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and members of the UMass Boston community gathered to celebrate the graduation of the 2025 cohort and showcase their innovative solutions to pressing regional challenges.
- UMass Boston’s Institute for Community Inclusion Welcomes Fall 2025 East African Disability Rights Professional FellowsThe Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) is excited to welcome 10 East African disability rights leaders to Boston on Wednesday, September 10, as part of its Professional Fellows Program (PFP). This year’s cohort includes three Fellows from Kenya, three Fellows from Tanzania, and four Fellows from Uganda.
- With Harp and Piano, Chaerin Kim Sets New RecordsOn May 18, on a stage in Venezuela, Chaerin Kim stepped out to perform her eighth curtain call of the evening, as the audience gave a standing ovation. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, and conductor, she had just set a new world record by being the first soloist to play concertos on both harp and piano, accompanied by an orchestra, premiering her own composition in the same concert.
