2021 Graduates: The Heroes Among Us

Watch Commencement

Each of UMass Lowell's seven Commencement ceremonies, beginning on Wednesday, May 12 and continuing through Friday, May 14, will be streamed live. Afterward, each ceremony will be available to rewatch online. You will also find the roll call of student slides at the link.

UMass Lowell celebrates the heroes among us who persevered amid the pandemic to shine. Share your "Congratulations" video with UML grads using #UML2021聽on social media!

Class of 2021 Changed, but Not Defined by Pandemic

05/10/2021

For some, the COVID-19 pandemic opened their eyes to the inequities of the health care system. Others said it made them appreciate life鈥檚 little moments that they used to take for granted. And for others, the pandemic has actually led to new and innovative ways to think about their careers.

For the Class of 2021, COVID-19 will forever be a part of their college experience.聽

But it also won鈥檛 define the entirety of their time at UMass Lowell.

One week before Commencement, we asked eight graduating seniors to join us for a roundtable discussion on 鈥� where else? 鈥� Zoom, where we talked about their favorite UML memories, how the pandemic has affected them and what advice they鈥檇 give to themselves four years ago, among other topics.聽 Read what they had to say.

Meet Our Student Speaker

Army veteran Jamie Smorczewski, a Double River Hawk who is graduating with a master鈥檚 degree in security studies, will share some of what he鈥檚 learned about persevering as the university鈥檚 2021 student Commencement speaker. Read his story.

Meet More 2021 Graduates

Amos Kungu

Business Administration

After a globetrotting career in IT, Amos Kungu of Kenya is setting his sights on starting his own company. He's working on a master鈥檚 degree in entrepreneurship 鈥� while working full time and raising a family.
Madison Reed

Plastics Engineering

Madison Reed works as a research assistant with Plastics Engineering Prof. Ramaswamy Nagarajan in the UML Fabric Discovery Center.
Victor Souza

Accounting

Accounting student Victor Souza knew all about hard work when he arrived at UMass Lowell. His focus was on getting involved during his undergraduate career 鈥� while also gaining valuable professional experience through internships.
Rachel Sullivan

Music Education

Music studies major Rachel Sullivan discovered more than a way to earn money through her campus job with Transportation Services. She also found a genuine camaraderie that has enriched her college experience.