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The semester is drawing to a close, and business major Jason McKeon is facing a busy week. He just finished a 17-page paper and has a quiz and an eight-page paper due. Also on his calendar is an interview for an internship with a company that he encountered while participating in a collegiate sales competition. And he鈥檒l somehow squeeze in a Student Alumni Ambassador meeting, hosting an event and planning an end-of-year party.

Oh, and he also has to punch in for his 鈥� he鈥檚 a financial management student trainee with the Department of Defense鈥檚 Defense Contract Audit Agency 鈥� and attend a few classes.

鈥淚鈥檝e been super-ambitious my whole life,鈥� the Haverhill, Massachusetts, native says. 鈥淚 just love being busy and getting stuff done. There are certain points in the semester when it can get pretty crammed, where I have to lock in and get to work, and that鈥檚 what I do. I鈥檓 willing to do whatever it takes.鈥�

But wait, there鈥檚 more. McKeon is vice president of the Class of 2024, a position he pursued to expand his circle beyond the Manning School of Business on North Campus.

鈥淚 wanted to get to know people on South Campus, hear different perspectives and become more well-rounded,鈥� says McKeon, who has most of the Greek alphabet covered with the three honor societies that he belongs to: (which recognizes excellence in first-year college students), (the national leadership honor society) and Beta Gamma Sigma (an international business honor society).

McKeon learned about UML while coming to River Hawk hockey games with his dad, Stephen, when he was a kid. He realized he liked business and finance while taking a financial literacy course in high school, and ended up choosing UML over Suffolk University, where he was recruited to run cross country and track.

鈥淚 realized (running) would take a lot of time, and I want to get involved on campus,鈥� says McKeon, who has done that and then some. 鈥淓ver since I was young, I knew I was going to go to UMass Lowell. It鈥檚 a quality education at an affordable cost.鈥�

While he can鈥檛 divulge much about his internship with the Defense Contract Audit Agency (鈥淕overnment stuff,鈥� he says), he can confirm that it鈥檚 allowed him to apply what he鈥檚 learned in his financial accounting, managerial accounting and financial management courses.

McKeon is keeping his career options open 鈥� 鈥淚鈥檓 willing to try different companies and figure it out as I go, seeing what I love鈥� 鈥� but he鈥檚 leaning toward something in finance or consulting, preferably in the Boston area.

McKeon, who enjoys playing golf and hanging out with his family around the backyard firepit in his rare downtime, has heard that he鈥檒l be much less busy once he鈥檚 out of college and working full time.聽

He鈥檚 not so sure.

鈥淚鈥檒l have to find some events and networking opportunities,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really relax.鈥�