Julie Chen

The “student” part of being a “student-athlete” has always been tremendously important to me, and I’m excited to welcome a new athletic director who is a great champion of student-athletes and will work hard to ensure they’re supported in all facets of their UMass Lowell experience.

Lynn Coutts is a talented, experienced leader. I am enthusiastic about her vision for our Athletics Department and our student-athletes, as well as her contributions to my Executive Cabinet.

Read more about Lynn: https://www.uml.edu/news/stories/2024/new-athletic-director-lynn-coutts.aspx

The start of a new academic year is always a reason to celebrate, but this one holds special promise for UMass Lowell and the other educational institutions in Lowell. Among the many reasons to be excited are developments surrounding the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor.

Thanks to the Lowell Sun for the opportunity to talk about why “Great Minds Think Lowell.”

‘Great Minds Think Lowell’: This is a new school year unlike any other Whether it’s Kindergarten, English composition, a graduate seminar, or something in between, classes are back in session in Lowell. We’ve chosen to mark the occasion with banners on downtown light …

Today we reflect on our profound loss on Sept. 11, 2001, and the impact it continues to have. We remember those who died as well as the first-responders, service members and others who acted so selflessly in response to the terrorist attacks.

UMass Lowell remembers alumni and friends who were among the victims on Sept. 11: Douglas Gowell '71; Robert Hayes '86; Brian Kinney '95; John Ogonowski '72, pilot of American Airlines Flight 11, Patrick J. Quigley IV, husband of a UMass Lowell graduate; Jessica Leigh Sachs, a former student whose parents are alumni; and Christopher Zarba,’79.

We also remember retired New York State Police Trooper Ryan Fortini ‘98, who died Jan. 1, 2020, from illnesses stemming from search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site.



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Meeting this week with some of our key development partners in the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor project once again made me invigorated and excited for the future.

UMass Lowell, our students and Lowell, itself, will see many benefits from LINC, as both a center of innovation as well as a vibrant district with retail, restaurants and many other reasons people will want to come and spend time in our city.

Look forward to welcoming freshmen and transfer students to at this morning’s Convocation!

Partnerships with other universities are incredible sources of opportunity for UMass Lowell students and faculty, and we’re thrilled to formalize a new relationship with 國立屏東大學 National Pingtung University - NPTU in Taiwan.

It was an honor to welcome Chancellor Robert Chen and Dean of International Affairs Kelvin Huang-Chou Chen to our campus to a sign this agreement.

I was thrilled to join President Marty Meehan in introducing our new Athletic Director Lynn Coutts today. I’m impressed by her vision for the River Hawks and her commitment to excellence across academics, athletic competition and physical and mental health for our outstanding student athletes.

I’m grateful to all of those who turned out to support the Greater Lowell Community Foundation's LGBTQ+ Fund at brunch the other morning. And it was great to see so many people at the Greater Lowell PRIDE festival that afternoon.

It was such a great day for the city of Lowell!

We stepped back into the golden age of radio the other night at the Merrimack Repertory Theater’s 45th annual gala, complete with period costumes and a bona fide production featuring an all-star cast of community leaders.

The MRT is a treasured spot for Lowellians young and old — and UMass Lowell is proud to support its work sharing theatre with thousands of students every year.

I’m always inspired by the leaders who attend and speak at the Women’s Leadership Conference at UMass Lowell.

This year we were lucky to hear from many thoughtful people including two stellar keynotes, 7News - WHDH Boston Today in New England’s Amaka Ubaka and Barb Vlacich, vice president of global sales operations and chief of staff at UKG.

Thanks to our sponsors, speakers and all of those who worked hard to make this year’s conference such a great event!

(pc: Marte Media)

Our community is so tremendously lucky to have a program as committed to the future of our young people as Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell and to have so many accomplished and inspiring women serving as leaders, including the organization’s 2024 Woman of the Year honoree, Lowell police Capt. Marisol Nobrega.

We had so much fun celebrating Girls Inc. and Capt. Nobrega the other night.

Community Teamwork, Inc. is such an important resource in Lowell, serving more than 55,000 people in the city and the surrounding communities. We were proud to honor CEO Karen Frederick with a Chancellor’s Medal for Public Service and Civic Engagement at commencement ceremonies a few weeks ago.

We’re also proud of UMass Lowell Associate Dean Sue Kim, whom the organization recently honored at its Champions of Community Action event.

Congratulations to all!

Congratulations to Associate Dean Sue Kim, who was recently honored by Community Teamwork for supporting the organization’s work addressing the housing, education, health and other needs of Greater Lowell residents.

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus were on hand for the celebration.

Other honorees included UMass Lowell alum Vladimir Saldaña ’13, who works in real estate and community development; Middlesex Register of Deeds Richard Howe Jr.; Chelmsford Town Manager Paul Cohen; and Lowell City Manager Tom Golden, also an alum (’93, ’01)

I was excited to welcome our state’s leaders to UMass Lowell to watch tonight’s PWHL championship. While we were sad that PWHL BOSTON did not lift the Walter Cup at the end of the game, it was encouraging to see so much passion and enthusiasm for women's hockey and women's pro sports! Congratulations to both teams and the PWHL on a great season!

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell’s plans for growth are exciting and will mean so much to our community.

UMass Lowell is a proud partner of the club on many fronts, from supporting STEM-related activities and sending students there to work on projects and as volunteers, to the pathways we’ve created leading many of the club’s alumni to our campus for college.

I was glad to join community leaders talking with Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll about the club’s impact and vision.

UMass Lowell is fortunate to have such thoughtful, inspirational students who gave our commencement speeches this weekend.

Thank you Abigail Drezek ’21 ’24, Archange Lombo ’24 and Cassidy DeMalia ’24 for your memorable speeches, and congratulations on your achievements.

We are all so incredibly proud of you.

Congrats to Chancellor Javier Reyes, formally inaugurated this week to lead UMass Amherst. The students, faculty, staff and alumni of UMass Amherst — not to mention the rest of us in the University of Massachusetts System — will all benefit from his experienced, thoughtful leadership.

As UMass Lowell’s provost, Ahmed Abdelal was a key reason for the university’s rise under Marty Meehan’s tenure as chancellor. His appointment of me as vice provost for research set me on a career path I never expected. I will miss his guidance and his friendship.

Every university president will tell you that the key to success is having a top-notch chief academic officer who combines a brilliant intellect with the diplomatic skills to forge consensus on tough issues and the will to speak the truth to the president. In Provost Ahmed Abdelal, that is what I was so fortunate to have at my side for seven years.

As I made the transition from Congress to UMass Lowell, it was Ahmed who brought his stellar, internationally renowned portfolio of academic leadership and scientific discovery from Northeastern University to our team. With an abiding belief that the best education breaks down barriers between nations, cultures, and ideologies, Ahmed was an architect of UMass Lowell’s ascendance and led the university’s evolution as a truly international institution. He had a boundless passion for preparing students to not just compete in the global economy, but engage with their peers around the world to solve problems that know no borders. And closer to home, Ahmed made student success a top priority, driving a major increase in student retention because he knew the power of education to accelerate our students’ economic mobility.

We are all better humans for having known and learned from Ahmed, who I am honored to say became so much more than a colleague to me. He was a friend, confidante, and teacher. I will always cherish our time together. May the fond memories and lessons of his life quickly replace the grief we feel today.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bostonglobe/name/ahmed-abdelal-obituary?id=54875451

Thanks to 980 WCAP host Garry Nutter and former mayor and Lowell High headmaster Bill Samaras for talking with me and UMass President Marty Meehan about LINC.

The transformational development will create jobs and housing, build on UMass Lowell partnerships, generate opportunities for students and bring business, innovation, families and visitors to Lowell.

www.lowell-inc.com/

I’m grateful to the many partners and supporters who joined us this morning for the announcement of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor.

This plan has such potential to transform our campus and city. I could not be more excited for what the future will bring!

Our hardworking students never cease to impress me. It was so great seeing the energy and dedication of first-year Dean’s List and Chancellor’s List recipients from the Kennedy College of Sciences, along with members of their families, during a reception the other evening.

Congratulations again to these students, as well as to all of those receiving Semester Honors at UMass Lowell.

Harry “Bucky” Lew was a pioneer — as the first Black pro basketball player in 1902, and later when he coached the team for Lowell Textile School (now UMass Lowell).

But we don’t just remember Lew for those accomplishments. We talk about his determination and how he urged others to success. As his granddaughter Wendy Johnson said recently: “He told us to go after whatever we wanted and to try hard, and not let other people define you.”

We were so proud to honor Coach Lew recently at UMass Lowell, where a plaque in the Costello Athletic Center will tell his story to future generations of students and fans alike.

UMass Lowell honors basketball pioneer Bucky Lew LOWELL — More than a century after he made his debut as the first Black professional basketball player, UMass Lowell honored the late Harry “Bucky” Lew with a plaque at the Costello Athletic Center…

Congratulations to Coach Bazin on notching his 300th win as an NCAA hockey head coach. So grateful for his hard work and leadership on the bench at UMass Lowell.

The bright, talented people around this table were such a good sounding board on the state of healthcare and the healthcare workforce in Lowell and the Merrimack Valley — issues that are deeply important to our community and those of us at UMass Lowell.

Thanks again to the Middlesex 3 Coalition for convening this group!

A new housing project at 555 Merrimack St. benefits our city not just by adding 27 affordable apartments in Lowell. The partnership between Coalition for A Better Acre and Lowell House seeks to help people who need it because they’re in recovery and living with limited incomes.

I was so glad to join city leaders, CBA and Lowell House staff and board members, as well as members of our Legislative delegation in cutting the ribbon on this important, timely project that takes another step toward revitalizing the Merrimack Street corridor.

We were happy to welcome Consul General Symeon Tegos to UMass Lowell to talk about our Hellenic Studies program and our collaboration with Greek organizations and institutions.

UMass Lowell places a high value on partnerships — particularly those that broaden the horizons of our students.

Consulate General of Greece in Boston

Congrats to Mayor Daniel P. Rourke , whose long record of public service and dedication to the city led to his election by his fellow members of the City Council. And congratulations to the newly inaugurated Lowell City Council and School Committee.

All of us at UMass Lowell look forward to their leadership and continuing a successful partnership that benefits the university as well as the city.

Hail to the new Lowell City Council LOWELL — Family and service above self were the themes of the new City Council, which was inaugurated in a ceremony at Lowell Memorial Auditorium Tuesday morning. Councilor Dan Rourke was elected m…

Congratulations to Sandra Lim, our newest Distinguished University Professor.

She is an incredible talent, as a poet and teacher, and we are incredibly grateful for her contributions to the UMass Lowell community.

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With many people focused on the U.N. annual climate talks this week, a group of UMass Lowell students had a front-row seat — and an opportunity to rub elbows with world leaders.

We’re enormously proud of our delegation to for engaging in these important discussions and being so committed to sharing their perspectives and learning from others.

These kinds of opportunities are part of what makes the UMass Lowell experience so special.

For UMass Lowell students, attending UN climate conference in Dubai is 'surreal' Four students attended COP28 in Dubai, the UN's Conference on Climate Change.

Community college graduates who continue their educations with us bring such an important perspective to our campus. Hopefully this agreement brings even more graduates of Bunker Hill Community College to UMass Lowell.
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Last week’s Flag Ceremony at University Crossing was inspiring and uplifting. It’s so important to recognize the service of veterans and active-duty military members — especially those 1,350 military-connected students who attend UMass Lowell.