UMass Lowell SUMMER 2015 MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS Goodbye, Chancellor. Hello, President! SUMMER 2015 A Message from SUMMER 2015 Chancellor Martin T. Meehan ’78 The UMass Lowell Alumni Magazine is published by: Office of University Relations In my very first letter for this magazine, I discussed my “lofty goals” University of Massachusetts Lowell for the university. One University Avenue “The next few years will be a time of building,” I wrote. “We are Lowell, MA 01854 VOLUME 18 NUMBER 1 going to take UMass Lowell to the next level.” At the time, I told any- 978-934-3224 UMass Lowell [email protected] one who would listen that the university was on verge of greatness. That was in the fall of 2007, and today—almost exactly eight years MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS Chancellor after I assumed the post of chancellor that July—I am so proud to Martin T. Meehan ’78 say that we have landed squarely on the next level. And it’s a level Executive Vice Chancellor of greatness. Jacqueline Moloney ’75, ’92 So many people have helped us get here, but as an alumnus myself, I’ve been particularly excited to witness the enthusiasm with Cover Story Vice Chancellor of University Relations which our graduates from all generations have rallied around the Patricia McCafferty place. Your belief in our students, our faculty, our research—and, We celebrated more than overall, our vision—has been the foundation from which we’ve grown. 3,700 graduates this spring— GOODBYE, CHANCELLOR. Vice Chancellor for It has been a privilege to serve as chancellor during this era of and, in a manner of speak- 34 University Advancement growth. We’ve achieved so much in every area—from enrollment to Edward Chiu ing, our chancellor was HELLO, PRESIDENT! facilities, from research to the endowment. But we’re not done. among them. We’ll miss Marty Meehan on campus, but happily he won’t be far. To be exact, it’s just Executive Director of Marketing And that makes it hard to leave this job, truly the most rewarding Bryce Hoffman 32 miles to Meehan’s new office on Franklin Street in Boston. And as of July 1, that’s where he’ll one I’ve ever had. But I wouldn’t be making the move to the settle in to his new role as the 27th president of the University of Massachusetts. He’ll bring with Publisher Emeritus President’s Office if I weren’t absolutely confident in the leadership Mary Lou Hubbell ’85 team at UMass Lowell. Plus, I won’t be far—and I’ll still be very him a whole lot of momentum and memories. In these pages, we pay tribute to both. Or, as we like much connected to the campus. to call them, The Marty Years. Director of Alumni Relations And so in this, my final letter in this magazine, I’ll leave you Heather Makrez ’06, ’08 with the same message I gave 23 issues ago: We are going to take Communications Manager UMass Lowell to the next level. Based on what I’ve seen over the CONTENTS Nichole Carter past eight years, the sky’s the limit. Sincerely, Editor Sarah McAdams Corbett CAMPUS LIFE 4 Designer Paul Shilale Martin T. Meehan ’78 Staff Writers LOWELL 2024 30 Edwin Aguirre Karen Angelo Ed Brennen BREAKING THE 51 Jake Burke ’89 55 Margo Oge ’72 56 George Zografos ’75 Geoffrey Douglas Sheila Eppolito ALZHEIMER’S CODE 42 Jill Gambon Julia K. Gavin Jack McDonough Dave Perry FACE OF PHILANTHROPY 48 Contributing Photographers: Edwin Aguirre, Ed Collier, Tory Germann, Jim Higgins, Joson Images, Meghan Moore, ALUMNI LIFE Emily Antonelli Ray 50 uml.edu/alumni facebook.com/umasslowellalumni 58 Yvonne Frazier ’77 62 Shahjehan Khan ’07 64 Jessica Caprio ’10 twitter.com/umasslowellalumni Please send address changes to: University of Massachusetts Lowell Office of University Advancement Cover Photo: Tory Germann Charles J. Hoff Alumni Scholarship Center, 1 Perkins St. EDITOR’S NOTE: Please send comments to Editor Sarah McAdams Corbett at [email protected]. Lowell, MA 01854-2882 Submit class notes at www.uml.edu/advancement/classnotes. [email protected] 978-934-2223 UMass Lowell is an Equal The UMass Lowell Magazine for Alumni and Friends has been honored with multiple Hermes Creative Awards, Opportunity/Affirmative Action, a Silver Bell Ringer, a CASE District I Silver Excellence Award, an APEX Award of Excellence, a Higher Ed Title IX, H/V, ADA 1990 Employer. Marketing Award and honorable mentions in the PR Daily Awards and the PR Daily Nonprofit PR Awards. LOWELL TEXTILE SCHOOL • MASSACHUSETTS STATE NORMAL SCHOOL • STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE AT LOWELL • LOWELL TEXTILE INSTITUTE LOWELL TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE • MASSACHUSETTS STATE COLLEGE AT LOWELL • LOWELL STATE COLLEGE • UNIVERSITY OF LOWELL SUMMER 2015 | UMASS LOWELL MAGAZINE 1 Firstlook CAMPUS NEWS CROSSING OVER. Shortly before receiving his bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology in May, Ross Mungeam ‘15 took this photo of the Aiken Street Bridge at sunset. Mungeam, who graduated summa cum laude from the Exercise Physiology program, is starting the doctorate of physical therapy degree program this summer. See more of his photos on Instagram: @rossmungeam. 2 UMASS LOWELL MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 | UMASS LOWELL MAGAZINE 3 Campus Life OUR WORLD ‘READING RAINBOW’ Inside... CREATOR TO CLASS 5 OUR WORLD 12 STUDENT SCENE OF 2015: ‘MAKE 18 SPORTS UPDATE 24 LAB NOTES YOUR MARK!’ hey cheered as one—the Class of 2015, proud, thankful, minds already turned to what comes next. On May 16, the largest class ever—3,716 students from 42 states and 85 countries—to graduate from UMass Lowell filled the Tsongas Center T for commencement. “Every single day I have been motivated by you, the men and women who come to this university looking to work hard and get the tools that you need to achieve,” said Chancellor Marty Meehan ’78. Actor, entrepreneur and education advocate LeVar Burton delivered the commencement address and accepted an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the university. Best known as host of the long-running PBS children’s series “Reading Rainbow” and for his role as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” Burton told graduates to “be bold, be fearless in the pursuit of your dreams because your dreams matter. “I stand before you as living proof that dreams do in fact come true. I could not have imagined the life I lead now when I was at the juncture you now stand.” Also receiving honorary doctorates were Carole Cowan, presi- dent emeritus of Middlesex Community College; Barry Perry ’68, former chairman and CEO of Engelhard Inc.; John Sampas, literary executor of beat generation icon Jack Kerouac’s estate; and Donato Tramuto, founder, CEO and chairman of Reading-based Class Physicians Interactive. The university presented its Distinguished Alumni Award to Lorenzo Cabrera ’94, founder and chairman of the board of of Cabrera Services Inc., a company that specializes in radiological and environmental remediation and radioactive and 2015 mixed waste management. n 4 UMASS LOWELL MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 | UMASS LOWELL MAGAZINE 5 Ourworld CAMPUS NEWS ARNO GETS A GUGGENHEIM! Arno Minkkinen is no stranger to accolades. His photographs are collected in world famous museums including New York’s MoMA, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris. Seven solo monographs of his work have been published, and he’s earned numerous awards, including the 2013 Lucie Award (pho- tography’s Oscar) for Achievement in Fine Art. His screenplay, “The Rain House,” produced as a fundraising demo trailer, was screened at Lincoln Center, and his work has been featured in over 100 solo exhibitions and 200 group shows. And then, in April, he won a Guggenheim. CHANCELLOR’S CELEBRATION PUTS THE ARTS ON A PEDESTAL “The Guggenheim is like Mecca for an artist—it’s as good as it gets,” says Minkkinen, who recently became professor emeritus after teaching art at In a celebration attended by world-famous the university for 28 years. Broadway producers, a bestselling novelist and a “This was my last hurrah,” said Minkkinen, who applied twice before, prize-winning actress, television star and writer, and is, at 69 years old, “so honored the foundation believes in the work I’ve students from the university’s English, art, theatre yet to do.” and music programs showcased their work in a scene While he could easily have made his application a highlight reel of 40 reminiscent of a Hollywood premiere, with spotlights, years of work, he made a conscious effort to use recent work—showing his a red carpet, uniformed waitstaff and 500 proud continued prolific creation. parents, faculty, staff and community supporters. “The Guggenheim isn’t a ‘lifetime achievement’ award at all,” says The first Chancellor’s Celebration of the Arts was Minkkinen. “Quite the opposite—the award is specifically designed to an evening dedicated to the power of the creative support new works, and as a guy who’s closing in on 70, well, it’s a very work done on campus within the College of Fine special honor.” Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences—the largest at Each year, The Guggenheim Foundation receives between 3,500 and the university. 4,000 applications, awarding about 200 fellowships.—SE Student artists’ works were peppered throughout Allen House, turning the space into a one-night art gallery, with sculptures, paintings, digital media and University can call other works on display. Under a party tent adjacent Manchester a friend to Allen House, three student poets read original work to a hushed audience of supporters. For three days in the spring semester, Grammy-winning pop Addressing the crowd, Chancellor Marty Meehan singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester was in residence at said, “You don’t become a world-class institution UMass Lowell, mentoring music department students in without investing in the arts.” songwriting and vocal technique.