By For more information, contact media@uml.edu or 978-934-3224

* M E D I A   A D V I S O R Y *

Tuesday - May 11

3:30 - 5:30 p.m.

 

 WHAT:  A dozen UMass Lowell students this semester used writing tools acquired in the classroom to build a bridge between the University and non-profit groups in the community.  English Prof.  Diana Archibald's "Writing in the Community" program, which places student volunteers in local agencies to serve as writers, will be celebrated next week during presentations on campus. 

 

 

WHERE:  Coburn Hall, Room 205, 850 Broadway St., Lowell

 

 

WHY:  The students will share their experiences, discuss community issues and, in some cases, make policy recommendations at the event.  While on the "job," the students have created handbooks, written grant proposals, developed classroom materials and worked on websites for youth organizations, shelters, museums and other non-profit groups in the city.

 

 

*  A list of the students, their hometowns and their projects follow.  *

  

 

Writing in the Community Students

 

 

Mandee Genereux (Lowell)                 Girls, Inc.

Created a creative writing class and handbook for girls.

 

Brandis Kelly (Littleton)                      Transitional Living Center

Developing and writing a newsletter for the shelter for homeless men and women. She also has written letters to local organizations requesting donations for a new facility.

 

Tim Parker (Methuen)                          Mill City All-Americans

Doing PR for this collegiate-level summer baseball team and its primary charity, a program for disabled children.

 

Michelle Richards (Billerica)                Lowell Festival Foundation

Interviewing cooks from various ethnic groups and preparing write-ups to appear at the food tents during the Folk Festival in July.

 

Chris Chiodo (Billerica)                        Tsongas Industrial History Center

Writing biographies of Industrial Revolution-era Lowellians for use in local classrooms.

 

Nicole Bell (Holbrook)                           Holbrook Town Hall

As a community social psychology major (the only non-English major in the program) she has done various writing projects at the Holbrook Town Hall.

 

Candice Jones (Pelham, NH)                Lowell Telecommunications

Worked on a web page that will inform the public about Lowell's renaissance and has interviewed community partners of LTC, helping them make their messages more accessible to the public.

 

Elizabeth Foster (Westford)                  International Institute of Lowell

Setting up and conducting interviews with past clients of the institute to gather their experiences for a book to be published and made available to the public.

 

Danielle Paras (Nashua, NH)                 Boys & Girls Club-Greater Lowell

Working with the club to develop a new approach to thinking about its approach to communication. She's written press materials and worked on its website.

 

Denae Perrault (Chelmsford)                Angkor Dance Troupe

Preparing grant proposals to help raise funds.

 

Shannon Martin (Chelmsford)              Revolving Museum

Preparing a narrative to accompany student artwork for public display and a presentation to the city council in an appeal for support of future projects. She also wrote the proposal.

 

Crystal Caron (North Brookfield)         House of Hope

Interviewing and preparing biographical narratives on women at the shelter to be used for PR and fundraising purposes.