Scholarship Fundraiser Kicks Off UMass Lowell’s Commencement Weekend

* M E D I A   A D V I S O R Y *

Friday, May 30, 2008

5:30 to 8 p.m.

WHAT:       Commencement weekend kicks off with a fundraising scholarship dinner hosted by UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan.  Commencement speaker Sen. John Kerry will participate in the event at which this year’s honorary degree recipients, alumni and student award winners will be honored.   

This year’s honorary degree recipients are:  Gururaj “Desh” Deshpande, co-founder and chairman of Sycamore Networks Inc.; Charlayne Hunter-Gault, award-winning journalist and special correspondent for National Public Radio;  Mary Jo Leahey, ’37, founding benefactor and inspiration for the Mary Jo Leahey High School Summer Band Camp; Gerald Martone, ’79, director of Humanitarian Affairs at the International Rescue Committee; and Edward O. Wilson, professor emeritus at Harvard University and Pulitzer Prize winning author. Thomas O’Connor, ’77 and ’80, will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award this year, as well as students who are getting top academic honors.

Note to editors: Friday evening’s event will provide press access to honorary degree recipients, student award recipients and Sen. Kerry.

WHERE:      Allen House, Two Solomont Way, UMass Lowell South. 

ADDITIONAL:  Nearly 2,000 students will graduate this weekend from UMass Lowell.  The Commencement ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 31, at 10 a.m. at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell. 

Information about commencement is available at www.uml.edu/commencement.

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