Awards Presented to Graduates from Across University
05/03/2018
Contacts for media: Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu and Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu
LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell has recognized seven distinguished graduates with this year’s University Alumni Awards.
“Through their professional achievements, public service and personal character, these honorees exemplify the very best of UMass Lowell,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney. “They are all wonderful ambassadors for our university and a powerful inspiration for our students.”
A ceremony honoring the alumni award recipients was held Thursday, April 26 at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center. The honorees were selected from graduates of each of UMass Lowell’s six schools and colleges. One recent graduate who is already having a positive impact was also recognized.
The 2018 University Alumni Award honorees are:
Nana Osei Bonsu ’10, ’15 of Fairfax, Va. (Young Alumnus Award) – Bonsu is an international student recruiter for George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. He holds two degrees from UMass Lowell: a bachelor of science in business administration and a master’s degree in education. A native of Ghana, he served as president of UMass Lowell’s Association of Students of African Origin and as an adviser for international students while in graduate school. Today, he is a member of the Young Alumni Council and the Multicultural Alumni Network.
Elizabeth Brackett ’84 of Vernon, Conn. (Kennedy College of Sciences) – Brackett is principal internal dosimetrist for the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program, where she helps determine levels of work-related radiation exposure of workers who took part in nuclear weapons-related activities for the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors. She earned her master’s degree in radiological sciences and protection at UMass Lowell and serves on the advisory boards for the Kennedy College of Sciences and for the Radiological Sciences Program, and is a generous supporter of student scholarships.
Lisa Brothers ’84 of Wilmington (Francis College of Engineering) – Brothers is the chairman and CEO of Nitsch Engineering, which has been named one of the Top 100 women-led businesses in Massachusetts. Since its founding in 1989, Nitsch Engineering has grown into a $17.5 million company with four offices in Massachusetts and one in Washington, D.C. Brothers earned her bachelor of science degree in civil engineering at UMass Lowell and now serves on the Francis College of Engineering Industrial Advisory Board and on the advisory board for the UMass Lowell Center for Women and Work.
Pauline Dyer-Cole ’57 of Paxton (College of Fine Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences) – For three decades, Dyer-Cole was a school psychologist with the Worcester Public School system and Nashoba Regional High School, where she also chaired the special education department. She earned her undergraduate degree in music education with a voice major at Lowell State Teachers College, her master’s in education at Boston State and her doctorate in educational psychology from Clark University. She has been a member of the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences advisory board since 2010 and is a generous supporter of the UMass Lowell Music Department and student scholarships.
Richard Grande ’72, ’80 of Concord (Manning School of Business) – Grande is a managing director at First Republic Investment Management in Boston. Previously, he served as a partner at Kidder-Peabody, a managing director at Bank of America and a senior vice president at Morgan Stanley. He earned both his bachelor of science degree in industrial management and his MBA from UMass Lowell. He has taught in the Manning School of Business and has served as a member of its advisory board since 2006. He is a generous supporter of scholarships for business students and the school’s brand-new, 54,000-square-foot building.
Richard Lynch ’87 of Sudbury (Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences) – Lynch is the executive vice president of Beacon Health Options, a Boston-based behavioral health company where he also serves as president of the Northeast Market Region. He earned his nursing degree at UMass Lowell and then worked for several years at Boston Children’s Hospital before making the transition to health-care management. He has been an active and generous supporter of the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences and has served on the college’s advisory board and as a judge for the university’s DifferenceMaker entrepreneurship program.
Miriam Smith ’57 of Gilford, N.H. (College of Education) – Smith is a longtime elementary school teacher who taught in three states and on two continents. A Tewksbury native, she grew up in a family of educators and earned her degree from Lowell State Teachers College. With her husband, Bob, she continues to have a considerable impact on education through their philanthropy, including support for UMass Lowell’s College of Education.
“We are so proud to celebrate these outstanding alumni who have used the education they received at UMass Lowell to make a lasting impact in their professions, for their communities and at the university,” said Executive Director of Alumni and Donor Relations Heather Makrez ’06, ’08.
UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its more than 18,000 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be ready for work, for life and for all the world offers. www.uml.edu