Students didn't have to go far over the summer to gain valuable experience for their future careers — many stayed right here at UML to take advantage of opportunities for research, co-op work and community engagement. Undergraduate Research Opportunities and Collaborations (UROC), a program that is now part of the Career & Co-op Center, helps connect students of every major with experiential learning opportunities — many through the Immersive Scholars program. Here’s what some of the students had to say about their experiences:
“This has been a good way for me to learn what the department has to offer. In the future, if I want to do research, I already know what’s out there.”
— Biological sciences major Sonakshi Chaudhary ’25
Sonakshi Chaudhary worked as a multimedia journalist for the Department of Biological Sciences, allowing her to combine her major with her hobby of making videos. Chaudhary interviewed biological sciences professors and students for a video she will ultimately create to encapsulate the department.
“I have always been intrigued by the complicated connections between all the different aspects of an ecosystem... I knew then that this was my calling.”
— Environmental engineering major Ariel Shramko ’24
Environmental engineering major Ariel Shramko was busy in the lab this summer improving the design of a prototype terrarium for her startup company Auto Terra Project, which aims to ensure food security on Earth — and perhaps one day on Mars.
“It’s been great — very different from anything I’ve experienced… They’ve expanded my role as they’ve found my strengths, which has been great.”
— Digital media major Nick Jarek ’23
During his summer co-op job with the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute, digital media major Nick Jarek put his technical skills to work by producing videos of events on campus. Besides giving Jarek practice working with a client, the experience also exposed him to the world of entrepreneurship.
“Research is so much fun. I love being in the lab. It’s a lot of work, and we spend a lot of time in there, but none of it feels like a job.”
— Chemistry major Noah Mason ’23
Chemistry major Noah Mason conducted research on plasmonic nanoparticles under the guidance of Chemistry Asst. Prof. Michael Ross. Mason received the James Flack Norris and Theodore William Richards Undergraduate Summer Scholarship from the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society (NESACS) to conduct the work.
“Getting into that mindset of thinking like a marketer and using the vernacular of someone who’s in the field has been a valuable experience.”
— Business major Jack Barron ’25
Business administration major Jack Barron honed his marketing skills by working as an Immersive Scholar with the Office of the Provost. He helped develop marketing materials for the UML Inquiry Scholars program and was tasked with developing a social media campaign for the program.
“Being selected for the Immersive Scholars program was a big draw for me to UMass Lowell because I knew I would be getting additional hands-on experience the summer after my first year.”
— Computer science major Ariana Brown ’25
Computer science major Ariana Brown served as a peer leader for SoarCS, a four-week summer program for incoming computer science majors. Funded by her $4,000 Immersive Scholars award, she taught beginner coding concepts to students while welcoming them to the university.
“It’s pretty cool knowing our program is going to be used by students going forward and will help promote the office.”
— Business major Angelina Kam ’25
Business administration majors and twin sisters Angelina and Alexandra Kam wanted to work together over the summer — and found the perfect opportunity with the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Together, they updated the university’s diversity peer education curriculum, which will be introduced to students in the fall.
Image by Ed Brennen