The Peters family, with six children, does nearly everything together.

The children were homeschooled together, and the four oldest came one by one to UMass Lowell and joined the Honors College and the Catholic Student Union (CSU). They live at home and coordinate their class and work schedules so they can carpool.

Now, the two oldest – Eleanora, 24, and Regina, 23 – are graduating from UMass Lowell together.

Regina, a biology major like her two younger sisters – rising senior Rose and rising sophomore Margaret – finished her classes in December. In March, she started a seasonal job with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, tracking turtles and amphibians in the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes protected land in 13 towns north of Boston. She is looking into graduate schools where she can pursue turtle research as a field naturalist.

Her favorite memory of UMass Lowell? Taking art and design classes where she could study turtles in a different way.

“It was really cool to learn traditional Cambodian ceramics from (adjunct faculty member) Yary Livan. He taught me how to sculpt the turtles I know and love from biology fieldwork, combining accuracy with artistic motifs,” she says. “Assoc. Teaching Prof. Regina Milan’s scientific illustration class helped me take the precision I learned in science classes and translate it into paint and ink. 

“UMass Lowell has certainly helped me to develop my art skills alongside my love of wildlife,” she says.

Eleanora, an education major, will teach at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in the fall; she has already been accepted to UML’s Master of Education program in curriculum and instruction, which she will complete while teaching. This summer, she will work as the lead camp counselor at the Stone Zoo.

She says that one of the best things about going to UML with her sisters was getting clued in to all the fun and educational events on campus.

“If I found out about something on South Campus, I got my North Campus sisters to come join in on the fun, and vice versa,” she says. “Spring Carnival, CSU Bowling Night and Spring into Science events, to name just a few, have been so much fun, especially going with my siblings.”

Commencement will be the biggest campus event for the whole family yet. How will they celebrate after the ceremony? The two oldest Peters sisters aren’t sure.

“They do have some plans,” Eleanora says, “but they want to keep it a surprise.”