05/01/2023
By Katharine Webster

Diana and Collette Whitcomb are the female half of a set of quadruplets who all ended up at UMass Lowell.

But the sisters from Saugus, Massachusetts, who recently got matching grasshopper tattoos because they used to catch grasshoppers together in their family’s backyard, will “walk” before their brothers Andrew and Bryce do.

They’re excited to graduate together from the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences. “I think it’s kind of cool. I’m happy I can do it with Diana,” says Collette, turning to her sister and adding, “You’re my favorite.”

“Aww, you’re my favorite!” Diana replies.

Diana, a nursing student who just finished her preceptorship with the school nurse at the Bartlett School in Lowell, also works at Lahey Clinic and has applied to the nurse residency program there. Collette, a nutritional science major, is looking into lab and research jobs as well as graduate school.

Both took electives in art history in their early semesters at UML. They loved it so much that Diana ended up earning a minor in art history, while Collette completed a minor in architectural studies.

“Those are my fun classes,” Collette says.

“It just makes you a well-rounded person,” Diana agrees.

Andrew, a business major with concentrations in marketing and management, did a professional co-op with Keurig Dr. Pepper Inc. for six months last year; he will graduate in December and go straight into UML’s MBA program. Bryce, a junior who transferred to UML from North Shore Community College, just switched his major from computer science to management information systems, joining his brother in the Manning School of Business.

How will the four of them and their mom celebrate after Commencement? That’s easy, the sisters agreed: They’ll go out to dinner somewhere and then head to Richardson’s for ice cream.

“They’re the best!” the sisters chorus.