A New Journey Begins for Class of 2028 at Convocation

For the Class of 2028, Convocation at the Tsongas Center marks the starting line of their college careers at UMass Lowell.

When the students reach the finish line in four years and return to the Tsongas Center for Commencement, the neighborhood around the arena will have grown and changed right along with them.

“You come to Lowell at a dynamic time for the university and the city,” Chancellor Julie Chen told more than 3,000 first-year and transfer students at the university’s annual new student Convocation ceremony. “In your time here, you will witness a transformation — the build-out of what we call the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor, or LINC.”

The $800 million-plus public-private venture on East Campus calls for over 1 million square feet of new lab and office space for leading companies in electronics, life sciences, robotics, artificial intelligence and more. Those companies will in turn provide internships and co-op opportunities for UML students.

“Why are they coming here? They are coming because of you,” Chen said. “They haven’t met you yet, but they already know your potential: smart, hardworking and equally willing to be the leader or a teammate. That is the UMass Lowell student, and you represent their future.”

Keynote speaker Vala Afshar ’94, ’96, chief digital evangelist at software giant Salesforce, recalled working full time while earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering at UML.

“One of my greatest life accomplishments was graduating from this university with the skills, mindset and discipline to enter the workforce confident, capable and eager to contribute to society,” said Afshar, a bestselling author and leading business and innovation influencer with over 1 million social media followers.

Afshar offered “28 short lessons for the Class of 2028,” including one about the personal brand that students create for themselves online.

“Google yourself, or ChatGPT yourself, and ask this one question: ‘Would I hire me?’ What’s the first photo, video or hashtag you see?” Afshar said. “In four years, employers are going to be looking at your digital exhaust, the digital breadcrumbs you leave behind. … Make sure your brand, your digital exhaust, is remarkable.”

Afshar’s lessons resonated with Julia Rosa, a first-year applied biomedical sciences major from Medford, Massachusetts. 

“I was not expecting to be inspired this morning. I liked him a lot,” said Rosa, who appreciated Afshar’s advice to create a “to-don’t list” along with a to-do list. “It was a good reminder to set boundaries for yourself and focus on what you’re here for.”

Vera McGrail, a first-year computer engineering major from Carver, Massachusetts, took note when Afshar said, “The best thing you can do the next four years is display your kindness and generosity.” 

“I didn’t know about him coming in, but he sounded a lot like me in the future, I hope,” McGrail said.

Angela Barzola, a first-year nursing major from Holbrook, Massachusetts, liked Afshar’s advice to spend the next four years learning like a chef, not a cook. “A cook learns by following a recipe,” Afshar said. “A chef learns the taste of each ingredient, is not afraid to experiment and is inquisitive and teachable.”

“I’m going to use that in the future,” Barzola said.

Student Government Association President Casey McCauley encouraged new River Hawks to “embrace this chapter with an open mind.”

“The UMass Lowell community has provided me with a safe and nurturing environment where I am allowed to learn what I am passionate about and grow,” said McCauley, a senior criminal justice major from Melrose, Massachusetts.

She and senior business major Collin Gallagher, president of the Association of Campus Events (A.C.E.), reminded students to take advantage of Mosaic, the university’s new web application that creates a digital résumé of their experiences outside of the classroom.

“Future employers and grad schools want more than just your GPA,” Gallagher said. “They want to know your story, and Mosaic is how you will tell it.”

Other student speakers included Stephanie Nicum, a senior public health major from Derry, New Hampshire, who is the UML student trustee on the UMass Board of Trustees, and Daia Hansford, a senior pharmaceutical sciences major from Bowie, Maryland, who is co-president of UML’s Student Athlete Advisory Council and a member of the women’s lacrosse team.

Members of UMass Lowell’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 345 presented the colors, while the UMass Lowell Marching Band performed “River Hawk Pride” and songs by Rush, led by Director of University Bands Dan Lutz.

After the ceremony, students grabbed to-go lunches and walked over to the Celebration and Engagement Fair at the Campus Recreation Complex, where they learned about 250-plus clubs, intramural sports and student organizations.

“Your assignment,” Chen said, “is to talk to some students at the tables there, meet someone new, sign up for something interesting and add it to your Mosaic profile.”