Schedule of Events
- Processional
- Joseph Hartman, Provost Call to Order
- Air Force ROTC Detachment 345, Fighting Dogs, Color Guard, Presentation of Colors
- UMass Lowell Marching Band, National Anthem
- Casey McCauley, SGA President, Welcome
- Collin Gallagher, A.C.E. President, MOSAIC and Introduction of Chancellor
- Chancellor Julie Chen, Chancellor’s Remarks
- Provost Hartman, Introduction of Academic Deans
- Chancellor Chen, Induction of Incoming Students
- Stephanie Nicum, Student Trustee, Introduction of Keynote Speaker
- Keynote Speaker, Vala Afshar, Chief Digital Evangelist at Salesforce
- Daia Hansford, SAAC Representative, River Hawk Pride
- UMass Lowell Fight Song
- Adjournment, Provost Hartman
- Dismissal to Lunch, SGA President McCauley
2024 Keynote Speaker: Vala Afshar
Vala Afshar is Chief Digital Evangelist at Salesforce, bestselling author, U.S. patent holding inventor, podcaster, columnist and keynote speaker. With over 1 million social media followers, Vala is recognized as a top business and innovation influencer.
Afshar is co-author of bestselling book "Boundless: A New Mindset for Unlimited Business Success." He has written over 700 major media articles and has interviewed over 1,400 senior business executives, startup founders, venture capitalists and bestselling authors on his weekly podcast.
Prior to Salesforce, Afshar served as Vice President of Engineering, Chief Customer Officer and Chief Marketing Officer in the technology industry. Afshar is an electrical engineering graduate from UMass Lowell.