The University of Massachusetts Amherst

Alumna's Dedication to Campus and Region Earns Community Salute

Jackie Brousseau-Pereira receiving Community Salute award with Sam the Minuteman

School of Public Policy alumna Jackie Brousseau-Pereira, academic dean and director of first-year seminars at the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, has received a Community Salute in recognition of her positive contributions to campus and the greater western Massachusetts area.

Brousseau-Pereira, who was honored at a recent UMass men’s basketball game, works with many of SBS’s 4,000 undergraduates, providing guidance and academic support. She and her colleagues developed the SBS Pathways initiative, which helps students consider and integrate the many facets of their college careers—not just academics, but also activities such as sports and clubs, internships, and research and study abroad experiences—to help them figure out who they want to be at UMass and beyond. 

Brousseau-Pereira also donates her time and money to local organizations, including the Valley Community Development Corporation, the Easthampton Community Center, and Community Action Pioneer Valley, where she chairs the board of directors. She received her master’s degree as a member of the first cohort in what was then known at the UMass Amherst Center for Public Policy and Administration. Aa devoted alumna of the program, she organized a fundraiser for the George Sulzner Fund, which provides financial assistance to SPP students pursuing unpaid or low-paying internships, and continues to support the fund every year.

The Campus Salute program is a partnership between UMass Athletics and the Massachusetts State Lottery. “We are excited about this season-long partnership and look forward to saluting deserving residents of the greater UMass community who are giving of their time and effort for the betterment of the lives of others," said Michael Sweeney, the Lottery’s executive director.

Pictured: Jackie Brousseau-Pereira receives the Community Salute award from Jim Leahy, assistant director at the Lottery, while Sam the Minuteman cheers her on.

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