Biking at UMass with foliage in the foreground
Admissions
Student Voices

From North Attleboro to UMass

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UMass amherst student

A college education is one of the most crucial opportunities in one’s life. So it is essential to make use of that opportunity. This is what Angie Olinyk, a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has lived by in her college years.

Coming from North Attleboro, Massachusetts, Angie first toured UMass with her older sister, who also ended up enrolling. She really liked the environment on that tour and later visits; "it just felt really comforting.” This comfort, along with No. 1 dining, affordability, and the size of the campus, made UMass the clear choice for Angie. 

Once she arrived, Angie was pleasantly surprised to find that “everyone here is definitely more social, and it feels like a huge big city where everybody knows everybody.” This is a common sentiment among UMass students who live in one of the campus’ tight-knit communities, whether it be Southwest, Northeast, Central, Orchard Hill, Sylvan, or even the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community. Additionally, Angie was happy to find that “at UMass there’s definitely a lot more diversity in the people that I meet, which has helped me learn a lot more about different cultures.” UMass has students hailing from not only Massachusetts and around the United States, but a significant population of international students who all bring their own culture to Amherst. 

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UMass Amherst student

As a marketing major, Angie is a part of the respected Isenberg School of Management. In her second year on campus, she has learned that the Isenberg advantage goes far beyond just academics. “Before I came to UMass, I didn’t really realize how many resources there were for students. So I feel like this year is when I discovered the Chase Career Center.” The Chase Career Center is a state-of-the-art facility within Isenberg that specializes in helping students prepare for their professional careers by prepping them for interviews, helping them get significant experience, and general advising, whether it be academic or professional. This assistance comes not only from professionals with Isenberg but also from current UMass students who have had success in today’s competitive job market. 

Another opportunity that Angie has used to the fullest is Delta Sigma Pi, a business-focused academic fraternity on campus. It is in Delta Sigma Pi that she has not only formed crucial professional relationships for her future but also made “so many amazing friends.” It is opportunities like these that make Angie urge incoming and prospective students to “Take advantage of all the resources that UMass provides. It’s a really big school but you can get so much out of it if you put in the effort to meet people and figure out what UMass has to offer.”