Hometown: Grafton, Massachusetts

Major: Biomedical Engineering, pre-med track

Activities and involvement: Asian American Student Association, UMass Pre-Medical Society, intramural soccer

Favorite food location at UMass: Berkshire Dining Commons

Hometown: Potomac, Maryland

Major: Philosophy

Activities and involvement: Debate Team, Undergraduate Senate member

Favorite food location at UMass: My favorite food spot on campus is Franklin Dining Commons! 
 

Hometown: Somerville, Massachusetts

Major: Psychology

Activities and involvement: Member of the Commonwealth Honors College, intramural hockey through LUG Sports

Favorite food location at UMass: Easily Roots Café in the Honors College hub. The quesadillas and chicken sandwich are heavenly. Just don’t ask how much money I’ve spent so far…

Hometown: Westchester County, New York

Double Major: Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Education

Activities and involvement: Chaarg, Best Buddies, Women in Business 

Favorite food location at UMass: My favorite food spot on campus is the Berkshire Dining Commons (Berk). I especially love the sandwiches from the Berk Deli! 

Hometown: Franklin, Massachusetts

Major: Informatics on the Data Science track

Minor: Business

Activities: South Asian Students Association, UMass Jazba, Commonwealth Honors College, Undergraduate Course Assistant in CICS

Favorite food on campus: My favorite food on campus has to be the People’s Market bagels in the student union. The bagels and cream cheese are always fresh and tasty!

Hometown: Lexington, Massachusetts

Double major: Theater and Economics 

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, UMass Amherst Theatre Department, UMass Theatre Guild, intramural soccer

UMass hidden gem: The Arts Bridge! It’s one of my favorite spots on campus because apart from being a really cool study space, at any time during the day (and sometimes even at night), you can walk the length of it and hear and see all kinds of artists doing all different kinds of work.

Hometown: Troy, Michigan

Major: Managerial Economics

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, Student Alumni Association, Muslim Student Association, South Asian Students Association, Women in Business, Undergraduate Economics Club, intramural tennis

UMass Hidden Gem: The rooftop garden in the Design Building is a peaceful, hidden, beautiful spot—perfect for a quiet break!

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Major: Chemical Engineering

Activities and involvement: American Institute of Chemical Engineers, UMass ChemE-Car Team, South Asian Student Association, Table Tennis Club

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: Burger bar at Frank on Mondays

Hometown: Newton, Massachusetts

Double major: Political Science and Economics

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, Massachusetts Daily Collegian, Undergraduate Research Engagement Program

Favorite food location at UMass: The Mediterranean salad from Green Fields in Blue wall and a Green Monster smoothie from Courtside Cafe. Bonus points if you add protein to the smoothie.

Hometown: Acton, Maine

Major: Legal Studies

Minor: Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Certificate: Reproductive Health and Reproductive Justice

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, CHC Student Ambassador, Transfer Success Seminar TA, Transfer Student Engagement Coordinator, Club Swimming, founding member of Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity, Pre-Law Club, and a RecWell lifeguard

Favorite food location at UMass: I love the wraps at Whitmore Café, a perfect hidden gem in the center of campus!

Why I chose UMass: As a transfer student, I wanted a strong community, more extracurriculars, and the chance to keep swimming and meet new people daily. UMass exceeded all my expectations, and I’ve built great friendships while becoming the happiest version of myself!

Hometown: Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Major: Environmental Science

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, iCons (Integrated Concentration in Stem program), Habitat for Humanity

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: General Tso’s tofu from Worcester Grab ‘n go every Tuesday and Thursday! Those days are always my busiest and I have just enough time in between classes to stop and get some! The perfect midday pick me up—I never get tired of it!

Hometown: Bourne, Massachusetts

Major: Electrical Engineering

Activities and involvement: WMUA radio, UMass Wind Energy Club, UMass Outing Club, intramural sports

Why I chose UMass: I chose to go to UMass because of their top-ranked engineering programs, and how that gives me a smaller, niche community to interact with within the large and diverse campus as a whole. There are so many ways to find your groups while at UMass, but it’s great having the resources of a bigger school. You can really get the best of both worlds at UMass!

Hometown: Belchertown, Massachusetts

Double major: Economics and Public Health on the pre-med track

Activities: Commonwealth Honors College, TA for SPHHS 150, research assistant in Skouta Lab, events coordinator for Pakistani Students Organization, HEART intern

Favorite food from the dining commons: Mediterranean wrap with lamb from Tavola. 

Hometown: Andover, Massachusetts

Major: Marketing

Activities and involvement: UMass Alpine ski team, Women in Business, Marketing Club, AdLab 

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: Moose tracks ice cream at Frank

Hometown: Arlington, Massachusetts

Double major: Psychology and Community Education & Social Change

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, Habitat for Humanity, CHAARG, Outing Club, intramural sports

Why I chose UMass: I chose the University of Massachusetts Amherst for the affordable tuition, their high ranking as a public university, the large student population, and access to a large university's resources. My acceptance to the Commonwealth Honors College is another reason that I chose UMass, with its tight-knit community and smaller class sizes. UMass has something for everyone, and I truly couldn’t be happier with my decision to come here. 

Hometown: Marshfield, Massachusetts

Major: Anthropology, Archaeology concentration

Activities and involvement: Anthropology club, SALT, WMUA Radio, UMass Women’s Rugby 

UMass Hidden gem: I love Orchard Hill in the warmer months! My friends and I love having picnics looking over campus and climbing the trees up there. Hopefully I get a chance to try out my sledding skills over there soon!
 

Hometown: Westborough, Massachusetts

Major: Psychology with a certificate in Criminal Justice

Activities and involvement: Residential Service Desk (RSD), UMass Transfer Residential Academic Program (Rap), Best Buddies club, Criminal Justice Club, intramural field hockey, basketball, volleyball, and co-ed flag football

Favorite food location at UMass: My favorite dining hall at UMass is Hampshire Dining Commons, or more commonly known as Hamp! I love the layout of Hamp, the variety of food choices, and the huge open windows that overlook the Southwest horseshoe. Not to mention, they have the absolute best oat-ly self serve ice cream for the perfect sweet treat after a well-balanced meal. I always put chocolate sprinkles, caramel sauce, coconut flakes, and crushed up Butterfinger candy pieces on my oat-ly…wow I am hungry now! 

Hometown: Winthrop, Massachusetts

Major: Nutrition Minor: Kinesiology

Activities and involvement: Nutrition Club

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: The chicken teriyaki sushi from Worcester commons is the best thing ever! The chicken and sushi combo is the best of both worlds!

Hometown: Kensington, Maryland

Major: Environmental Science

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, iCons program, Sunrise UMass, UMass GardenShare, Haitian American Student Association

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: Pearl ice cream waffles from Berkshire Dining Commons! 
 

Hometown: Milan, Italy

Major: Animal Science 

Minor: Art History 

Activities and involvement: Animal Science/Pre-vet club, Animal Science RAP

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: My favorite food here at UMASS is the chocolate chip banana bread. It can be found in all of the cafes on campus and on special occasions in the dining halls. It is the perfect snack during a study break or in the morning, especially if paired with coffee. It just never disappoints. 

Hometown: Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Double major: Computer Science & Math

Activities and involvement: UMass Mechatronics Team, BUILD UMass, Undergraduate Course Assistant, UMass Machine Learning Club, Muslim Student Association, Pakistani Student Organization

UMass hidden gem: If you go off the path from Sylvan to O-Hill, there’s a dirt trail that leads to a small clearing in the woods with a few logs and chairs around a firepit. It’s a great spot to chill with friends at night while having a barbecue, especially when it's chilly outside.
 

Hometown: Holyoke, Massachusetts

Major: Operations & Information Management

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, Women in Business, Isenberg Global Citizens, American Hotel & Lodging Association

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: The pickle slices at the Hampshire Dining Commons sandwich station!

Hometown: New York, New York   

Double major: Legal Studies and Environmental Refugee Displacement (BDIC) 

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, UMass Minuteman Marching Band, intramural soccer, volunteer work at Not Bread Alone Soup Kitchen (CESL Program)

UMass hidden gem: Definitely the courtyard behind Thompson Hall facing the Campus Center Parking Garage. It’s a great outdoor study space that’s tucked away from the main campus walkway just enough that it’s the perfect environment to concentrate in. In the spring, the cherry trees in the courtyard bloom, and you can tuck yourself up underneath the petals on a lawn chair and just relax. I highly recommend!

Hometown: New Delhi, India

Double major: Economics and Psychology Minor: IT

Activities and involvement: Student Government Association; Sikh Student Association; 180 Degrees Consulting; SBS Pathways Center; Reasoning, Decision Making and Computational Modeling Lab (RDCL); Sustainable Economics and Policy Lab; Commonwealth Honors College

UMass Hidden Gem: The hill in Orchard Hill makes for an awesome hangout spot to watch sunsets and have picnics on warmer days and for sledding on snow days! I so wish I had discovered it sooner while I was living in the area. 

Hometown: Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Double major: Biology and Spanish

Activities and involvement: Pre-Medical Society, Genetics Club, Spanish department weekly Sobremesa

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: The pho noodle soup is by far my favorite meal on campus! You can add in a bunch of different things, but I always add tofu, scallions, cilantro, and a lime wedge!

Hometown: Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Major: Computer Engineering

Activities and involvement: UMass Cybersecurity Club, MassAI, UMass DataScience, RHA House Council, Muslim Student Association, South Asian Students Association, and Indian Students Association

Favorite food on campus: Not a food item, but the chocolate milk at Frank has to be the best thing ever to exist on this planet. 

Hometown: Natick, Massachusetts

Major: Psychology

Minor: Math

Activities and involvement: Club Gymnastics, Ski and Board club, Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority

UMass hidden gem: Argo tea next to Berkshire!

Hometown: North Reading, Massachusetts

Major: Psychology and BDIC for Industrial Organizational Psychology

Minor: Math

Activities and involvement: UMass Ski and Board Club, UMass Outing Club, intramural flag football

Favorite UMass tradition/event: My favorite UMass tradition has to be the opening game at the Mullins Center for the hockey season. There is so much school spirit and watching the game is a lot of fun!  

Hometown: Beverly, Massachusetts

Major: Geography

Minor: Sustainable Community Development

Activities and involvement: Club Rock Climbing, Geoscience Club, UDems, intramural flag football

UMass hidden gem: Ascend Climbing Wall! It’s a rock-climbing gym on campus that is free for all UMass students! Definitely a great place to check out whether you’re a pro or you’ve never climbed before.

Hometown: Stow, Massachusetts

Major: Theatre

Activities and involvement: UMass Theatre productions/Theatre Guilde, UMass Fashion Organization, Undergraduate Activities Council (UAC) for Theatre Department

Favorite food at one of the dining commons:  Frank's grilled cheese will forever be superior!! 
 

Hometown: Fair Lawn, New Jersey

Major: Operations Information Management

Activities and involvement: Isenberg Sustainability Club, OIM Peer Mentor Program, Isenberg Women in Business, Habitat for Humanity, Teachers Assistant, Resident Assistant, Study Abroad Ambassador

Favorite UMass Tradition/Event: Having lobsters and steak on Halloween
 

Hometown: East Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Double Major: Linguistics and Communication Disorders

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, Period Movement, UMass Permaculture Initiative, Outing Club

UMass hidden gem: Greeno Sub Shop! Located in the basement of Greenough Hall in Central Residential Area, Greeno Sub Shop makes the best grilled cheese sandwich at UMass. Along with Greeno, UMass has a number of completely student run businesses, all of which serve amazing food and are run by your peers (which makes it that much cooler). The menu and atmosphere of Greeno is just the best, and is 100% worth walking up the hill for.

Hometown: Braintree, Massachusetts

Major: Political Science and Linguistics

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College student, Pre-Law Club, Habitat for Humanity

Favorite UMass food: UMass chocolate torte is the perfect sweet treat!

Hometown: West Tisbury, Massachusetts

Double major: Nutrition and Public Health 

Minor: Spanish

Activities and involvement: Member of Commonwealth Honors College, UMass Nutrition Association, Protect our Breasts Club

Why I chose UMass: I remember touring UMass and feeling like it was a place where I could grow into the best version of myself. The large campus community, resources for success both inside and outside of the classroom, honors college, affordable tuition, and No. 1 campus dining were defining factors in my decision to choose UMass—and I am grateful that I did.

Hometown: Walpole, Massachusetts

Major: Environmental Science 

Minor: Business

Activities and involvement: Alpha Tau Gamma

Best Food at UMass: The fish tacos at Woo are incredible. Incredible.

Hometown: Gambrills, Maryland

Double major: Biochemistry and Chinese

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College peer advisor, Black Women in Medicine, Pi Iota Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Pan-Hellenic Council, research assistant in a natural resource/environmental conservation lab

Favorite food location at UMass: Wasabi in Blue Wall! I LOVE the tuna poke bowl (I get it for lunch at least 2-3 times a week).

Hometown: Santiago, Dominican Republic

Major: Economics

Activities and involvement: Songwriters Club

UMass hidden gem: Sylvan Woods

Hometown: Williston, Vermont

Major: Psychology, Neuroscience Track

Minor: Biology and Certificate in DDHS

Activities and involvement: The Navigators, Habitat for Humanity, NSSLHA, intramural volleyball, neuroscience research assistant

Favorite food location at UMass: Franklin Dining Commons!!!

Hometown: Salem, Massachusetts

Double major: Psychology and Criminology & Law

Activities and involvement: Communities Against Cancer Club, Students to End Alzheimer’s Disease Club, Special Olympics (Young Athletes Program), Criminology Club, Neuroscience Club, Forsythe Grange Mentoring Program, SPACE Program

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: Cookies & cream frozen yogurt with Oreo topping!

Hometown: Springfield, Massachusetts

Major: Sociology

Activities and involvement: WMUA Amherst, UMass Film Discussion, Astronomy Club

Favorite food location at UMass: Greenos! Nothing like a 11 p.m. hot dog and an Arizona iced tea to motivate your studies.

Hometown: Paris/Beirut

Major: Chemical engineering

Activities & Involvement: AIChE, Running Club, Newman Church Center

Favorite food location at UMass: My favorite food spot on campus is Blue Wall!! I love the Chicken Katsu, it's fire.
 

Hometown: North Bennington, Vermont

Major: Chemical Engineering, concentration in Biochemical Engineering

Activities and involvement: Society of Women Engineers (SWE), American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), UMass Outing Club (UMOC), Computational Chemistry & Materials Lab research assistant

Why I chose UMass: One of the main reasons I chose UMass can be summed up in a single phrase: “You can always make a big school feel small, but you can’t make a small school feel big.” Although UMass is a large R1 research institution with numerous academic and extracurricular opportunities, it still fosters a close-knit community that celebrates individuality.

Hometown: Rowley, Massachusetts

Double major: Sociology and Psychology

Activities and involvement: A cappella and intramural sports

Why I chose UMass: I chose to transfer to UMass because of the welcoming environment and the overwhelming number of groups to join and activities to participate in. I love meeting new people every day and discovering new gems of campus. 

Hometown: Seattle, Washington

Double major: Political Science and Sociology; certificate in Criminology and the Criminal Justice System 

Activities and involvement: Political Science Undergraduate Board, Sociology Club, intramural volleyball and soccer

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: Spicy tuna roll from Berk and an iced white mocha from the Procrastination Station in the library.

Hometown: Dover, Massachusetts

Major: Nursing

Activities and involvement: Member of CHC, group fitness instructor at the Rec Center, receptionist at University Health Services, Student Nurses Association (SNA), Student Alumni Association, CHAARG

Favorite food location at UMass: A turkey bacon ciabatta from the Procrastination Station at the library! 

Hometown: Westborough, Massachusetts

Major: Psychology on the Neuroscience track

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, RAMP (Research Assistant Mentoring Program), SomNeuro Lab, CHAARG, Swiftie Club

Favorite UMass tradition?: My favorite UMass tradition is a classic: the Halloween surf and turf dinner! All dining halls are decked out in full decor and serve a dinner of lobster, steak, and delicious sides. It’s great to come together as a community to celebrate a fun holiday!

Hometown: Orange, Massachusetts

Major: Kinesiology on Pre-Physical Therapy Track

Activities and involvement: Treasurer and competitive dancer - Ballroom Dance Team, Programming Board

UMass hidden gem: The courtyard between Linden and Maple House. Love studying outside when its nice out and it's usually super quiet

Hometown: Bhubaneswar, India and Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Major: Computer Engineering 

Minor: Engineering Management

Activities and involvement: Peer mentor (Butterfield Hall), executive board member of Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Advisory Council (ESAC), student ambassador in Office of Student Affairs (College of Engineering)

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: Fridays at Worcester Dining Commons are always something to look forward to! Katsu Curry with Jasmine Rice at Noodle Bowl, Steamed Dumplings at Street Food, and Falafel at Tandoor—it’s the perfect mix of flavors and comfort. The best way to end the week!

Hometown: Rockland County, New York

Major: Sports Management and Legal Studies

Activities and involvement: WISM (Women in Sports Management), McCormack Student Leaders, intern with UMass Events and Operations Department, former Introduction to Sports peer mentor, intramural soccer

Favorite food location at UMass: Terrace

Hometown: Topsfield, Massachusetts

Major: Political Science

Activities and involvement: Cru, Club Tennis, 91.1 WMUA Amherst, Outings Club, and intramural soccer, flag football, basketball, and volleyball

UMass hidden gem: The Post & Bean Café in the Olver Design Building is one of my favorite places to study! It has tons of big windows, really great architecture, and faces west, so it’s a great place to see the sunset! Every time I’m there, I grab a latte and set up by the window to grind out my homework. Definitely check it out if you’re looking for a hidden study spot.

Hometown: Mumbai, India

Double major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Psychology on the Neuroscience track

Activities and involvement: Member of the Commonwealth Honors College, part of the BioTAP RAP, Neuroscience Club, Association for Women in Science

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: My favorite food is Vietnamese Pho at Berk! You get this in all dining halls but Berk always hits different! I like my pho with tofu, scallions, cilantro, and onions in a vegetable broth topped with a lime wedge!  

Hometown: Kolkata, India

Major: Biology

Minors: Chemistry and Biochemistry

Activities: TA for Bio 151, Pre-Medical Society, K-pop Dance Club, BioSci Club, HackUMass

Favorite food on campus: The Tony Montana milkshake at Sweets & More is to die for! I also cannot wait for Wednesdays in the Hampshire Dining Commons because the Chicken Katsu is always a treat.
 

Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan

Major: Mechanical Engineering 

Minor: Mathematics

Activities and involvement: Minutemen Racing, IT student ambassador, teaching assistant, Muslim Student Association, Pakistani Student Organization

Favorite food at one of the dining commons: The Moroccan kefta at Woo is literally the GOAT (pun intended). They have it for lunch on Tuesdays, but they usually run out an hour into serving so be fast!

Hometown: Stamford, Connecticut

Double major: Studio Art and English

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, Hillel, College of Humanities and Fine Arts (HFA) Student Leadership Group, Local Mojo, Art Club, UDems

Favorite food location: Franklin Dining Commons!

Hometown: Sheffield, Massachusetts

Major: English

Minor: Education

Activities and involvement: Theater electrician

Favorite food location at UMass: Sweets 'n' More is my favorite place on campus to grab food. They have breakfast food in the evening and I can go there with friends and grab themed milkshakes and hash browns. 

Hometown: Caldwell, New Jersey

Double major: Psychology and BDIC (behavioral economics) 

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, Student Alumni Association (student ambassador and recruitment coordinator), iCons, Isenberg Undergraduate Consulting Group (junior analyst) 

Favorite food at the dining commons: Mac ‘n’ cheese with buffalo tenders at Worcester grab ‘n’ go every Monday! Monday Mac is literally built into my calendar because of how much I love it and look forward to it!

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Double major: Political Science and Legal Studies

Certificate: Criminology

Activities and involvement: Commonwealth Honors College, Student Government Association, RAP (Residential Academic Program)

Favorite UMass tradition/event:  My favorite UMass event is supporting our Division 1 sports teams. Whether it’s attending the football tailgates, basketball, or hockey games, UMass never fails to provide you with a sense of community through these exciting games. Our competitive program and exceptional school spirit make attending these events one of the best parts of my experience. 

Hometown: Mumbai, India

Major: Computer Science

Minor: Business

Activities: HackUMass, Public Interest Technology Club, K-pop Dance Club, residence hall security

Favorite food on campus: Congee, which is served for brunch at Hampshire DC over the weekends, is my favorite meal. It is pretty simple but really nourishing!

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Double major: Communications and Journalism

Activities and involvement:  UMass Dance Club dancer and choreographer, yoga teacher for recwell, peer advisor for the communication department, peer mentor for the journalism department, member of ski and board club

Favorite food on campus: Berk pasta bar

Hometown: Woburn, Massachusetts

Double major: Public Health and Public Policy 

Minor: Arabic 

Activities and involvement: Arab Cultural Association (E-Board), Muslim Student Association, Pakistani Student Organization, Student Government Association, Public Health Club, teaching assistant 

Favorite UMass tradition: PSO’s Mock Shaadi is definitely one of my favorite events on campus.

Hometown: Durban, South Africa

Major: Economics 

Minor: Philosophy

Activities and involvement: Resident assistant, Muslim Students Association, Outing Club, Isenberg Sales Club

UMass hidden gem: A hidden gem I’ve come across during my time at UMass is the Durfee Conservatory, opposite UHS. The conservatory is a serene and warm escape from the hustle and bustle of campus, especially during the winter months. Whether it’s just walking through on my way to class or reading a book next to the koi pond, it’s a great place to unwind. 

Hometown: Islamabad, Pakistan

Double major: Computer Science and Mathematics in Data Science and Statistics

Activities and involvement: Member of the Pakistani Student Organization, Muslim Student Association, UMass Outing Club, and UMass Cricket Club.

Why I chose UMass: I chose UMass for a multitude of compelling reasons that combined to create an unbeatable experience. UMass has a vibrant and diverse student body, providing an exciting platform to connect with individuals from across the globe, each bringing unique ethnicities and cultures to the mix. Also, the campus is a hub of constant activity, offering endless opportunities to explore, engage, and push myself both academically and socially. Now that I'm here, I couldn't be happier to be a part of this adventure!