Community Relations at UMass Amherst

The Office of External Relations and University Events is responsible for community relations and serves as the primary liaison between UMass Amherst and the community.

We connect faculty, staff, and students with a wide range of opportunities in our host communities. We work with student organizations on community-service and volunteer opportunities and engage in community-relations initiatives. 

The office builds and maintains relationships with the community by responding to inquiries and connecting university programs, resources, and expertise to meet community needs. We offer to the public and promote such university events as lectures, performances, concerts, and athletic events, and work jointly on economic development and planning projects with the town governments of our host communities in Amherst and Hadley. We are actively engaged with and provide support, guidance, and leadership to a number of local non-profits and organizations. 

The office is also responsible for the University of Massachusetts Amherst Community Campaign (UMACC) and administering the Campus and Community Coalition to Reduce High-Risk Drinking (CCC), Our staff ably handles these acronym-heavy projects while seeking to create greater engagement with our local community.

Amherst, Hadley and the Pioneer Valley

UMass Amherst and its host communities of Amherst and Hadley have shared a long rich history over the past 150-plus years. Besides its positive impact on the local economy, UMass Amherst adds to the cultural richness, intellectual depth, and ethnic diversity of the Amherst Area and the region.

Numerous town-gown collaborations benefit our host communities and campus. These partnerships provide unique educational opportunities, support community and civic organizations, and enhance the region's quality of life. They are built on a shared desire to make UMass Amherst and its surrounding town great places to live, work, play, and learn.