News

2018 Commencements Set for Undergraduates, Graduates and Stockbridge School

UMass Amherst will award more than 7,400 degrees at Undergraduate, Graduate and Stockbridge School of Agriculture Commencements on Friday, May 11, and Saturday, May 12.

CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper will be the featured speaker at the 148th Undergraduate Commencement on May 11 at 4:30 p.m. at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

Tapper and Pearl Harbor veteran Leonard Gardner will be awarded honorary degrees during the ceremony for approximately 5,500 who are...

Final Reports from Campus Climate Study Released

The university has released the final reports from its Campus Climate study.

Separate reports provide data including open-ended responses detailing the on-campus experiences of undergraduate students, graduate students,...

Actor David McWilliams as Justin Smith Morrill

Land-Grant Homecoming Scheduled in Vermont

The Friends of the Morrill Homestead in Strafford, Vermont—the historic home of Justin Smith Morrill, father of the Land-Grant College Acts and a framer of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution—invite alumni and students of UMass Amherst and all land grant colleges to a free Land-Grant Homecoming on June 10.

The program features an appearance by Sen. Justin Smith Morrill, as portrayed by actor David McWilliams, from 2-3 p.m.

Many know Morrill as the...

Martín Espada

Poet Martín Espada Wins $100,000 Literary Prize

Martín Espada, professor of English, has been awarded the Poetry Foundation’s Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, a $100,000 award that honors poets for outstanding lifetime achievement. Espada is the first Latino poet to win the award since its inception in 1986.

As a poet, an essayist, an editor and a translator, Espada has published more than 15 books, including his latest poetry collection, “Vivas to Those Who Have Failed.”

“To receive a lifetime achievement award in the form of the...

Isabel Wilkerson

Caste and Race Talk and Reception Set for May 4

The College of Education and the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies will host a talk called Caste and Race: Reconfiguring Solidarities on Friday, May 4 at 6 p.m. in S240 Integrated Learning Center Room. The event is free and open to the public, with a reception to follow.

The talk will focus on caste in India and race relations in the U.S. Speakers include Isabel Wilkerson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Warmth of Other Suns”; Gopal Guru, professor of...

Nancy Condon

Reception to Honor Nancy Condon, Retiring Advisor to International Scholars

The campus community is invited to honor Nancy Condon at a reception May 9 marking her retirement after 23 years as advisor to international scholars in the International Programs Office (IPO).

The reception runs from 5-7 p.m. in the Marriott Center, 11th floor, Campus Center. RSVP to Kstender@umass.edu by May 7 if you would like to attend.

In addition to advising international scholars, faculty and staff on the nuances of U.S....

Author Isabel Wilkerson will be a featured speaker at Caste and Race: Reconfiguring Solidarities

UMass Amherst to Host International Conference on Caste and Race May 4-6

AMHERST, Mass. — UMass Amherst will host the fourth annual conference on Caste and Race: Reconfiguring Solidarities Friday, May 4, through Sunday, May 6, at the Integrative Learning Center, Auditorium S240. All events on May 4 are free and open to the public.

The conference will focus on caste in India and race relations in the U.S., and the complexity of navigating between the two. It will feature presentations by leading scholars and activists and highlight discussions of new...

Workshops Set for Underrepresented and Mid-Career Faculty

The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) will host two full-day workshops May 7-8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 102 Furcolo Hall as a way to provide resources and support to faculty members on campus.

NCFDD is an independent professional development, training and mentoring community of faculty, postdocs and graduate students from more than 450 colleges and universities.

On Monday, May 7, “Solo Success: How to Thrive in the Academy When You're the Only _____...

Bill Lee

Gift to UMass Amherst Expands Opportunities for Underrepresented and First-Generation Students in Sciences

AMHERST, Mass. – A new program created with a gift from University of Massachusetts Amherst alumnus William “Bill” A. Lee, executive vice president of research at Gilead Sciences, will broaden opportunities for underrepresented and first-generation UMass Amherst students who aspire to be scientists. 

The new William Lee Science Impact Program (Lee-SIP) at the College of Natural Sciences gives selected undergraduates the opportunity to work with faculty on a wide range of research...

First-Generation Event Aims to Create Community

By Marla Friedson

To celebrate first-generation students, the campus hosted the First-Generation Mixer on April 23, an event that united students, faculty, and staff who identify or identified as first-generation and low-income. The event, which encouraged attendees to chat, share their experiences, and network, was a collaboration between several on-campus groups, including the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Chancellor’s Office, CMASS, the First-Generation Student...

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