Engineers Without Borders installing at concrete floor at a school in Kenya.

Find Your Purpose

BE THE FUTURE YOU WANT TO SEE

Apply what you learn to create, lead, and build real experience that reaches beyond campus. Be the spark that ignites change. Be the mind that opens new doors. Start shaping what comes next—here in Massachusetts and in communities around the world.

Visit UMass Amherst

Put Your Ideas Into Action

UMass Impact Sustainability Political Science Design Natural Resources

Work at UMass Amherst is driven by a commitment to the public good—taking on real challenges and improving lives. It’s backed by a proven track record of breakthroughs that have strengthened communities, shaped industries, and driven meaningful change around the world.

The UMass Impact

Cultivating Sustainability in the Floral Industry

Blending art and activism, Logan Penney '26 seeks to raise awareness among consumers and business owners and to create more sustainable models of flower production in the future.

Going Deep on Public Opinion

Driven by the political climate of her hometown in New Mexico, Bel Corder '25 examines public polling data in order to understand contemporary racial attitudes among different groups.

Designing an Eco-Conscious Built Environment

Margaret Lepeshkin '26 has drawn and observed nature her whole life, but never connected to traditional labels of “artist” or “designer," given her understanding of the world as a naturalist. Instead, she uses art to understand the world around her and seek creative solutions to positively transform the impact of our built environment on the natural world.

The Science of Clean Water

Growing up on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Raul Vera '24 developed a deep appreciation for natural water systems. At UMass Amherst, he now researches how organic matter enters drinking water supplies—work that could help reduce harmful contaminants and make drinking water safer for millions of people.

A group of five students lean over laptops in a classroom

Margaret Lepeshkin standing in front of her art installation on the facade of the UMass Amherst Studio Arts building.

UMass students work alongside top computer scientists in the Dynamic Autonomous Robots Lab, aiming to improve accessibility by developing a robot guide dog.

You Decide What's Next

Have an idea? You’ll find the support to make it real—access to maker spaces, mentorship, and funding that help you turn concepts into ventures, products, and solutions that make a meaningful difference in the world.

Learn About Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Create a More Sustainable World

At UMass Amherst, sustainability is in our DNA. Get involved in hands-on sustainability efforts across campus—from research and campus operations to student-led initiatives—so you can take action, build experience, and make a measurable impact.

Students Ryan Mullen, Mia Gozgit, Shane Penney, Chase Dennie, Lucas Valentine, Elinor Everett, Jason Dragon, Maya Cormier, Amanda Brown (lecturer and program director) and Moshe Skoglund sit on porch steps for a photo at the UMass Student Farm

UMass Student Farm

A student plants a seedling under a solar panel canopy

Student Sustainability Coalition

Studies in Sustainability

Build Community. Lead Change.

As a UMass Community Scholar, you’ll work alongside others who care about making a difference by taking on real-world challenges and contributing to projects that create a more equitable future.

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The Spring 2023 cohort of UMass Community Scholars.

Working in the community challenges you to think critically about everything.

Maurice Powe '24
UMass Amherst Community Scholar

Engineers Without Borders

Use your engineering skills to take on real-world challenges around the globe—working with communities, building practical solutions, and making a lasting impact with your peers.

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Members of the Engineers Without Borders Stand with village residents in Imale, Kenya.

I realized this is something I really want to be a part of. Why would I not want to help someone who needs it more than me?

Aman Patel '26
President, UMass Amherst Engineers Without Borders

Social Justice Education

Prepare to become an educator who makes a difference by learning how to support students, shape inclusive classrooms, and bring a vision for a more just world into your work.

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Students participate in a discussion in Education 202.

These courses have challenged me to dig deeper into systems [of oppression] while also furthering my ongoing efforts of being the best ally possible to friends of mine who share different social identities.

Raphaela Machado ‘24
psychology major with a minor in education