Home at UMass: Judi LaBranche joins Honors College as Faculty in Residence
By Samuel Cavalheiro
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Every year, two faculty members live within the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) through the Faculty in Residence (FiR) program. The two FiRs serve as visible mentors, setting a positive example on campus, and are chosen for their ability to connect with and relate to students. Judi Bruno LaBranche, a senior lecturer in kinesiology, has been selected to serve as one of our two Faculty in Residence for the 2026-27 academic year!
For over a decade, LaBranche has been a familiar presence on campus. Given her passion for students and student wellbeing, she is often the faculty member students seek out when they're uncertain about their direction. Yet for years, there was something she felt was missing from her experience at UMass. A decade-long commute from Wilbraham, nearly an hour each way, left LaBranche exhausted and disconnected from campus life.
Five years ago, she made the decision to move to Amherst and seek out a closer connection to the campus community.
"It completely changed my experience," she reflected. "I wasn't in such a rush to get home. I wasn't so tired from driving two hours each day. It gave me an opportunity to connect more deeply with students and my peers."
So, when the opportunity to apply for the FiR position arose, she jumped at the chance to further develop that connection with students, a guiding principle for LaBranche. As FiR at Birch Hall, she is positioned to do what she's always excelled at doing.
A Path to UMass
LaBranche first arrived at UMass in 1996, working in Residential Life. She developed employee and student wellness programs, and managed six different gyms across residence halls before the campus recreation center existed. She remained in that role for eight years, but eventually felt called to explore something different.
She left to run a YMCA in Wilbraham, where she was part of an early cohort for the LiveStrong at the YMCA program, work that aligned perfectly with her values and vision.
Yet even in that rewarding role something was pulling her back.
"I just knew I wanted to do something more," LaBranche explains. "I couldn't just work with what was in front of me. I wanted to have access to more people that could go out and do some of the things I was doing."
So she made a leap of faith. She accepted a temporary, one-year position at UMass as a lecturer in the kinesiology program for half the pay. She suddenly was responsible for purchasing a house, arranging childcare, and enduring that hour-long commute. Even with all these complicating factors, she reapplied for the permanent position, a position she holds to this day.
Over that time, LaBranche has become known for her hands-on teaching in exercise testing and prescription, her business courses in health and wellness, and her genuine investment in helping students understand not just the what, but the why and how of engaging with others. Last year, she even received the Manning Award for Teaching Excellence and took on the role of associate chair for the Department of Kinesiology.
Belonging as a Principle
When asked what belonging means to her, LaBranche paused thoughtfully.
"We're all different," she said. "We don't have to like the same things. But people are lonely. We've isolated ourselves with technology and remote work. Belonging means having somebody you feel comfortable talking to, somebody who cares about you, and opportunities to participate."
In her classrooms, LaBranche carefully pairs students with complementary skills, creating conditions where different personalities and abilities work together. She invites her classes out to restaurants in town, astounded to learn that some fourth-year students have never left campus. She creates spaces where students can try things that make them uncomfortable, always with a gentle smile.
This approach stems from something deeper. LaBranche has observed that students often view faculty as distant, even intimidating figures rather than people. A turning point came when her mother passed away in February. LaBranche taught class just days after the funeral, and was moved by how her students acknowledged her grief and her humanity.
"They saw me as a person," she reflects, "that was really impactful for me."
What's Next
For the upcoming year, LaBranche hopes to bring her mentoring expertise, her wellness background, and her genuine belief in students to CHCRC.
"This is a really pivotal time in your life," LaBranche said. "Having somebody to walk alongside you through it. Everybody deserves and can benefit from that."
There's also Reggie, her dog, who has already become part of her vision.
"He's miserable without students," LaBranche jokes, "and then he sees them and he's jumping up and down, giving kisses, wanting pets."
She hopes to host drop-in pet hours, recognizing that sometimes it's easier to spark connection with a cute dog.
With LaBranche in place as FiR in CHCRC, students can count on having a supportive, committed, and welcoming presence in the Honors community. Her years of experience as a professor, administrator, and mentor, have uniquely prepared her for a student-focused role like the FiR. She already has programming in the works for the residents of CHCRC.
Be on the lookout for LaBranche and Reggie for their strolls around Honors and be sure to say hi!
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Samuel Cavalheiro
