How it’s made

A peek behind the scenes of the spring issue

By
Heather Kamins
A photographer taking a close-up shot of a purple lilac bloom.

Spring is in bloom, and so is our new issue of UMass Magazine! As you may have noticed, this issue is online only—but that, too, is a sign of new growth to come. That’s because we’re redesigning the magazine with a fresh new look, and it will be arriving in mailboxes this fall! 

In the meantime, check out some behind-the-scenes images from our spring stories. And be sure to follow @umass_magazine on Instagram for glimpses of what’s to come! 

Black, brown, and white dog rolling on its back in the grass.

Humans aren’t the only ones working hard around here! A canine subject from our cover story takes a break from demonstrating how dogs can help us lead healthier lives. 

A group of men walking down a hallway decorated with UMass basketball signs and photographs.

Marcus Camby ’17, center (the tall one!), with Brad Davidson ’98 (to his right) and crew members from the documentary Lightning in a Bottle, about UMass basketball in the 1990s. 

A photographer in a hard hat and safety vest reclines inside an unfinished building to get a shot.

An inside look at the new School of Public Health and Health Sciences building, now under construction.

A photographer aims a camera at a student posing seated on the floor in front of a yellow backdrop.

Taking a portrait of Chabelli Hernandez ’26, a nontraditional—but tenacious—student. 

A group of marching band members wearing rain ponchos over their uniforms, with one in front waving to the camera.

A member of the UMass Minuteman Marching Band says hello during a slow moment in the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A series of trenches dug among the trees, with a student sitting on the ground nearby.

A student looks out over an Etruscan archaeological dig site in Tuscany.

Two people standing by an indoor pool, talking.

Chatting poolside with Amherst’s own Victoria Dawson ’16, who now works as athletic director at her old high school.

A photographer lies on his belly in the snow to capture a six-inch by 12-inch tunnel below a road.

Sometimes you have to get on your subject’s level: in this case, the Henry Street salamander tunnel that helps amphibians safely cross the road.

Find all these stories—and much more—in the spring 2025 issue of UMass Magazine! 

We’re on the lookout

Share your most intriguing nooks, niches, coordinates, or curiosities on campus or anywhere in the region. Email magazine@umass.edu and we’ll investigate!