Open Up!

A white mailbox on a post in front of a pink flowering bush.

We came knocking—and you let us in!

In the fall 2023 issue, we invited you to share your housing stories; here is a collection of stories received (edited for length and clarity. These stories were inspired by our fall 2023 feature Renovating the American Dream and our Do-no-harm Dwelling Extra Credit article. Check them out!

Photo of a black door on a red brick house with autumn decorations around it

Jessica and Chris Whittier ’11

“Chris and I grew up in Massachusetts, but I dreamt of living in Southern California. After my four years working in the UMass undergraduate admissions office after graduation, we took the leap and drove across the country to start a new adventure in San Diego. My admissions experience got me a job helping students apply to college, then I eventually moved on to work at the University of California San Diego. Chris and I had a condo we loved, adopted our dog, Oakie, and enjoyed hikes and the food scene. In 2021, family circumstances changed, and we found ourselves making another big move to be with family—today, we’re very lucky to have a beautiful home outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, complete with frequent visits to our family in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Being back on the east coast has also made it easier to visit our friends and family in New England, which makes me so happy. Although this front door isn’t the one I planned or expected to have, I love looking back at the adventures we’ve had so far and thinking about what’s still left to come.”

Photo of a large calm lake surrounded by green grass and bushes

Kyle Cohen ’76

“Less than a year after I graduated from UMass Amherst in 1976, I got married. We bought our first house in Maryland and then moved to Long Island, New York. Two divorces later [I] didn’t own property as I began my retirement. Last year, I moved to Florida and was able to find a sweet 612-square-foot condo on Lake Osborne in Lake Worth. Palm Beach County was offering a special First Time Home Buyers program that I qualified for, and they paid one-half of the cost making it possible for me to buy my own home.”

A blue Victorian house with white trim on a green lawn

Sarah McAuley Labrie ’98

“My husband and I bought a dilapidated 1880 Victorian home 17 years ago, along the Boston Marathon route in Natick, Massachusetts. We restored the home to its original glory. It has been a labor of love, and we feel lucky to be raising our two boys here. Every April, we watch the marathon from our front lawn, often cheering on fellow UMass Amherst alumni.”

A bald man with half his face in shadow standing next to a wall light in front of a stucco house

Frank S. Weitz ’84

“Hello to you @UMass Amherst from my house in the Wild West of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Love ya!”

A green bush in the foreground with a red brick doorway behind it

Chris Read ’67

“This is my front door in Richmond, Texas—just southwest of Houston, the epicenter of global engineering and petrochemicals. I got here with my BS in chemical engineering from UMass Amherst. It is a wonderful place to live—although we have three seasons of hot.”

A brown doormat that reads “go away unless you brought wine”

Marina Di Cocco ’16, ’24MBA

“I am sending good vibes from Chattanooga, Tennessee! I graduated in 2016 from the College of Engineering and actually, I am currently working on getting my MBA from Isenberg’s online program. Sending an email to the magazine is my way of procrastinating on my MBA homework! (But luckily this afternoon, I have plans to FaceTime with my UMass roomie and reminisce on all the good times we had.)”

A small pond in autumn with a dock and kayaks on the beach

Jennifer Tockman (née. Belauskas) ’94

“I graduated from UMass Amherst in 1994 as an “HRTA” (or Hotel, Restaurant, & Travel Admin.) major, which might not exist anymore as it was. Since then, I also received a master’s degree in business from Framingham State College. I worked in hotels where I met my husband, then shifted into the world of education and building partnerships. Currently, my role is Director of Career Services & BOLD Women’s Leadership at a small liberal arts college in New Hampshire—Colby-Sawyer College. Prior, I held the role of executive director of the Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce. This region in New Hampshire is a beautiful place to live and work. The attached photo is out my back door just this morning.”

A black metal mailbox with fallen leaves below

Nan Fleming

“Hello! I made this mailbox while a student at UWW in the 90’s. I spent most of my time in the then-foundry and made this mailbox after mine had been destroyed by a snowplow multiple times in Williamsburg. It was designed so I could remove the mailbox “bed” and turn it around, so the mailbox wasn’t facing the road. About 30 years old, it still functions well with a new coat of paint applied every five years or so.”

Photo of a turquoise door on a grey-paneled house with white trim

Margaret “Peggy” Dillon ’83

I am a 1983 graduate of UMass Amherst (BA in Geography). I live in a Victorian house on a hill in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where I moved in 2008 after starting a position as assistant professor of Communications at Salem State University. I am retiring from that position in May 2024, but I plan to live in my little house indefinitely!

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!