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UMass Downtown, a multipurpose retail, event and meeting satellite space in downtown Amherst, will open today, Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 108 N. Pleasant St., in the town’s central business district.

The welcome center for prospective University of Massachusetts students and their families will serve as a boutique retail satellite and campus information center during regular business hours and a hub for town-gown interaction with community members. In the evenings, the space will regularly host small lectures, readings and workshops.

Micah Ariel James has been appointed director of UMass Downtown, which is managed by the Office of Community Relations and University Events in partnership with UMass Auxiliary Enterprises. Responsible for the location’s day-to-day management, James will work collaboratively with campus and community partners to provide a dynamic UMass experience in the heart of Amherst.

“We are thrilled to welcome Micah to our Community Relations and University Events team,” says Tony Maroulis, executive director for community and strategic initiatives. “Micah will be a key member of our group and will lead this exciting new initiative.”

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“We are so excited to bring a UMass presence to our vital town center,” adds Nancy Buffone, associate vice chancellor for university relations. “UMass Downtown is something we have worked on for a long time and is another step in answering Chancellor Reyes’ call for more UMass in the community.”

“UMass Downtown is a place of town-gown convergence and activity,” James says. “We will curate and attract programming that puts the talent of the campus on display in the community, while partnering with organizations and businesses to strengthen downtown Amherst.” 

A recent transplant to the Pioneer Valley, James most recently served as the inaugural outreach and equity coordinator for the City of North Liberty, Iowa, from 2021-24. In that position, she established, supported and sustained welcoming, inclusive and accessible city initiatives and community events. Her duties included directing partnerships and operations for the Ranshaw House, a city-owned historic home that serves as a community meeting space and satellite location for social services organizations from neighboring cities to provide in-town support for residents.

Between 2015 and 2021, James oversaw mission-driven initiatives centered on campus and community learning, creative engagement and youth and family programming at Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa. She has a Bachelor of Arts in playwriting from Colombia College Chicago and an MFA in theatre arts from the University of Iowa.

A grand opening celebration of UMass Downtown will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information about the space, contact James at micaharielja@umass.edu.