Image
UWW at UMass Amherst Hires Jesse Lederman of Springfield as its Hampden County Recruiter and Advisor
AMHERST, Mass. – The University Without Walls (UWW) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has hired Jesse Lederman as its pre-admissions advisor and recruitment coordinator serving Hampden County. Lederman will work out of the UMass Center at Springfield to provide support and advising to adults looking to complete their bachelor’s degrees through UMass Amherst.
UWW is an academic major at the UMass Amherst designed to help adults complete their first bachelor’s degrees at a world-class public university. Through UWW, students can create their own programs of study, take all online, blended, or on-campus courses that fit into their busy lives, and bring in or earn up to 105 credits for their prior coursework, prior learning and work and life experience.
Lederman, a lifelong resident of Springfield, Mass., was born and raised in the McKnight Neighborhood in the city’s Mason Square area. He is a graduate of the Springfield public schools and went on to attend the George Washington University and UMass Amherst where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.
“I am honored and excited to be joining the team at University Without Walls and to be able to connect individuals in Springfield and beyond with this unique opportunity, giving them the tools to advance their personal, educational and professional potential,” Lederman says. “It really is a dream come true to continue going to work every day in an effort to change people’s lives for the better. As a product of the state university system myself, I know firsthand the importance and impact of public higher education, and am excited to be able to work towards making it available to non-traditional students.”
Having found a passion for public service early on in his life, Lederman serves as an at-large member of the Springfield City Council. He is also a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, the governing board of the Springfield Renaissance School and the board of directors of the Springfield Preservation Trust.
In addition to public service, Lederman’s professional experience has included working across Massachusetts on behalf of statewide political campaigns including those of U.S. Sen. Edward Markey and State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. He spent the last two years as the director of public health and environmental initiatives for the Springfield non-profit Arise for Social Justice.