UMass Boston Community Relations

08/25/2026

A great example of UMass Boston working with the City of Boston to expand access and opportunity for Boston students.

As part of the City’s latest Neighborhood Jobs Trust investment, a new Bridge to Bachelor’s pilot will support 80 low-income students participating in Future Beacons, the joint admissions pathway between Bunker Hill Community College Internship, Apprenticeship, and Career Center and UMass Boston.

The goal is straightforward: help students begin their education at BHCC, successfully transition to UMass Boston, and continue through completion of their bachelor’s degree.

This is the kind of partnership that strengthens pathways to higher education while supporting economic mobility for Boston residents.

Read more about the City’s investment and the UMass Boston partnership:
https://www.boston.gov/news/13-million-neighborhood-jobs-trust-funding-awarded-support-training-and-education-programs

NJT funding supports local organizations that provide support services, connections to employers, and skills training to Boston residents aged 18 and over, enabling them to attain employment in high-demand industries. The grants will serve approximately 392 residents and allow the organizations to l...

08/21/2026

Another great example of how UMass Boston’s waterfront campus provides a unique setting for art, reflection, and community engagement.

“perfect memory,” a floating public art installation by Boston artist crystal bi, is now anchored in Dorchester Bay alongside UMass Boston’s Fox Point Boat Dock and Pavilion.

Created in partnership with Arts on the Point at UMass Boston and with support from the Boston Public Art Triennial Public Art Accelerator, the installation explores grief, healing, memory, and our connection to the ocean.

The work will remain in the bay through September 11 before moving inside UMass Boston for a solo exhibition at the University Hall Gallery.

Great coverage by Cassidy McNeeley and the Dorchester Reporter

Read the full story: https://www.dotnews.com/2026/08/19/floating-sculpture-in-dorchester-bay-centers-on-grief-healing-artist-says/

08/19/2026

Looking forward to welcoming the community to UMass Boston on September 23 for the 2026 Robert C. Wood Visiting Professorship, City on a Hill: Resetting Our Civic Moral Compass.

This year’s program brings together Rev. Dr. Ray Hammond, Rev. Dr. Gloria White-Hammond, and Rev. Mariama White-Hammond for an important conversation about democracy, civic life, moral leadership, and public service.

Events like this reflect an important part of UMass Boston’s role as the City of Boston’s public research university: bringing people together to engage with the issues shaping our city and our communities.

The program is free and open to the public, and I hope many of our community partners and friends will join us.

📅 Wednesday, September 23
🕔 5:00 p.m.
📍 UMass Boston Campus Center Ballroom

UMass Boston Community Relations UMass Boston John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies

08/18/2026

I wanted to share an upcoming event at UMass Boston that I thought may be of interest.

On Wednesday, September 23, UMass Boston will host the 2026 Robert C. Wood Visiting Professorship, City on a Hill: Resetting Our Civic Moral Compass.

The program will feature Reverend Dr. Ray Hammond, Reverend Dr. Gloria White-Hammond, and Reverend Mariama White-Hammond for a timely conversation about democracy, civic life, moral leadership, and public service in Boston and beyond.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026
5:00 p.m. – Lecture and Discussion
Ballroom, Campus Center, UMass Boston

6:45 p.m. – Reception
Alumni Lounge, Campus Center, UMass Boston

The event is free and open to the public. Registration information is included in the attached invitation.

I hope you’ll consider joining us, and please feel free to share this with others who may be interested. City of Boston

08/07/2026

This week's Dorchester Reporter is a great showcase of UMass Boston's impact, with two feature stories highlighting our work and a full-page UMass Boston ad encouraging future students to discover all that's possible on our waterfront campus.

One story highlights the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office Basketball for Peace tournament, where more than 140 young people from across Suffolk County came together at UMass Boston for a day of mentorship, leadership, teamwork, and community building.

The second spotlights UMass Boston's leadership in convening experts from across New England to explore how thermal energy networks can help heat and cool our urban spaces more efficiently, advancing innovative solutions for a more sustainable future.

Together, these stories capture what makes UMass Boston unique. We are a university that serves our community, drives innovative research, creates meaningful partnerships, and opens doors for students from every background.

And it's fitting that alongside these stories is UMass Boston's full-page ad reminding prospective students that "The opportunity you've been looking for... might be closer than you thought." I'll include it with this post because it's a great message and a great representation of our university.

Thank you to the Dorchester Reporter for continuing to cover the people, partnerships, and ideas that make UMass Boston such an important part of the City of Boston and the Commonwealth.

🏀 Basketball for Peace:
https://www.dotnews.com/2026/08/04/basketball-for-peace-tourney-linked-teens-and-mentors-at-umass-boston/

🌊 Thermal Energy Networks:
https://www.dotnews.com/2026/08/06/how-to-engage-thermal-energy-to-heat-cool-urban-spaces-is-focus-of-umass-boston-meeting/

07/27/2026

It was great to represent UMass Boston the other morning at Mayor Michelle Wu 吳弭's Neighborhood Coffee Hour in Dorchester.

These gatherings are a simple but effective reminder of the importance of meeting people where they are. Residents have the opportunity to connect directly with City of Boston departments, neighborhood organizations, and elected officials while enjoying one of Boston's parks.

As Boston's public research university, UMass Boston is proud to be part of these conversations. Our work extends well beyond our campus, and opportunities like this help strengthen the partnerships that make our neighborhoods and our city stronger.

It was great catching up with Mayor Michelle Wu 吳弭, Suffolk County District Attorney's Office (Massachusetts) District Attorney Kevin Hayden, Boston City Councilor Boston City Councilor John FitzGerald two of our UMass Boston Alumni, City Councilor Erin Murphy & Neighborhood Liason Madison Foley from the Mayor's Office, and so many community partners and residents.

Thank you to the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department for continuing this terrific summer tradition.

Learn more about Neighborhood Coffee Hours:
https://www.boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/neighborhood-coffee-hours

07/27/2026

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has an opportunity to become a national leader in disability employment, and I hope our Legislature seizes it.

As Vice Chair of the WORK Inc. Board of Directors, I've seen firsthand what happens when individuals with disabilities are given the opportunity to work. They gain independence, purpose, and dignity. Employers gain dedicated, talented employees. Our communities become stronger.

That's why I strongly support House Bill 4620 and Senate Bill 2107.

This isn't just about doing the right thing. It's smart public policy. Meaningful employment helps more individuals achieve economic independence, reduces reliance on public benefits where appropriate, grows our workforce, and increases tax revenue. Everyone benefits.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts has always been a leader in innovation and inclusion. Let's lead again by passing these bills and opening the door to opportunity for thousands of our fellow residents.

A great article highlighting why this legislation matters WORK Inc. Andrea Cook: https://www.dotnews.com/2026/07/22/massachusetts-must-lead-on-disability-employment/

🚨 House Bill 4620 – An Act relative to the employment of persons with disabilities: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4620

🚨 Senate Bill 2107 – An Act relative to the employment of persons with disabilities: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2107

07/21/2026

UMass Boston continues to show what's possible when innovation, research, and sustainability come together.

The university has been awarded a $5.3 million grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to accelerate a first-of-its-kind decarbonization project that will harness Boston Harbor's seawater to help heat the campus. Building on a seawater cooling system that's been serving the campus since 1974, this next phase will dramatically reduce natural gas use and cut greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 7,500 metric tons annually beginning in 2029.

As the City of Boston's only public research university, UMass Boston is uniquely positioned to develop real-world solutions that benefit our students, our city, and the Commonwealth. This project is another great example of the university leveraging its waterfront location to lead on climate innovation while creating a more sustainable campus for generations to come.

Read more about this exciting announcement here:

With $5.3 million in funds from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the university will be able to implement innovative decarbonization efforts utilizing its harborside location.

07/21/2026

One of the greatest challenges facing communities across Massachusetts and across the country is how we support an aging population.

That's why I enjoyed reading about the work of Dr. Chantel Pheiffer of UMass Boston and Dr. Taylor Myroniuk of the The University of Kansas . Their collaborative ANCHOR (Aging Needs, Community Health Outcomes and Resources) study is examining how community services, local resources, and neighborhood characteristics influence healthy aging and quality of life for older adults. (Sandwich Council on Aging)

What stood out to me is that this research looks beyond healthcare alone. It recognizes that the communities we build, the resources we provide, and the connections we foster all play an important role in helping people age with dignity, independence, and good health.

As the City of Boston's only public research university, UMass Boston continues to produce research that addresses real-world challenges and helps inform better policy and stronger communities. This is another outstanding example of the meaningful impact our faculty are making, both here in Massachusetts and beyond.

Take a few minutes to read the full story 📰: https://www.capenews.net/sandwich/news/university-of-kansas-and-umass-boston-professors-conduct-anchor-research-study/article_95d77f12-2c53-44a0-bbd1-e5aae3f78285.html