UMass Boston Community Relations

06/02/2026

A great recap from The The Boston Globe of UMass Boston's 2026 Undergraduate Commencement.

More than 2,700 graduates crossed the stage this year, representing the diversity, resilience, and promise that define UMass Boston. Congratulations again to the Class of 2026, and thank you to Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, our faculty, staff, families, and supporters who helped make this milestone possible.

Welcome to the Beacon Alumni family. 🔵⚪🗼
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/28/metro/umass-boston-commencement-sees-2740-graduates-in-2026/

On a bright, sunny day, over 2,000 Beacons received their degree.

06/02/2026

Commencement season at UMass Boston is always a special time, but this year’s speakers, honorary degree recipients, faculty award winners, and student honorees truly reflected the values that make our university so distinctive: public service, academic excellence, leadership, and a commitment to creating positive change in our communities and around the world.

We were honored to welcome Senator Edward J. Markey as our Undergraduate Commencement Speaker and recipient of the Chancellor’s Medal for Exemplary Leadership. At Graduate Commencement, we proudly welcomed The Honorable Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of city Paris, as our speaker and recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

This year’s honorary degree recipients represent extraordinary achievement across public service, education, climate leadership, business, and law:

• Regina (Gina) McCarthy ’76
• Charles John Hoff
• Professor Martha Minow

UMass Boston also celebrated the outstanding work of our faculty through the Chancellor’s Awards for Distinguished Scholarship, Teaching, and Service, recognizing the excellence and dedication that define our academic community.

A special congratulations to our student speakers and award recipients:
• Madeeha Masroor Syeda ’26, recipient of the John F. Kennedy Award for Academic Excellence and Undergraduate Student Speaker
• Sachin Gupta G’26, Graduate Student Speaker

A heartfelt thank you as well to Chancellor Marcelo M Suarez-Orozco for his leadership and vision throughout this commencement season and beyond. His unwavering commitment to students, public higher education, and the mission of UMass Boston continues to elevate our university on both a local and global stage.

From Columbia Point to communities across the globe, our graduates now join an alumni network committed to leadership, service, and opportunity. Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and to all who helped make this commencement season such a memorable celebration for UMass Boston.
hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag City of Boston

06/02/2026

Artificial Intelligence is transforming how we learn, work, and live. The challenge before us is ensuring that technological advancement remains grounded in human values.

In a recent The Boston Globe op-ed, UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco reflects on Pope Leo XIV's groundbreaking encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and the growing global conversation around the ethical use of AI. The Chancellor reminds us that the questions surrounding AI are not merely technical. They are human, civic, and moral questions that will shape the future of our society.

This conversation is particularly relevant at UMass Boston, where students and faculty are helping lead the discussion on how AI can be used responsibly, ethically, and for the common good. As the Chancellor notes, the true measure of artificial intelligence will not be whether machines become more powerful, but whether humanity remains fully human.

Thank you, Chancellor Suárez-Orozco, for continuing to elevate UMass Boston's voice in one of the most important discussions of our time and for demonstrating how higher education can help bridge innovation, ethics, and public service.

Read the full op-ed in The Boston Globe.

Artificial Intelligence needs moral guidance, and the new encyclical offers a profound framework.

06/02/2026

Recently, UMass Boston lit up our iconic Integrated Sciences Complex (ISC) in red, white, & blue in honor of Memorial Day ❤️ 🤍 💙
We remember and pay tribute to the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

06/02/2026

Over the course of this academic year, one thing became very clear to me: UMass Boston’s greatest strength is its connection to the community around it.

Looking back at my posts this year, I realized they were never really about buildings, announcements, ceremonies, or ribbon cuttings. They were about people. Students finding opportunity. Neighbors finding partnership. Community organizations finding support. Civic leaders, small businesses, nonprofits, faculty, alumni, and residents all coming together around a shared belief that public higher education should actively serve the public good.

This year, I had the opportunity to help highlight so many moments that reflect that mission:

• partnerships supporting Dorchester and Mattapan small businesses
• conversations on climate resilience and the future of our waterfront communities
• violence prevention and youth empowerment initiatives
• cultural heritage celebrations and community observances
• civic engagement events connecting residents directly to government and the courts
• collaborations with schools, nonprofits, and neighborhood organizations
• the continued transformation of Columbia Point and the broader Morrissey Boulevard corridor
• countless moments where UMass Boston showed up not just as a university in the city, but as a university of the city

One thing I’ve especially appreciated this academic year is seeing how deeply people care about UMass Boston. Whether it’s alumni reconnecting with campus, community partners reaching out to collaborate, or neighbors attending events and cheering on our students, there is a genuine sense that this institution belongs to Boston. That matters.

Personally, this year also marked 18 years working professionally at UMass Boston, after first arriving here as a student decades ago. My own journey with this university has never been linear, which is probably why I connect so deeply with our mission. UMass Boston creates pathways. It opens doors. It meets people where they are and helps move them forward.

As I reflect on this academic year, I’m grateful for the many colleagues, students, community leaders, elected officials, nonprofit partners, and neighbors who continue to make this work meaningful. None of this happens alone.

Public universities matter. Community partnerships matter. And in a time when institutions are often questioned, I remain incredibly optimistic about what can happen when a university stays grounded in service, accessibility, and genuine engagement with the people around it.

Looking forward to what comes next for UMass Boston and for the communities we are proud to serve. 🌊💙

05/21/2026

This past week, UMass Boston was proud to light our iconic Integrated Sciences Complex (ISC) in recognition of two important observances that honor service, heritage, and community.

The ISC shined in blue and orange for National EMS Week as we recognized the EMS professionals who serve our communities with extraordinary skill, compassion, and dedication each and every day. 🚑🟦🟧 Boston EMS (Emergency Medical Services)

The ISC was also illuminated in blue and white in recognition of Jewish American Heritage Month, celebrating the rich history, culture, and contributions of Jewish Americans across our nation and here in Boston. 🔵⚪

These lightings reflected UMass Boston’s ongoing commitment to honoring the people and communities that make our city stronger.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by campus, shared photos, and helped amplify these important recognitions.

05/18/2026

This morning I was proud to represent UMass Boston at the Topping Off Ceremony for the new Martin Richard Field House, an incredible project that will create opportunities for young people and families across Dorchester and the City of Boston.

Located beside our Columbia Point campus, the Field House represents the very best of what can happen when community organizations, civic leaders, and institutions come together around a shared vision for youth, wellness, and opportunity. The project carries forward Martin Richard’s legacy of kindness, inclusion, and community.

It was also great to see that the mural UMass Boston commissioned years ago on the side of the Ruth Batson Academy (Boston Public Schools) continues to stand strong and vibrant alongside this next chapter for the neighborhood. Public art has a lasting impact, and it remains a visible reminder of the university’s longstanding commitment to the Columbia Point community.

A special thank you to Bill Richard and Bob Scannell for their tireless efforts and leadership in helping bring this important project to life. Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester

UMass Boston is proud to be part of a neighborhood that continues to invest in young people, public spaces, and community partnerships that make a real difference.

05/11/2026

Reminder! Tomorrow morning, local business owners, community leaders, and neighborhood partners will gather for the Greater Ashmont Main Street Business Breakfast at Rockland Trust Bank in Codman Square.

UMass Boston is proud to sponsor this opportunity to connect, collaborate, and support the continued growth of our local business community.

📍 Tuesday, May 12
⏰ 8:30–10:30 AM
📌 305 Talbot Ave, Dorchester

Hope to see many of our friends and neighbors there!



City of Boston Codman Square Health Center
Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation

05/08/2026

🎓 Commencement Week is almost here at UMass Boston!

Later this month, we will proudly celebrate the incredible achievements of the Class of 2026 during our commencement ceremonies on May 27 & 28 on the Campus Center Lawn.

As thousands of graduates, families, faculty, staff, and guests visit campus, neighbors should expect increased traffic and activity around Columbia Point, Morrissey Boulevard, Mt. Vernon Street, and nearby roadways during both days.

We are working closely with public safety and transportation partners to help minimize impacts and ensure safe traffic flow throughout the celebrations.

We sincerely appreciate the patience, partnership, and support of our surrounding community as we honor this exciting milestone for our students.

Congratulations to the UMass Boston Class of 2026! 💙🐾

Learn more about Commencement here: https://www.umb.edu/commencement/

City of Boston Boston College High School Columbia-Savin Hill Civic Association Dorchester Reporter JFK Library Foundation Boston Public Schools

Commencement exercises for the Class of 2026 will be held on May 27 & 28, 2026. The class of 2026 is comprised of students graduating in December '25, May '26 and August '26. All commencement ceremonies will take place on the UMass Boston campus. 

05/08/2026

This weekend, UMass Boston will proudly light our iconic Integrated Sciences Complex (ISC) in purple 💜 in support of the 30th Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace organized by Louis D. Brown Peace Institute.

For many years, UMass Boston has been honored to partner with the Institute and support its mission to serve families and communities impacted by violence across the City of Boston. Their work goes far beyond a single event. Every day, they provide critical trauma support, advocacy, education, and healing resources while helping build safer and stronger communities rooted in peace and compassion.

The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace has become one of Boston’s most meaningful annual traditions, bringing together thousands of residents, organizations, students, and civic leaders in a shared commitment to honoring lives lost and working toward a more peaceful future.

UMass Boston is proud to stand alongside the Institute and the many community partners who make this important work possible.

To learn more about the Walk for Peace and the incredible daily work of the Institute, visit: https://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/