University of Massachusetts Boston
Encyclopedia
The University of Massachusetts Boston, also known as UMass Boston, is an urban public research university and the second largest campus in the five-campus University of Massachusetts
system. The university is located on 177 acre (0.71629422 km²) on Harbor Point
in the City of Boston
, Massachusetts
, United States
. Students are primarily from Massachusetts but also from other parts of the United States and from foreign countries.
UMass Boston is the only public university in the city of Boston.
in Boston. John W. Ryan
was installed as the University's first Chancellor. UMass/Boston is part of the Greater Boston Urban Education Collaborative, In 1982 it merged with Boston State College
(est. 1852).
In 1974, it opened its new campus on the Columbia Point
peninsula on Dorchester
Bay. The university originally occupied five buildings: McCormack and Wheatley halls, the Science Center, Healey Library, and the Quinn Administration Building.
The original Harbor Campus buildings were said to have had sparse and unattractive interiors, with odd mazes of hallways; the campus was known as "the fortress" or "the prison" colloquially. They were rumored to have been designed by architects who were primarily familiar with prisons, although the library had been designed by the distinguished Chicago modernist architect, Harry Mohr Weese
. At one point in his career, Weese had designed the Metropolitan Correction Center in Chicago
.
The contracting of the construction of the new Harbor Campus had resulted in a huge scandal.
The Clark Athletic Center was added later, including an ice hockey arena, swimming pool, and basketball courts. It also hosted the first presidential debate between then Texas Governor George W. Bush
and Vice President Al Gore
in 2000. The cancellation of two days of classes in order to create security for the debate resulted in a protest by UMB students, faculty, and staff members at the UMass President's office in downtown Boston.
In 2004 a new Campus Center was opened, designed by the Boston-based architectural firm of Kallmann McKinnell & Wood and built by Suffolk Construction at a cost of $80 million. It houses offices, restaurants in a food court, event space, student clubs, and activities space. It also serves as the new entrance for the campus and was the first major building erected since the original Harbor Campus was built in the 1970s.
The original buildings fell into disrepair, and there are plans for replacement. Allegations of shoddy construction surfaced again in 2006 when the underground parking garage had to be closed because it had become structurally unsound. All parking is now outdoors, except for the Campus Center garage.
On June 2, 2006, Barack Obama
addressed his commencement speech at UMass Boston to the graduating students. In his speech he talked about several things including his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004.
In 2007, the university proposed a plan to change the nature of the campus from primarily a commuter campus with many parking lots for cars to a more residential campus with dormitory style living.
J. Keith Motley, is the University's first African-American chancellor.
In 2009, the nearby Bayside Expo Center property was lost in a foreclosure to a Florida-based real estate firm, LNR/CMAT. The University of Massachusetts Boston has acquired the property for future campus facilities.
)
UMass Boston is located off Interstate 93
, sited within walking distance of the JFK/UMass
MBTA stop on the Red Line
. Free shuttles run between the JFK station and campus. The MBTA also operates bus stops on campus.
The university confers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, and also operates certificate programs and a corporate, continuing, and distance learning program.
There are eight colleges at UMass Boston: the College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and Mathematics, College of Management, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, College of Public and Community Service, College of Education and Human Development, John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies and Global Studies, and University College.
The university is a member of the Urban 13 universities, alongside schools like Temple University
and the University of Pittsburgh
.
. Additionally, The College of Management is accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and the College of Nursing and Health Services hold accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. UMass Boston is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools and the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools.
in Criticism in 1994, Monet expert Paul Tucker, and gay historian William A. Percy. 96 percent of the Faculty hold the highest degree in their fields and there is a 14:1 student to faculty ratio.
The UMass Boston faculty and librarians are represented by the Faculty Staff Union. Over the past ten years, the FSU's aggressive bargaining accompanied by a number of protests has achieved benefits, livable salaries and job security for many of its non-tenure track members.
is The Mass Media. Other student publications include the yearbook and Watermark literary magazine.
UMass Boston's undergraduates are represented by the Undergraduate Student Government, which consists of the Undergraduate Student Senate, the executive office of the USG President, and the office of the USG Chief Justice. UMass Boston's graduate students are represented by the Graduate Student Assembly. UMass Boston's graduate student employees (teaching assistants, research assistants, and administrative assistants) are represented by the Graduate Employee Organization/UAW Local 1596—UMass Boston Chapter.
The University was once recognized for its advocacy of human and civil rights. UMass Boston works to promote social justice around the world.
The University also has a large waterfront recreation program. The Division of Marine Operations operates the Universities waterfront which supports recreational and Environmental education programs. Full-Time Umass Boston students are offered free sailing lessons and boat rentals, paddleboards, kayaks and harbor cruises. Marine Operations recently developed the U-Sea Fund Grant for UMass Boston Faculty who are interested in developing a classroom component around our ocean environment. Starting Summer 2011 Marine Operations will work in conjunction with B&G, Boating in Boston, to offer a sailing camp for youth up to age 18. Boating in Boston has operated for years in other locations and have shown considerable interest in Umass Bostons grand waterfront.
's 2006 crime drama, The Departed
. The exterior of the campus can also be viewed in a scene from the beginning of the film. A character says that the university is in South Boston, and Mark Wahlberg's character ridicules him for the obvious comment. However, this is a common error. UMass Boston is on Dorchester's Columbia Point, and very close to the South Boston line.
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
system. The university is located on 177 acre (0.71629422 km²) on Harbor Point
Columbia Point (Boston)
Columbia Point, later referred to as Harbor Point, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts sits on a peninsula jutting out from the mainland of eastern Dorchester into the bay.-History:...
in the City of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Students are primarily from Massachusetts but also from other parts of the United States and from foreign countries.
UMass Boston is the only public university in the city of Boston.
History
The University of Massachusetts Boston was established by vote of the State Legislature in 1964. Freshmen classes started for 1281 students in Sept. of 1965 at the temporary Park Sq. location, and the Founding Convocation was held December 10, 1966 at the Prudential TowerPrudential Tower
The Prudential Tower, also known as the Prudential Building or, colloquially, The Pru, is a skyscraper in Boston, Massachusetts. The building, a part of the Prudential Center complex, currently stands as the 2nd-tallest building in Boston, behind the John Hancock Tower. The Prudential Tower was...
in Boston. John W. Ryan
John W. Ryan
John William Ryan was an American academic administrator who most notably served as the President of Indiana University for sixteen years.-Early life and career:...
was installed as the University's first Chancellor. UMass/Boston is part of the Greater Boston Urban Education Collaborative, In 1982 it merged with Boston State College
Boston State College
Boston State College was a public university located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.It was located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston. Boston State College's roots begin with the Girls High School, founded in 1852. In 1872, the Boston Normal School separated from Girls High School and...
(est. 1852).
In 1974, it opened its new campus on the Columbia Point
Columbia Point (Boston)
Columbia Point, later referred to as Harbor Point, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts sits on a peninsula jutting out from the mainland of eastern Dorchester into the bay.-History:...
peninsula on Dorchester
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
Bay. The university originally occupied five buildings: McCormack and Wheatley halls, the Science Center, Healey Library, and the Quinn Administration Building.
The original Harbor Campus buildings were said to have had sparse and unattractive interiors, with odd mazes of hallways; the campus was known as "the fortress" or "the prison" colloquially. They were rumored to have been designed by architects who were primarily familiar with prisons, although the library had been designed by the distinguished Chicago modernist architect, Harry Mohr Weese
Harry Weese
Harry Mohr Weese was an American architect, born in Evanston, Illinois in the Chicago suburbs, who had an important role in 20th century modernism and historic preservation...
. At one point in his career, Weese had designed the Metropolitan Correction Center in Chicago
Metropolitan Correctional Center, Chicago
The Metropolitan Correctional Center, Chicago is a federal remand center in the United States, located in downtown Chicago, Illinois, at the intersection of Clark and Van Buren Streets. It has a triangular footprint, and has an exercise yard for the prisoners on its roof...
.
The contracting of the construction of the new Harbor Campus had resulted in a huge scandal.
The Clark Athletic Center was added later, including an ice hockey arena, swimming pool, and basketball courts. It also hosted the first presidential debate between then Texas Governor George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
in 2000. The cancellation of two days of classes in order to create security for the debate resulted in a protest by UMB students, faculty, and staff members at the UMass President's office in downtown Boston.
In 2004 a new Campus Center was opened, designed by the Boston-based architectural firm of Kallmann McKinnell & Wood and built by Suffolk Construction at a cost of $80 million. It houses offices, restaurants in a food court, event space, student clubs, and activities space. It also serves as the new entrance for the campus and was the first major building erected since the original Harbor Campus was built in the 1970s.
The original buildings fell into disrepair, and there are plans for replacement. Allegations of shoddy construction surfaced again in 2006 when the underground parking garage had to be closed because it had become structurally unsound. All parking is now outdoors, except for the Campus Center garage.
On June 2, 2006, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
addressed his commencement speech at UMass Boston to the graduating students. In his speech he talked about several things including his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004.
In 2007, the university proposed a plan to change the nature of the campus from primarily a commuter campus with many parking lots for cars to a more residential campus with dormitory style living.
J. Keith Motley, is the University's first African-American chancellor.
In 2009, the nearby Bayside Expo Center property was lost in a foreclosure to a Florida-based real estate firm, LNR/CMAT. The University of Massachusetts Boston has acquired the property for future campus facilities.
Timeline
(from UMass Boston website, note that this also contains the history of Boston State CollegeBoston State College
Boston State College was a public university located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.It was located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston. Boston State College's roots begin with the Girls High School, founded in 1852. In 1872, the Boston Normal School separated from Girls High School and...
)
- 1851 - Superintendent Nathan Bishop proposes a normal school to train teachers for the elementary grades.
- 1852 - Girls' High School conducts its first classes in the Adams School building on Mason St.
- 1854 - Girls' High is renamed Girls' High and Normal School.
- 1863 - Massachusetts Agricultural College (M.A.C) is founded in Amherst.
- 1870 - The school moves to new quarters on West Newton St.
- 1872 - Boston Normal School becomes a separate institution.
- 1876 - Boston Normal moves to the Rice School building on Dartmouth St.
- 1907 - Boston Normal moves to a specially built facility on Huntington Ave.
- 1922 - Boston Normal becomes the Teachers College of the City of Boston.
- 1931 - "M.A.C." became Massachusetts State College.
- 1947 - "M.A.C." became University of Massachusetts.
- 1952 - Teachers College becomes the State Teachers College at Boston.
- 1960 - Renamed State College at Boston at 100 Arlington St. in Park Square.
- 1964 - The University of Massachusetts Boston is established.
- 1968 - Renamed Boston State College.
- 1974 - First classes at UMass Boston's Harbor Campus.
- 1982 - Boston State joins UMass Boston.
- 2004 - New UMass Boston Campus Center opens
Transportation
Interstate 93
Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
, sited within walking distance of the JFK/UMass
JFK/UMass (MBTA station)
JFK/UMass Station is located at the intersection of Columbia Road and Morrissey Boulevard, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.Its facilities include:*a platform on the Boston subway's Red Line for the Ashmont Branch...
MBTA stop on the Red Line
Red Line (MBTA)
The Red Line is a rapid transit line operated by the MBTA running roughly north-south through Boston, Massachusetts into neighboring communities. The line begins west of Boston, in Cambridge, Massachusetts at Alewife station, near the intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Route 2...
. Free shuttles run between the JFK station and campus. The MBTA also operates bus stops on campus.
Academics
There are eight colleges at UMass Boston: the College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and Mathematics, College of Management, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, College of Public and Community Service, College of Education and Human Development, John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies and Global Studies, and University College.
The university is a member of the Urban 13 universities, alongside schools like Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
and the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
.
Accreditation
UMass Boston is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and CollegesNew England Association of Schools and Colleges
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. is the U.S. regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England region. It also provides accreditation for some...
. Additionally, The College of Management is accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and the College of Nursing and Health Services hold accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. UMass Boston is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools and the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools.
Faculty
UMass Boston's faculty of over 900 consists of roughly half tenure-stream and half non-tenure track ("adjunct") professors. It includes Lloyd Schwartz, who was awarded the Pulitzer PrizePulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
in Criticism in 1994, Monet expert Paul Tucker, and gay historian William A. Percy. 96 percent of the Faculty hold the highest degree in their fields and there is a 14:1 student to faculty ratio.
The UMass Boston faculty and librarians are represented by the Faculty Staff Union. Over the past ten years, the FSU's aggressive bargaining accompanied by a number of protests has achieved benefits, livable salaries and job security for many of its non-tenure track members.
Administration
- J. Keith Motley, Ph.D., Chancellor
- Winston Langley, Ph.D., Provost
- Christopher Hogan, Chief of Staff to the Chancellor
- Ellen M. O'Connor, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
- Charlie Titus, Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation, Special Programs and Projects
- Kathleen S. Teehan, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management
- Patrick K. Day, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
- Gina M. Cappello, Interim Vice Chancellor for University Advancement
- John Ciccarelli, Associate Vice Chancellor for Government Relations, Public Affairs and Economic Development
- Anne Scrivener Agee, Vice Provost for Information Technology
- Zong-Guo Xia, Vice Provost for Research and Strategic Initiatives
- DeWayne Lehman, Director of Communications
- William Campbell, Director of Billing
Rankings
According to the 2010 World University Rankings released by The Times of London newspaper, UMass ranked 56th in the top 200, which the newspaper describes as "the gold standard for world-class research institutions."Athletics
Intercollegiate athletics, intramurals, and recreation for the students, staff, and faculty are the primary programs of the UMass Boston Department of Athletics. The department offers 18 varsity sports and is a member of the NCAA's Division III. UMass Boston has teams competing in the ECAC, the Little East Conference, and ECAC East Ice Hockey. The Beacons have been named All-Americans 93 times in seven sports. The Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field teams have won four NCAA Team Championships and 38 individual NCAA Championships. In the years 1999 through 2006 the National Consortium for Academics and Sports named the Department of Athletics at UMass Boston first in the country for community service. The department is also recognized as a leader in community service by NADIIIAA-Jostens Community Service.Student activities
UMass Boston's independent, student run and financed newspaperStudent newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
is The Mass Media. Other student publications include the yearbook and Watermark literary magazine.
UMass Boston's undergraduates are represented by the Undergraduate Student Government, which consists of the Undergraduate Student Senate, the executive office of the USG President, and the office of the USG Chief Justice. UMass Boston's graduate students are represented by the Graduate Student Assembly. UMass Boston's graduate student employees (teaching assistants, research assistants, and administrative assistants) are represented by the Graduate Employee Organization/UAW Local 1596—UMass Boston Chapter.
The University was once recognized for its advocacy of human and civil rights. UMass Boston works to promote social justice around the world.
The University also has a large waterfront recreation program. The Division of Marine Operations operates the Universities waterfront which supports recreational and Environmental education programs. Full-Time Umass Boston students are offered free sailing lessons and boat rentals, paddleboards, kayaks and harbor cruises. Marine Operations recently developed the U-Sea Fund Grant for UMass Boston Faculty who are interested in developing a classroom component around our ocean environment. Starting Summer 2011 Marine Operations will work in conjunction with B&G, Boating in Boston, to offer a sailing camp for youth up to age 18. Boating in Boston has operated for years in other locations and have shown considerable interest in Umass Bostons grand waterfront.
Notable alumni
- Harry Trask, B.A. 1969, (1928-2002) 1957 Pulitzer Prize1957 Pulitzer Prize-Journalism awards:*Public Service:**the Chicago Daily News, for determined and courageous public service in exposing a $2,500,000 fraud centering in the office of the State Auditor of Illinois, resulting in the indictment and conviction of the State Auditor and others...
in Phototography (Andrea Doria sinking) - Robert White (deceased 1969) First Director, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD)
- Cory Atkins, (B.S. 1979), member of the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of RepresentativesThe Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
(served 1999 - present) - Daniel E. BosleyDaniel E. BosleyDaniel E. Bosley is a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the current president of the North Adams SteepleCats of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. -Education:...
, (M.S. 1996), member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1986 - present) - Christine E. Canavan, (B.S. Nursing (summa cum laude) 1988), member of the Mass. House of Representatives (served 1993 - present)
- Tim CostelloTim Costello (labor advocate)Timothy Mark "Tim" Costello was an American labor and anti-globalization advocate who started his career as a truck driver, driving fuel trucks and as a long-haul trucker...
(1945–2009), labor and anti-globalizationAnti-globalization movementThe anti-globalization movement, or counter-globalisation movement, is critical of the globalization of corporate capitalism. The movement is also commonly referred to as the global justice movement, alter-globalization movement, anti-globalist movement, anti-corporate globalization movement, or...
advocate and author - Paul M. EnglishPaul M. EnglishPaul English is the cofounder and Chief Technology Officer of Kayak.com in Concord, Massachusetts. Kayak.com is a travel search engine that helps consumers find travel deals from hundreds of travel providers...
, B.A. 1987 and M.S. 1989 both in Computer Science, Co-Founder and CTO of Kayak.com - Joseph Patrick Kennedy IIJoseph Patrick Kennedy IIJoseph Patrick Kennedy II is an American businessman and Democratic politician.He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 8th congressional district of Massachusetts from 1987 to 1999. In 1979 he founded and led until election to the U.S...
, (B.A. 1976), current President of Citizens Energy CorporationCitizens Energy CorporationCitizens Energy Corporation is a non-profit organization that primarily aids the poor in the United States and throughout the world by organizing projects to provide discounted and free home heating services and supplies....
and former member of the US House of Representatives (served 1986-1999) - Thomas MeninoThomas MeninoThomas Michael "Tom" Menino is the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, United States and the city's first Italian-American mayor...
, (B.A. Community Planning, 1988). Mayor of the City of Boston - Robert TravagliniRobert TravagliniRobert E. Travaglini is a former President of the Massachusetts Senate. He represented the First Middlesex and Suffolk senatorial district, encompassing portions of Boston, Revere, Winthrop and Cambridge....
, B.S. 1974. former President, Massachusetts State Senate - Steve SweeneySteve SweeneySteve Sweeney is an American comedian.-Biography:Sweeney was born in Charlestown, a section of Boston. His Boston accent and idiosyncratic mannerisms are trademarks of his stand-up act, headlining at comedy clubs across the country, including Caroline's Comedy Club in New York City.A graduate of...
, B.A. 1974, Comedian - Panayiota BertzikisPanayiota BertzikisPanayiota Bertzikis is a United States Coast Guard veteran who founded the Military Rape Crisis Center, providing free counselling and advice to victims of sexual assault. This occurred after Bertzikis was herself sexually assaulted, resulting in her discharge from the Coast Guard...
, B.A. 2010, Humanitarian - Joseph AbboudJoseph AbboudJoseph Abboud is an award-winning Lebanese American menswear fashion designer and author.-Family:The Abboud family was a working-class Christian Lebanese family that started out in the South End of Boston and later moved to the Roslindale section of Boston. Abboud's mother, Lila, was a seamstress...
, B.A. 1972, Fashion Designer - Steven Tolman, B.A. 1999, President of Massachusetts AFL-CIO.
- Robert Haynes, (did not finish) President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO
- Janet Mills (1970), Attorney General for the state of Maine
- Paul Vogel, Pres., Mailing and Shipping, USPS
- Alton Brann, B.A. 1969, former Pres. and CEO of Litton Industries
- Debra Saunders, B.A. 1982, conservative columnist, San Francisco Chronicle
- Biz StoneBiz StoneChristopher Isaac "Biz" Stone is a co-founder and Creative Director of Twitter, Inc and also helped to create and launch Xanga, Blogger, Odeo, and , founded in June 2011 with his long time collaborators Evan Williams and Jason Goldman to focus on building systems that help people work together to...
, (did not finish) Co-Founder of Twitter.com - William Bratton, B.A. 1975, former Police Commissioner of the Boston, New York City, and Los Angeles Police Departments
- Paul Anastas, B.S. 1984, Regarded as the "Father of Green Chemistry"; EPA official
- Sally Kelly, B.A. 1973, Municipal Court Judge, Boston
- Dennis Lehane, (did not finish), Author
- Paul Evans, B.A. 1974, former Police Chief for the city of Boston
- John C. Warner, B.S. 1987, one of the founding fathers of Green Chemistry; founded first PhD program in Green Chemistry
- Lenny Clarke, (did not finish), comedian/actor
- Jeff MeadJeff Mead-Career:Mead played for several minor league teams in the United States from 1994 until 1997, spending his first season as a member of the West Palm Beach Blaze of the Sunshine Hockey League...
, 1994, Professional hockey player. - Trung Dung B.S. 1989, Co-Founder of OnDisplay.com, Fogbreak, and Bluekey companies
- Joe Rogan, (did not finish), comedian, actor, "News Radio" and "Fear Factor".
- Chuck Brewer, B.A. 2010, theologian, philosopher, Quaker pastor
- Amsale Aberra, B.A. 1981, world-renown wedding designer.
In popular culture
UMass Boston was mentioned in Martin ScorseseMartin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
's 2006 crime drama, The Departed
The Departed
The Departed is a 2006 American crime thriller film, fashioned as a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan...
. The exterior of the campus can also be viewed in a scene from the beginning of the film. A character says that the university is in South Boston, and Mark Wahlberg's character ridicules him for the obvious comment. However, this is a common error. UMass Boston is on Dorchester's Columbia Point, and very close to the South Boston line.