Graduates Look Back on Their UMass Boston Experiences
UMass Boston conferred degrees to 4,013 Class of 2022 undergraduate and graduate students at commencement ceremonies this week. We asked our graduates about their time on campus and what they’re excited for:
Hakeem Alhady, a biology major with a music minor, will attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in the fall. The Waltham native plans to become a general dentist and open his own clinic.
“Honestly saying goodbye to UMB is like saying goodbye to my home away from home. I don’t know what I’m going to miss more, between the late-night chats by the water, the endless amount of laughter and memories from the ISC or even getting lost in Wheatley. It was all just part of the UMB process for me. I remember being so nervous to start at UMB, because I was worried I made the wrong choice, but the support group I’ve created and the friends that seem more like family to me now is proof I made the right choice. I'm so thankful for every opportunity and every connection I've made here. I'm going to miss UMB but now I'm off to bigger and better things: Tufts Dental, here I come!”
New Jersey native Sheta Roy, a psychology major, will continue with research in Dr. S. Tiffany Donaldson’s Behavioral Psychopharmacology Neuroscience Lab after graduating, and will apply to graduate schools.
"As a freshman I never thought UMB would become a second home to me. As an out-of-state student, I was scared that I was going to feel like an outsider during my entire time here. However, the friends and the memories I've made in the past four years have made UMB a place I'll always be grateful for. And although the pandemic has made my college experience a little unique, I'm grateful for all the experiences and lessons I learned through it all."
Julia Medeiros, a criminal justice and psychology double major, will attend Suffolk University Law School. The Natick, Massachusetts native participated in CLA First! as a peer mentor, and served as team manager of the Cheerleading Club for three years.
“My time at UMB has been second to none. I have made lifelong memories and best friends at this school that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Now that I’m graduating and leaving the place that so quickly and easily became my home, it’s funny to look back and think about how scared I was to start and worried that I wouldn’t find my people here. Not only did I find an amazing group of lifelong best friends, but I also had an amazing advising team from CLA First! that really took the time to get to know me and guide me through my best path at UMB to succeed. As hard as it is to go, my amazing time here has come to an end. Next year I will be attending Suffolk University Law School, and in the amazing words of Elle Woods: ‘What? Like it’s hard?’”
Dartmouth, Massachusetts native Paige Alexander, a nursing major, will start at Massachusetts General Hospital as a new-grad nurse in July, and once she passes the NCLEX, she will be a registered nurse. She credits the hands-on experience she received completing her clinicals through UMass Boston’s Dedicated Education Unit partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital with helping her to make connections in the field that led to a job directly after graduation.
“My college career was definitely interesting. I am a first-generation college student, so being able to graduate from UMass Boston is a feat in itself. But, due the pandemic, social distancing and remote learning was much of my schooling, which was difficult for me to adjust to. I had the amazing opportunity to continue in-person clinicals during the pandemic (for the most part). I was able to see first-hand the hard work and dedication that Boston's healthcare workers upkeep to maintain the public's health and safety. The term 'healthcare heroes' isn't an understatement! It was intimidating, but only strengthened my love for nursing. My professors and advisors also were a big help in the transition to online learning. Their adaptability and continuous understanding did not go unnoticed. The pandemic also proved that the friends made at UMass Boston last a lifetime, as their support really helped me get through nursing school during a pandemic. I couldn't be prouder to be a part of the determined, adaptable, and intelligent class that is the graduating class of 2022.”