UMass Rising Gala

 

Last month, our cabinet and executive board members had the opportunity to attend the Umass Rising Gala at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The gala was a celebration to give thanks and to commemorate the outstanding success of the UMass rising campaign that ended up bringing in over 300 million for our flagship school! As chancellor Subbaswamy put it, UMass is on its way to becoming a top 20 state school in the country, and the substantial funding that we now have will help us reach this goal. Personally, as a current student, I was amazed, not only by how much money was raised, but also by the Alumni that are still so connected, passionate, and enthusiastic about UMass. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend this event, and although my time at UMass is limited to one more semester, I feel very assured that I will always feel connected and involved within the UMass community as our school continues to rise to its highest potential. Attending this event was truly inspirational, and many of our other members felt the same way. Check out what other members had to say about the evening:

Katie Lavery ’17 – Vice President of Public Relations and Communications

“Sometimes it feels like there’s a disconnect between the students and the rest of the UMass Amherst community. Being able to interact with the people who are dedicating so much time to creating opportunities for current and future students makes me feel extremely grateful to have chosen UMass. I look forward to watching UMass achieve future success and am excited to give back in my own ways after I graduate!”

Alec Dubrowsky ’19 – Vice President of Recruitment and Engagement

“My favorite thing about the night was the atmosphere. Being one of the few students there was intimidating at first, especially when I was first talking to all the alumni and donors, but it became very easy as everyone was in such a great mood! We were celebrating over $300 million dollars so networking was easy. I think most people were refreshed that there were students at the Gala because in the end the money is donated to support us too. The amount that we raised doesn’t surprise me because I know UMass is a fantastic school. To be honest it is reassuring; I am currently a sophomore, and I know by the time I graduate UMass will have improved substantially! I’m extremely proud to be a student here at UMass, and this campaign is something that shows for it.”

Shannon Murray ’17 – Administrative Coordinator

“I was shocked that UMass Rising had exceeded its fundraising goals by over $80 million, especially since the money was raised year earlier than expected! As a current student, I found this to be very meaningful. It is clear that UMass has a rock-solid alumni base that is highly invested in the future of UMass Amherst and its current students. At the end of this year, I will be graduating with a degree from a highly respected institution that continues to climb the ranks, and is doing so quite rapidly – even exceeding its own expectations! At the UMass Rising gala, I felt exceptionally proud to be a UMass Amherst student, and felt privileged to be surrounded by such distinguished representatives of the university and generous alumni.”

As a whole, our members felt very fortunate and thankful to have attended the event, especially since SAA helped to raise money for the school as well! SAA organizes campus traditions such as the multi-color mile and Commencement Ball which raise additional funds to support resources for our current students, and of course, our hard work certainly paid off!

GO UMASS!

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