Looking back on 2019, I’m incredibly proud of what the University of Massachusetts accomplished.
Across our four undergraduate campuses, medical school and law school, we continue to grow and innovate, increasing our impact on the Commonwealth and solidifying our position as one of the nation’s top public university systems. The higher education landscape may be changing, but our commitment to advancing knowledge and transforming lives remains firm.
So as we look ahead to a new year and the challenges and opportunities it will bring, I wanted to take a moment to look back on some of the highlights of 2019:
For the fourth year in a row, UMass was ranked one of the best university systems in the country by U.S. News & World Report, with all four undergraduate campuses in the top tier and UMass Medical School ranked in the top 10 percent in the nation for primary care education.
For the fifth year in a row, Reuters named UMass one of the World’s Most Innovative Universities, recognizing our efforts to advance science, invent new technologies and drive the global economy through research and development. UMass climbed 8 spots this year to number 63 on the prestigious list.
UMass Law welcomed 113 new students, an increase of nearly 22 percent over last year’s figure. Not only is this one of the largest classes in the school’s history, but it’s the most academically qualified based on LSAT scores and undergraduate GPAs, and roughly one-third of incoming students are students of color. This is tremendous news for the state’s only public law school, which is helping to diversify the legal profession, expanding access to justice in the Commonwealth and making a world-class legal education more affordable for students.
Watch the video with transcript on YouTube.
UMass Amherst was ranked No. 24 among public universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report this year, climbing a total of 28 spots over the past decade. This rapid rise for the state’s flagship university, which educates more students from the Commonwealth than the top eight private universities in the state combined, reflects a firm commitment to excellence in education, research and service, and a growing impact in Massachusetts and beyond.
UMass Boston has signed an agreement with Accordia Partners to develop the 20-acre property at the former Bayside Expo Center site owned by the university. In addition to generating up to $235 million for New England’s most diverse four-year institution, this development will create exciting new opportunities for campus expansion and industry partnerships.
UMass Dartmouth placed No. 3 in Massachusetts and No. 84 nationwide in the latest social mobility rankings from U.S. News & World Report, which measure a school’s success at graduating students receiving federal Pell Grants compared to non-Pell Grant recipients. Creating opportunity and increasing social and economic mobility for our students is a critical part of our mission at UMass, so this is outstanding news for UMass Dartmouth.
UMass Lowell welcomed the largest incoming class in school history this year, with more than 3,300 first-year students and new transfers joining the student body. In addition to being the largest first-year class ever, the Class of 2023 has the highest average high-school GPA in UMass Lowell history, and 37 percent of freshmen are students of color, highlighting the university’s commitment to diversity and academic excellence.
UMass Medical School completed the largest and most successful fundraising campaign in its history, raising a total of $279 million in philanthropic gifts and pledges from individuals, corporations and foundations through The Pathways of Promise campaign. This is an incredible achievement for UMMS that will pave the way for new breakthroughs in research, education and global health outcomes.
Every day, UMass is shaping the future of this region — conducting groundbreaking research that will change lives, serving the Commonwealth and driving its economy, and ensuring the promise of world-class public higher education remains a reality. None of this would be possible without your support.
So I want to thank you for all you did to make achievements like these and so many others possible in 2019. I look forward to working together in 2020 and beyond to ensure that UMass continues to fulfill its mission of access, opportunity and excellence for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Martin T. Meehan ’78
President
President Meehan recently launched the President’s Circle, a quarterly newsletter that provides important and timely updates on the university’s progress and accomplishments, as well as highlights from all of the UMass campuses.
UMass is renowned for the quality of its academic programs, the scope and impact of its research, and the strength of its public service mission. The university has received numerous accolades and achieved a number of important milestones that validate its commitment to excellence.
