The Honors College Newsletter - Issue 3

Welcome to the third issue of Honorable Mentions for the '25-26 school year! Honorable Mentions is our monthly newsletter that will catch you up on some of the important developments within the Honors College.

This newsletter is written by honors fellow Abby Comstock.

Lead HIPs

Honors Informational Peers (HIPs) are students in the Honors College who direct enrichment activities, answer questions from students, and help create a stronger sense of community for the Honors undergraduates at UMass Lowell. This academic year, we have two HIP leads. Each HIP lead has a group of HIPs that they mentor, and they help facilitate all HIP-led events. Additionally, they assist with supervising Honors After Hours when Kelley Lawson, Senior Assistant Director of Student Success and Engagement, is unavailable.

Christianna Bittarelli

Christianna is a senior Biology major and UTeach STEM Teaching minor. According to Christianna, “The best part about being a HIP is being a peer resource for students.” As a lead, she finds it rewarding when students come to her as someone they can trust and ask questions to. “I also like,” she says, “that I can take students’ suggestions and advocate for them.” The role has allowed her to understand the inner workings of Honors. She has learned how to step into the role of an advisor and leader. If she could tell her freshman self one thing, it would be this: “Take the opportunities that the Honors College offers!”

Megha Saokar

Megha is a senior Biology major, minoring in Disability Studies. Through her experiences being a lead HIP she has greatly improved her patience and listening abilities. “Communication and collaboration are skills that come naturally with the role,” Megha says. “It is gratifying for me to help students as a peer who has already been through what they have.” This is what she would tell her freshman self: “I’m glad I stuck with Honors. I gained new skills, friendships, and insight into the program as a lead.”

Honors Specialists

Honors Specialists are here for you! Each college in the university has a specific advisor, as do transfers and those working on their Honors projects/theses. Specialists can answer any questions that may arise about your Honors pathway.

As an Honors student, I, Abby Comstock, the honors fellow who writes each issue of Honorable Mentions, appreciate that my advisor Deirdre Hutchison treats me as an individual; she focuses on my particular ambitions and goals, which allows me to have my own unique Honors experience here at UMass Lowell. Since I always bring my questions to my Honors Specialist, I thought it would be rewarding to hear some of their thoughts as we wrap up this semester and prepare for the new year. 

Kyrie Kowalik, the Honors Transfer Coordinator, says, “As you look back at this semester make sure to take time to celebrate the wins and remember all you have accomplished and achieved.  Be so proud of surviving, thriving and achieving.  We are always so proud of everything you accomplish and cannot wait to see you continue to grow in the upcoming semester.”

Dr. Rae Mansfield, the Honors Project Coordinator, says, “Try stuff. You never know where a new interest or idea is going to take you. Take a course or engage with an activity because it sounds interesting. Ask questions and advocate for yourself. Grow your networks of allies and supporters and get to know the people around you. Carve out time for yourself–it's not all about the grind. Rest and hydrate!”

Kelley Lawson, the Honors Specialist for the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, says, “My biggest advice would be to advocate for yourself! Find your people on campus.”

Kali Couronis, the Honors Specialist for the Kennedy College of Sciences, says, “ With the new year around the corner, remember that change doesn't happen overnight. For goals you hope to achieve, whether academic, career, or personal, take the time to reflect on the why and the how. Start with small steps, create routine, and have patience.”

Emma Peterson, the Honors Specialist for the Francis College of Engineering says, “Don't be afraid to ask for help! Rely on your networks of support—your advisors, your professors, your classmates, your friends, etc. We are all here to support you and we want you to succeed and achieve your goals and dreams. Also, it's ok to take a night off for self-care and to rest. You can't pour from an empty cup, so be sure to take care of yourself.”

Jeffrey VanderVeen, the Honors Specialist for the Francis College of Engineering says, “One of the best things about college is that it works in cycles. As you prepare for exams and work on final projects, remember that if you do your best, there will be a tremendous release when it’s over and you get a few weeks to reset. All of your hard work will pay off.”

Beth Donaghey, the Honors Specialist for the Kennedy College of Sciences, says, “You have grown up in a world with access to information in the palm of your hand… literally! The work and research you do independently and with faculty is hard, but it is yours. You are adding to and creating a body of knowledge. This is the platform for your career. You can change the world; you are changing the world. Be proud of that.”

Deirdre Hutchison, the Honors Specialist for the College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, says, “Acknowledge and celebrate all you have accomplished this semester. Whether it be as simple as getting up every day when you didn't feel like it to acing a tough exam, progression is success. Life is about progress, not perfection.”

Renato Fakhoury, the Honors Specialist for the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, says, “As you look forward to the next semester and make your new year resolutions, also take some time to acknowledge all that you did accomplish this Fall. You will always be able to list what you ‘should’ have done. Try, just for a moment, to list everything you actually did: the papers you finished, the classes you made it to, the days you kept going when it would’ve been easier to quit. That list is longer than you think!”

Finals Week

With winter break in sight, there is only one hurdle remaining this semester. In other words, happy finals week! This year, exams will be administered between December 13th and December 20th. Christianna Bittarelli, Megha Saokar, and Adam Wood weighed in on their best advice to survive the most hectic time of year. Unanimously, they advised, “Study as soon as possible. Don’t procrastinate!” Seek out quiet, comfortable spaces that promote your learning. “Come to the Allen House,” Adam said. Most importantly, put yourself first. In Christianna’s words, “Prioritize your mental health and well-being.” Designate time to study, relax, and take care of yourself. Good luck: we are almost there!

Winter Courses

Taking a winter intersession course is a great way to catch up on credits or get ahead. A fantastic example is the Design Thinking and Scholarship Application Workshop. Taught by Rae Mansfield, this course is dedicated to preparing students to excel after graduation. According to a past student, “It’s been an incredibly valuable experience. This class has truly made me less stressed about the future and more confident in myself to pursue my dreams.”

The Design Thinking and Scholarship Application Workshop is an asynchronous class, online and at your own pace, that spans three weeks. Students are guided through the process of navigating fellowship and scholarship applications, graduate school admissions, and creating strategies to gain fundamental career skills.

   Honors Informational Peers Spotlights

The Honors Informational Peers (HIPs) lead enrichment activities for fellow honors students, answer questions about course scheduling and honors requirements, and help create a stronger sense of community for the nearly 2,000 honors undergraduates currently enrolled at UMass Lowell. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the HIPs.

HIPs also host events in the Allen House on Monday through Thursday from 5–9 p.m. During these events, students can meet with HIPs to ask questions about honors classes, schedules, and more. HIPs also work to bring new programs to the Allen House and build connections.

In each issue we will spotlight several of our HIPs. 

Soham Sawant

Hometown: South Boston, MA (SOBO)

Year: Junior

Major: Physics

Minor: Math

Hobbies: Gym, guitar, and donut epicure

Favorite thing about UML: MakerSpace student area

Clubs: Society of Physics Students and South Asian student association

Favorite thing about Honors: Honors fellowship funding opportunities

Future Goals: Graduate with a Physics degree and join a team to help develop a more efficient quantum computer

Christianna Bittarelli

Hometown: Wilmington, MA

Year: Senior

Major: Biology

Minor: UTeach

Hobbies: Shopping, long walks, hanging out with friends and family

Favorite thing about UML: The friendships I made and different opportunities and offers

Favorite thing about Honors: My job, early class registration, and the people I’ve met

Future Goals: Graduate school (M.S. Health Service Management)

Fun Fact: My roommate is Megha

Megha Saokar

Hometown: Braintree, MA

Year: Senior

Major: Biology

Minor: Disability Studies

Hobbies: Shopping, gym, hanging out with my roommates

Favorite thing about UML: My roommates, the dining hall, opportunities and help the faculty provides

Clubs: Pre-Med Club (club mentor), HARP Lab Research Assistant

Favorite thing about Honors: Honors housing! Able to pick classes early, smaller and more focused classes, meeting people with similar interests and goals

Future Goals: Medical school <3

Fun Fact: My roommate is Christianna