UMass Boston

The Founders’ Circle honors the extraordinarily generous leadership of donors whose gifts transform educational opportunities and outcomes through the creation of named professorships, endowed scholarship funds, and centers and institutes of distinction. Their gifts enhance the academic learning environment throughout our campus. We are exceedingly grateful for these donors, whose philanthropy totals $100,000 or more.  

Founders’ Circle donors are honored on a mural in the Campus Center. To learn more about this recognition society, please contact Vanessa Carta at vanessa.carta@umb.edu. 

The Chancellor’s Council is composed of donors who make a meaningful gift to the area of their choosing each year. Membership is reserved for alumni, parents, and friends who make an annual gift of $1,000 or more to UMass Boston. Graduates of the past ten years can access membership at a lower leadership level: Alumni within five years of graduation become members with a $250 gift and those within six to ten years of graduation with a gift of $500.  

To join the Chancellor’s Council or enhance your existing membership, please contact Casey McDonagh at casey.mcdonagh@umb.edu. 

Our Loyal Beacons make consistent annual gifts of any size. They are celebrated for their faithful generosity to our university’s mission year-over-year. 

To learn more about our Loyal Beacons recognition society, please contact Vanessa Carta at vanessa.carta@umb.edu.  

The Lampas Society recognizes alumni, faculty, and friends who support the university with a planned gift. We firmly believe these donors should be celebrated during their lifetime and invite them to witness the legacy their future gift will inspire. 

To learn more about how you can make a difference through a bequest or other planned gift, please contact Anthony Barbuto at Anthony.Barbuto@umb.edu. 

UMass Boston donors form a special community of individuals who share an interest in our students, their faculty, and keeping higher education affordable for every family. The best way to communicate the impact of your investments is to show you firsthand. We are proud to offer signature events throughout the year to members of our recognition societies. Reach out to us at engagement@umb.edu to make sure you’re on the invitation list.

Beacon Discussion Series Receptions

Learn about cutting-edge research, local and global policy implications, and career readiness outcomes from our campus leaders and researchers in a fun and engaging environment.

• Save the date for our next Beacon Discussion Series: Spring 2025
• View photos from our 2024 Beacon Discussion Series: Partnering to Solve the Nursing Crisis in the Commonwealth.

Boat Cruise

• Join Chancellor’s Council and Lampas Society members to celebrate the summer  solstice on the Boston Harbor. The joyful company and resplendent views are matched  only by Captain Chris’s commentary and abundant refreshments. 
• Save the date for our next Summer Solstice Boat Cruise on June 17, 2025.

Scholarship Celebration

• Scholarship donors and students forge meaningful connections at this   annual May gathering to celebrate the close of the academic year. A light speaking  program hosted by Chancellor Marcelo Suarez-Orozco gives way to a long reception for mingling.
• Save the date for our next Scholarship Celebration on May 15, 2025. 
• View photos from our 2024 Scholarship Celebration.
  

Celebration of Philanthropy

Our hallmark evening event celebrates members of our Founders’ Circle, beginning with a reception adjacent to the Founders’ Circle Mural Wall in the Campus Center. As members of our Chancellor’s Council, Lampas Society, and decade-long members of our Loyal Beacons society cheer them on, Founders’ Circle members are then publicly inducted into our lifetime recognition society. Throughout the cocktail reception, dinner, and robust speaking program, we invite donors to connect with one another and the beneficiaries of their transformative philanthropy. 

Our next Celebration of Philanthropy will take place in Spring 2026. To see your name on the mural wall before then, contact Vanessa Carta at vanessa.carta@umb.edu.