The UMPO Fellowship is a two-year program that provides recent UMass graduates with opportunities to explore various professional disciplines across the UMass President’s Office. Fellows are embedded in departments like Administration & Finance (A&F), University Information Technology Services (UITS), and Communications, where they gain hands-on experience through cross-functional projects, mentorship, and professional development.
From Nancy’s Perspective:
“Before the fellowship, I joined the UMass President’s Office in 2022 as an Institutional Research intern. After graduating from UMass Lowell in 2023, I transitioned into one of the first Business Analyst Fellows at UMPO.
Over the course of the fellowship, I explored roles in data analytics, procurement, digital accessibility, and UX design. I collaborated with both A&F and UITS on a range of projects, including internal website design, advancing accessibility initiatives, and supporting cross-departmental procurement and communications work. These experiences strengthened my communication and leadership skills and helped me gain clarity on my career direction.
Two years later, I’m excited to share that I’ve transitioned into a full-time role as a Project Manager with the UITS Project Management Office, where I continue to support IT initiatives across the UMass system. I look forward to carrying the skills and insights I gained through the fellowship into this next chapter of my career.”
From Andrew’s Perspective:
I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be one of the first fellows at the UMass President's Office after graduating from UMass Amherst in 2023 and working as an intern on the Supplier Relationship Management team within UPST. Within this professional development opportunity, I gained cross-functional experience between departments such as Administration & Finance, UITS, & Communications through project management, data analytics, labor relations, video production, event planning, and much more.
I started this fellowship incredibly nervous to be managing a team of six interns through a data quality clean-up project, where I helped train them on job processes and set quotas for them to hit. After two years, I'm glad to say I've never felt more comfortable at public speaking, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to help speak at and coordinate the June A&F town hall with over 100 employees in attendance.
A huge thank you to everyone who has helped me grow. There are too many people to name in one post who have looked out for me and helped me develop my professional skillset. From what I've seen, UMPO has a culture that does everything possible to help interns and new employees succeed in their careers. I will miss my time at A&F, but I'm looking forward to starting my new role as a Communication Specialist on the Communications Team.