DEIA Calendar, The DEIA Communications team keeps a calendar of upcoming diversity awareness months and days recognized either nationally or internationally due to their cultural, historical, or religious significance. , Month-Long Events, Arab American and Middle Eastern and North African American Heritage Month Autism Acceptance Month Deaf History Month National Volunteer Month Scottish-American Heritage Month, Date-Specific Events, Friday, April 11: LGBTQIA+ Day of Silence Saturday, April 12 – Sunday, April 20: Passover (Judaism) Saturday, April 12: The Fast of the First Born (Judaism) Sunday, April 13: Palm Sunday (Christian - Western) Sunday, April 13 – Wednesday, April 16: Pi Mai (Lao New Year) Sunday, April 13 – Tuesday, April 15: Songkran (Thai New Year) Sunday, April 13 – Wednesday, April 16: Thingyan (Myanmar's New…, Additional Communications , The DEIA Communications team is sending out individual communications around the following awareness events this month: Eid al-Fitr Gathering – Wednesday, April 9 at 2:00 p.m. Lowell to hold vigil on April 17 for the 50th Anniversary of Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day
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“We are very proud that our Unified Procurement Services Team has been recognized with the Scaling for Change Award. In addition to generating significant cost savings for the University, UPST’s innovative approach to system-wide procurement demonstrates the power of collaboration and data-driven decision-making.” - Marty Meehan, President of the University of Massachusetts Congratulations to the…
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Take advantage of the supplemental retirement plans that are offered by the University and the Commonwealth. UMass employees have the choice of contributing into the 403(b) plan which offers investments with Fidelity and TIAA and/or the 457(b) plan which offers investments with Empower Retirement. Please visit Section 5.1 of the Voluntary Benefits page on the HR website to learn more.
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The beginning of July marked an exciting milestone as we transitioned from the Service and Quality Team within Unified Procurement Services to our own dedicated department for supporting Administration and Finance (A&F). The new Access Team: Administration & Finance Support Services is now the primary line of support for campus stakeholders and partners and is responsible for providing…
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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…, 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…, 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…, Communication Specialist on the Communications Team, .
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We’re thrilled to share that the UPST team has received the Procure-to-Pay Achievement Award at this year’s Jaggaer conference - a national recognition in the world of procurement and supply chain. This award highlights UPST’s significant strides in automating processes, improving accuracy, and driving cost savings across the University. One standout achievement: reducing manual invoice…
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New Hires, Name Hire Date Title Department Yusheng Ding 7/14/25 Sr Director of Finance UMBA Sekelile Mkhabela 7/14/25 Data Analyst IR Academic Affairs Jasree Powers 7/14/25 Electronic Computer Oper II UITS, Promotions, Name Promotion Date Title Department Peter Gray-Mullen 7/1/25 Director of Capital Projects UMBA Anna Zuev 7/7/25 Manager, Innovation & Ops Innovation Andrew Buroni 7/7/25 Communications Specialist Communications Maria Apse 7/13/25 Deputy CIO UITS Emmanuel Asenso 7/13/25 Auditor III Internal Audit Sudharshan Baswa 7/13/25 Financial Analyst II University Controller Taylor Boutwell 7/13/25…
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Early Life and Family, Our UMass System Office Chief Information Officer (CIO), Michael Milligan, is a man who achieved success through hard work and a commitment to family, friends, and colleagues. Originally hailing from Gilford, New Hampshire, he is the eldest of four brothers. Growing up in the picturesque town of Gilford, surrounded by the serene beauty of New Hampshire, Michael developed a strong sense of…, Education, Michael is a proud graduate of Villanova University, a private Catholic research university in Pennsylvania. You probably saw, heard or read something from Michael back in March when his Wildcats nearly went all the way in the “Big East” tournament this year. Michael is pretty serious about his Villanova Wildcats and enjoys banter among colleagues; Kate Targett knows what it’s like to be…, Professional Journey, After college, this aspiring CIO embarked on a distinguished career in information technology. He spent 18 years with Verizon leaving his Sr. Program Management position to enter the public sector at the Commonwealth of MA as CIO of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. He spent 2 years at COMA, before moving into the Higher Ed industry as Managing Director of Collaboration…, Personal Life, Michael has been happily married for 15 years to Amy (Donavan) Milligan and together, balancing their incredibly demanding professional careers, they are raising their wonderful 13-year-old son, Donavan Milligan. They have built a loving and supportive family environment for Donavan in Melrose MA that includes attending St. John’s Prep and excelling in Hockey and Baseball. Last summer, the family…, Hobbies and Interests, Michael enjoys good food, a nice glass of wine or a tumbler of bourbon in his free time with Amy. The rest of the time, you’ll likely find Michael on the links. He is an avid golfer and shares his love of golf with his son. “Dad” and Donavan play regularly on the weekends and whenever possible on weeknights, perfecting their swings and occasionally fishing their balls out of the water hazards., Contentment in Service, His satisfaction in his role at UMass is palpable. He finds great fulfillment in contributing to the university's mission and witnessing the tangible impact of his work on students, faculty, and staff. As if his work as a CIO isn’t enough, Michael is a board member for the Court Management Advisory Board (CMAB) at the Commonwealth, he Co-Chaired the AI Task Force under Secretary Snayder at the…, Conclusion, Newly promoted Deputy CIO, Maria Apse, shared: “My favorite quote from Michael is ‘Giddy Up’. He uses this when he gets excited about an idea and to show his enthusiasm!” She went on to say, “Never one to take the spotlight himself. Michael is the happiest when other people shine... Michael is open to feedback and often asks, ‘Is this the right thing? What can I do better?’ Maria continued, “…
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Sekelile (Seke) joined the President’s Office as an, Institutional Research Data Analyst, . She supports academic affairs and other projects in the President’s Office with data requests. Seke was born and raised in Mbabane, Eswatini, before moving to the US. She graduated from the University of Rochester with her BA in International Relations and Economics and is currently working on getting her master’s degree from Boston College in Applied Economics. Seke has always been…
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Last month, UPST with the support of the Innovation team had the opportunity to further enhance our partnership with MHEC through a highly successful Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Supplier Roadshow at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. We were pleased to welcome nineteen esteemed MRO suppliers, along with nearly one hundred colleagues from UMass Amherst facilities, construction…
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