2025 News 2025: Corsair Replay: The top 20 UMass Dartmouth stories of 2025

A year of innovation, achievement, and community impact—from groundbreaking research and national honors to student success stories that shaped an extraordinary year

With another extraordinary year nearly in the books, Corsairs made waves across campus, the Commonwealth, and the world. Here's a look back at some of the moments that defined 2025 at UMass Dartmouth.

Women's Basketball wins first Little East title in program history

UMass Dartmouth Women's Basketball captured its first-ever Little East Conference championship, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament and marking a historic milestone for the program. 

UMass Dartmouth featured on Amazon Prime's The College Tour

Ten UMassD students starred in an episode of The College Tour on Amazon Prime, showcasing campus life, academics, and student success stories to a global audience and giving prospective students an inside look at what it means to be a Corsair. 

Law surpasses 250,000 public service and pro bono hours

Law students reached a milestone of 250,000 hours of providing vital legal assistance to communities across the SouthCoast and Massachusetts via pro bono, clinical, and field placement work since 2010. One such endeavor saw UMass Law students helping to remove racist language from hundreds of property deeds. Through a collaboration between Harborlight Homes and the North Shore NAACP, UMass Law students helped uncover and remove racist covenants from about 600 deeds in Southern Essex County, advancing housing equity and assisting communities to confront discriminatory histories. 

Three students win highly competitive SMART scholarships

UMass Dartmouth produced three new SMART Scholars from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, strengthening its position as the UMass campus with the most SMART recipients and ranking among the top institutions nationally for this prestigious Department of Defense award.

UMass Dartmouth celebrates the Class of 2025

Thousands of graduates, families, and friends came together for Commencement ceremonies honoring the Class of 2025. One of the student speakers, Naomi Mwangi, told her fellow graduates, "My advice and parting words to you all, the graduating class of 2025: Be brave. Always take the leap. It doesn't ever stop being scary, but you got this. Believe in yourself as I believe in you."

LARTS Restoration Project transforms a landmark academic building

The LARTS Restoration Project is revitalizing the historic Paul Rudolph–designed Liberal Arts and Sciences building with a new geothermal heating and cooling system, triple-pane windows, an insulated roof, and updated life-safety and electrical systems—modernizing teaching spaces while advancing campus sustainability, with reopening planned before spring 2027. 

Student-athlete Ancil Alexander earns All-American honors in discus

Corsair track & field standout Ancil Alexander earned All-American recognition in the discus throw, adding to UMass Dartmouth's growing record of national-level athletic achievements.

Nurse Camp introduces New Bedford students to healthcare careers

In partnership with Southcoast Health and New Bedford High School, UMass Dartmouth launched Nurse Camp. In this hands-on program, local sophomores and juniors explored nursing and healthcare careers alongside UMassD nursing students and clinical experts.

Faculty help discover the largest-ever black hole merger

UMass Dartmouth researchers played a key role in the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA collaboration's discovery of GW231123, a record-breaking black hole merger that produced a rapidly spinning black hole about 225 times the mass of the Sun—pushing the limits of Einstein's theory and modern gravitational-wave detection. 

Meet SMAST's newest resident: a rare blue lobster

A one-in-two-million blue lobster found a new home at SMAST, giving students, researchers, and visitors a chance to observe this strikingly rare crustacean up close.

$1M Russell and McLean Education Endowment expands the UMassD Deal

A $1 million gift from alumni Sanford "Hew" Russell '82 and Dr. Michelle McLean-Russell '81 will provide book and instructional-supply scholarships to expand support for UMassD Deal participants. 

UMass Dartmouth excels in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings

UMass Dartmouth was again recognized as a Best National University and one of the top public universities, maintaining its distinction as the highest-ranked public university in New England with fewer than 10,000 students and earning high marks for social mobility.

Interior Architecture + Design shines on the national stage

Students and faculty in Interior Architecture + Design were recognized at a major national conference, highlighting the program's impact on the profession and the ways UMassD designers are shaping more inclusive, community-centered spaces. 

STEM4Girls introduces local girls to the Blue Economy and STEM careers

The Kaput Center and students from across campus welcomed more than 100 girls in grades 3–8 to campus for the 13th annual STEM4Girls event, using hands-on activities and a Blue Economy theme to spark early interest in science, technology, engineering, and math across the SouthCoast.

Blue & Gold Weekend brings the UMassD community together

Alumni, students, families, and friends returned to campus for Blue & Gold Weekend, featuring leadership luncheons, civic engagement awards, and the Corsair Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, celebrating decades of athletic excellence. Alumni honored at the 52nd Annual Alumni Awards. Also, that weekend was the 52nd Annual Alumni Awards, which celebrated individuals like Rising Star honoree Thais Sousa '17, DNP '22, whose research on supporting mothers in recovery helped inspire legislation.

Student-Managed Investment Fund tops UMass System—again

For the second time in three years, UMassD's Student-Managed Investment Fund earned first place in the UMass System competition, delivering a 20.44% return that beat the S&P 500 and portfolios managed by teams from Amherst, Boston, and Lowell, while giving students real-world experience.

SMAST and New Bedford Port Authority study offshore wind and fisheries

Backed by a $419,462 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, SMAST researchers partnered with the New Bedford Port Authority to track how commercial fishing vessels operate in and around offshore wind energy areas, helping chart a sustainable path forward for both industries.

International colloquium explores Portuguese migration in New England

UMass Dartmouth hosted an international symposium examining the history and future of Portuguese and Portuguese American communities in New England, building on the volume Migration, Mill Work, and Portuguese Communities in New England and exploring issues of labor, assimilation, and multiculturalism.

Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center celebrates 50 years

Marking five decades of labor education and advocacy, the Dubin Labor Education Center celebrated its commitment to empowering workers and promoting social and economic justice through education and community engagement.

Center for Women, Gender & Sexuality commemorates 55 years

The Center for Women, Gender & Sexuality—one of the oldest collegiate women's centers in the nation—celebrated 55 years of impact with a community event featuring a film screening, alumni reflections, and a keynote by activist and scholar Jean Kilbourne.