The History Department at UMass Lowell provides a broad introduction to civilizations of the past and present, including those of antiquity, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Read more...

UMass Lowell History Department Alum Spotlight: Kelley Leonhard (’21)

Kelley Leonhard speaking at UMass Lowell on April 2, 2024. Image by Ed Brennen

Since earning her B.A. in History, Kelley Leonhard has worked to educate people about Boston’s rich and dynamic history. In summer 2022, she became Visitor Experiences Staff for Revolutionary Spaces in Boston, where she spent time in the galleries at either the Old State House or the Old South Meetinghouse conversing with visitors about these historical sites and their legacies. In spring 2023, she began serving as Chief Operating Officer of Cambridge Historical Tours. Her work there has focused on booking groups, managing guides, planning new tours, and social media.

Kelley visited UMass Lowell on Tuesday, April 2, to give two talks to History students. The first was "From UMass Lowell to The Boston History Company: Life after a History Major." Later, she gave the keynote speech, "When Opportunity Knocks, Invite It In," to the History Department's 2024 Phi Alpha Theta inductees.

Meet Our Students and Alumni

Maritza Grooms interviews UMass Lowell Prof. Robert Forrant and Emerging Scholar Sophie Combs about research being done on immigration topics on an episode of History in Lowell
Sophie Combs '20
History

Sophie Combs knows her research is going somewhere: into the online Library of New England Immigration.

Small class sizes and getting to know my professors personally was important to me.
Read More About Sophie Combs 
Karam Alafandi
Karam Alafandi '24
History, Pre-med

Karam Alafandi is studying history on his way to becoming a doctor.

I’m looking forward to having lifetime relationships with my patients.
Read More About Karam Alafandi 
Group of UMass Lowell students pose at an outdoor site in Madrid, Spain
Nicholas Trunfio '23
Business

Nicholas Trunfio immersed himself in history while studying abroad.

One of my hopes is to be a history teacher later on in life.
Read More About Nicholas Trunfio 
Cameron McKenzie in the Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain through the UMass Lowell Study Abroad program.
Cameron McKenzie '24
Criminal Justice (History minor)

Honors transfer student Cameron McKenzie squeezed four study abroad trips into her short time at UML.

Do the things you want to do when you can, because you don’t know when there will be limitations.
Read More About Cameron McKenzie 
Deirdre standing holding poster of project
Deirdre Hutchison '23
History

Deirdre Hutchison was ‘terrified’ when she began college at 47.

UMass Lowell gave me all these amazing opportunities, including study abroad.
Read More About Deirdre Hutchison 
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