One Thing Leads to Another–Urban Scholars

Way back in 2008, Ellen Fleming, director of corporate and foundation relations in University Advancement, collaborated with Lisa Link, senior web designer in IT Application Services, to create a website to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Urban Scholars. A program of UMass Boston, Urban Scholars is committed to helping high school students “build the skills, muster the drive, and live the experiences that will ensure their success in college.”

Fleming and Link’s collaboration led to the decision to assign building the Urban Scholars website to the students—which led, in turn, to the scholars producing a video; which led to the birth of UMass Boston’s YouTube channel and its very first upload, “Urban Scholars Interview Dr. Charles Desmond.” Together with Joan Becker, now vice provost for Academic Support Services, Desmond launched the program back in 1983 when he was vice chancellor for Student Affairs at UMass Boston.

At the time, Fleming was developing marketing materials in an effort to promote more awareness of the program and generate additional financial support—hence, the 25th anniversary website. “Lisa and I complemented each other well,” says Fleming. “I was interested in the content and in finding ways to inject the student voice. I wanted their perspective. From a technology perspective, Lisa knew how to make it all work.”

Fast-forward a few years to the launch of the Summer Youth Blog, a collaboration between Web Services and Urban Scholars with input from the Communications Office. “We’re going on the eighth year with the Summer Youth Blog, which is a core project of the IT Urban Scholars internship experience,” says Link. “The blog involves writing and photography, editing, picture loading, and social media.”

Urban Scholars alum Tremel Griffith not only participated in the program for several years, he also had the opportunity as a high school senior to return to mentor the Urban Scholars, helping them to learn procedures to manage their blog, and to add content and photographs.

“My participation in the Urban Scholars program taught me the value of an education,” says Griffith. “The program’s investment in urban education impacts the lives of young people who probably would not have those opportunities otherwise. It changes the lives of the disenfranchised. It definitely influenced the work I do today in my current job with Steppingstone Foundation in Boston, an organization that works with youth to help them get to college.”

Jamie Morrison, director of Urban Scholars, works with the John Hancock Internship Program’s MLK Scholars to place students in internships that best complement their interests and skills. Lisa Link is one of Morrison’s site supervisors at UMass Boston.

Link, who received the 2019 Chancellor’s Staff Achievement Award for her contributions to the university, devotes time to the program each week during the summer. Of her supervisor, Linda Modiste, assistant vice chancellor for Application Services, Link says, “Linda has given me lots of freedom to devote as much time as needed to help these students with web design, trainings, and whatever else they might need. And while IT’s support is huge, Urban Scholars also collaborates with members of the UMass Boston communications team.”

“We’re overjoyed to have the Urban Scholars with us,” says Modiste. “They have fun, we have fun. And they learn a lot. We don’t just bring them in to do filing. These students work with live content.”

Morrison agrees. “This is an opportunity for students to get direct work experience, to build new skills or improve on the ones they already have. It’s their chance to work with a professional in the field. Their supervisors help them navigate the professional network and build their resumes for college or future job applications.”