Key Takeaways
- • Ryan MacInnis '13, a Lowell High School graduate and UMass Lowell English alumnus, established the Lowell Rising Endowment Fund with a $50,000 gift to provide scholarships for Lowell High School graduates who attend UML.
- • UMass President Marty Meehan '78 donated $10,000 to the fund after learning about it and pledged to help spread the word about the initiative.
- • The fund will initially award one scholarship annually, with MacInnis's long-term goal being to cover an entire year's worth of tuition.
- • MacInnis deliberately named the fund "Lowell Rising" rather than after himself, aiming to attract contributions from alumni, Lowell residents and others.
- • The initiative grew out of MacInnis's involvement with the Manning School of Business Professional Leaders Council.
Summary
Ryan MacInnis '13 has established the Lowell Rising Endowment Fund at UMass Lowell with a $50,000 gift, according to the university's published account. The fund provides scholarships for Lowell High School graduates who attend UML. MacInnis, who works as a principal product marketing manager at Adobe, said he grew up in Lowell with a sense that the city's underdog reputation gave residents an advantage, and he hopes the fund will strengthen ties between the city and the university.
Rather than attach his own name to the fund, MacInnis chose the name "Lowell Rising" to encourage fellow alumni, Lowell residents and others to contribute and grow it into a broader initiative supporting students from the city. The fund will begin by awarding one scholarship annually. MacInnis's long-term goal is to fund a full year of tuition for a recipient.
UMass President Marty Meehan '78, who also grew up in Lowell, attended Lowell High and earned his UML degree, has already joined as a supporter. Meehan gave $10,000 to the endowment after learning about it and pledged to help publicize the initiative. Meehan previously represented the 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years and served as UML chancellor from 2007 to 2015.
MacInnis's connection to the university predates his enrollment. His grandfather, Tony Romano, coached the men's basketball team from 1976 to 1983. MacInnis chose UML largely for financial accessibility and lived at home while commuting. His career since graduation has included roles at Twitter, LinkedIn, the U.S. Department of State and Meta, where he worked on WhatsApp. He holds an MBA from New York University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. He also recently became one of three inaugural Industry Fellows at Yale University's Digital Ethics Center.
The idea for the fund emerged through MacInnis's work with the Manning School of Business Professional Leaders Council, where he met alumni whose philanthropy has supported the university. MacInnis said he came to see philanthropy as achievable at many levels, noting that alumni can contribute time as well as money.
Rather than attach his own name to the fund, MacInnis chose the name "Lowell Rising" to encourage fellow alumni, Lowell residents and others to contribute and grow it into a broader initiative supporting students from the city. The fund will begin by awarding one scholarship annually. MacInnis's long-term goal is to fund a full year of tuition for a recipient.
UMass President Marty Meehan '78, who also grew up in Lowell, attended Lowell High and earned his UML degree, has already joined as a supporter. Meehan gave $10,000 to the endowment after learning about it and pledged to help publicize the initiative. Meehan previously represented the 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years and served as UML chancellor from 2007 to 2015.
MacInnis's connection to the university predates his enrollment. His grandfather, Tony Romano, coached the men's basketball team from 1976 to 1983. MacInnis chose UML largely for financial accessibility and lived at home while commuting. His career since graduation has included roles at Twitter, LinkedIn, the U.S. Department of State and Meta, where he worked on WhatsApp. He holds an MBA from New York University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. He also recently became one of three inaugural Industry Fellows at Yale University's Digital Ethics Center.
The idea for the fund emerged through MacInnis's work with the Manning School of Business Professional Leaders Council, where he met alumni whose philanthropy has supported the university. MacInnis said he came to see philanthropy as achievable at many levels, noting that alumni can contribute time as well as money.
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