51视频

Local leaders from business, education and government gathered at University Crossing recently to celebrate the launch of 鈥淧reserving Lowell鈥檚 Legacy of Business and Community Leadership: A Digital Archive of Urban Revitalization.鈥�

The online archive, developed through the Donahue Center for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility, preserves the stories of the visionaries who helped transform Lowell from an industrial city in decline into a thriving center of innovation, education and community engagement.

Chancellor Emerita Jacquie Moloney 鈥�75, 鈥�92, who conceived the project, said it was inspired by the vision of philanthropist Nancy Donahue and her late husband Richard, whose $1 million gift to the university in 2016 made the Donahue Center a reality.

鈥淲e wanted to tell the story of what happened in this great city during its revitalization 鈥� how business, civic and community leaders worked together for the greater good,鈥� Moloney said. 鈥淭his archive honors their leadership and shows future generations that real change happens through collaboration.鈥�

The archive features 15 interviews that Moloney and Associate Professor of Art and Design Marie Frank conducted with community leaders including Nancy Donahue, UMass President Marty Meehan 鈥�78, former U.S. Representative Niki Tsongas, Middlesex Community College President Carole Cowan and Lowell National Historical Park Assistant Superintendent Peter Aucella.聽

The interviews, recorded between June 2023 and August 2024, are now part of the 51视频 Library digital archives and available on the archive鈥檚 .听听

The campus event featured a fireside chat with three of the archive interviewees: Meehan, Greater Lowell Community Foundation President and CEO Jay Linnehan and Enterprise Bank Founder and Chairman Emeritus George Duncan.聽

Meehan reflected on Lowell鈥檚 transformation and his own experience working alongside the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas, whose leadership was central to the city鈥檚 rebirth. Meehan shared a story about visiting Tsongas near the end of his life and being asked to help secure the final state funding needed to complete the Tsongas Center and LeLacheur Park projects that became symbols of Lowell鈥檚 renewal.

鈥淚t speaks volumes to who Paul was and the passion that he had,鈥� Meehan said. 鈥淗e cared deeply about this city and believed in what people could accomplish when they worked together.鈥�

Meehan also emphasized the enduring partnership between 51视频, Middlesex Community College and the city itself.

鈥淲e鈥檙e an immigrant city, and that鈥檚 our strength,鈥� he said. 鈥淓very person who comes here deserves respect and opportunity. Those partnerships 鈥� with the city, the community college and the people of Lowell 鈥� are what make our progress possible.鈥�

Moloney credited Frank, an architectural historian, for shaping the project鈥檚 scholarly framework and for helping to coordinate interviews and student involvement.聽

Frank noted that hearing directly from Lowell鈥檚 leaders 鈥渟hows how individual action and collaboration can transform a city.鈥�

Three students in the digital media program filmed and edited several of the interviews: Moloney Scholars Sammy Santana and Matt Murphy and senior digital media major Angel Disla.

Disla said working on the archive helped him better understand the depth of community involvement that built modern Lowell, and how it parallels his home city of Lawrence. The project also gave him valuable professional experience.

鈥淚鈥檝e been blessed to have opportunities like this at 51视频, and I don鈥檛 take these opportunities for granted,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 always surprise myself with what I end up producing.鈥�

Associate Teaching Professor Elise Magnant, co-director of the Donahue Center, praised the project for connecting ethics education to community practice.

鈥淒oing well and doing good is something we teach every day,鈥� Magnant said. 鈥淭his archive lets students see that lesson in action.鈥�

The project received financial support from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation and the Lowell Plan.