LOWELL — A new Office of Community Engagement at UMass Lowell is working to make the university’s faculty, staff and students more accessible to community partners while giving members of the UMass Lowell community clearer pathways for connection.

The office, which launched this summer, will also provide strategic leadership and coordination for the many existing collaborations, student experiences, programs and relationships that already exist between the Greater Lowell region and UMass Lowell’s colleges and departments.

Emily Byrne ’02 ’04, a UMass Lowell alumna who formerly served as district director for U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan and in senior roles for then-U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan, has been named executive director of community engagement and will lead the new office. Chancellor Julie Chen has also elevated Byrne to membership in her Senior Cabinet.

“Community partnerships are fundamental to our mission as a public research university and our longstanding role as an anchor institution in Lowell,” said Chancellor Chen. “The Office of Community Engagement is like a front door of the university. It will help us build on the tremendous work already happening across the university, create stronger connections with our community partners, and ensure those partnerships generate meaningful benefits for UMass Lowell and the communities we serve.”

“Emily brings deep knowledge of UMass Lowell and more than two decades of experience building relationships and partnerships throughout Lowell and the region, making her uniquely positioned to lead this work,” said Chen.

The Office of Community Engagement grows directly from UMass Lowell’s 2028 Strategic Plan, which recognizes UMass Lowell’s role in the community and calls for strengthened connections through teaching and learning, research and scholarship, economic and workforce development, arts and culture, sustainability and community partnership.

The Office of Community Engagement will work collaboratively with colleges, departments, centers and administrative units across the university to connect, support and elevate the substantial work already taking place. Students will be central to office’s work as it reflects the university’s broader mission of promoting experiential and career-connected learning through internships, service and civic engagement, research, capstone projects and other community-based initiatives.

The office will also support faculty and staff seeking to develop or expand community-engaged teaching, research and scholarship; help connect university expertise with priorities identified by community partners; and support collaborations that can lead to new research, student learning and external funding opportunities. It will also include the university’s Community Relations function, led by Patty Coffey, who continues her longstanding work building and maintaining relationships between UMass Lowell and the community.

Byrne, who earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from UMass Lowell, draws upon more than two decades of experience in higher education, public service and partnership building across Greater Lowell. She most recently served as the university’s executive director of Advancement Operations and Strategic Initiatives.

As the new office launches, UMass Lowell is participating in Campus Compact’s Campus Action Planning for Civic & Community Engagement initiative, a national program to help colleges and universities assess and strengthen civic and community engagement. As part of the effort, UMass Lowell is assessing existing strengths and opportunities while gathering input from stakeholders. The work will culminate in a coordinated, actionable roadmap that identifies clearer pathways for campus and community partners to find one another, collaborate and build lasting relationships.

As part of this process, the Office of Community Engagement is seeking the input of community partners, as well as UMass Lowell faculty, staff and students, to connect with the new office and participate in the work ahead. An online form allows participants to share an existing partnership or idea, explore opportunities to connect, register for upcoming Community & Civic Action Planning forums and signal their interest in updates from the Office of Community Engagement. Those interested in giving feedback may visit www.uml.edu/CommunityEngagement.