LOWELL –University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) and Braven, a national nonprofit, are proud to announce a new five-year partnership aimed at strengthening the preparation of UMass Lowell undergraduates for strong first jobs and graduate school opportunities. Through this collaboration, an estimated 1,275-2,700 students will benefit from Braven’s two-part career accelerator, which includes a credit-bearing course and post-course career development support.
UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen stated: “UMass Lowell is deeply committed to ensuring that each of our undergraduate students has the opportunity to participate in at least one high-quality, career-connected experience by the time they graduate. We are always looking for new ways to expand access to these internships, fellowships, and other opportunities, and our partnership with Braven greatly enhances the portfolio of options. This collaboration will provide essential mentorship, skill-building, and professional networks that will empower our students to succeed in a rapidly evolving workforce.”
The experience begins with a 3-credit undergraduate course in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (FAHSS). In that course, students complete weekly online modules on Braven’s online platform and then apply that content through weekly virtual Learning Labs in a cohort of 5-10 peers led by a volunteer professional, called a Leadership Coach. Fellows complete assignments to grow their leadership in five professional competencies: operating and managing, problem-solving, working in teams, networking and communicating, and self-driven leading.
Upon completion of the Braven course, students receive continued access to the online portal as well as events and programming, including a regular jobs newsletter and a one-to-one professional mentorship program.
In Spring 2026, about 75 UMass Lowell students are expected to take the course, joining a growing network of over 14,000 Braven alumni nationwide. The partnership will initially focus on UMass Lowell’s FAHSS students, who have broad skill sets and would be valuable employees in a variety of fields and sectors, including STEM-related areas. Braven’s partnership with UMass Lowell will be its first in the region, enhancing the university’s efforts to expand the college-to-career pipeline.
Braven Founder & CEO Aimée Eubanks added: “We’re thrilled to launch our first partnership in this region with Chancellor Chen at UMass Lowell. With their future-facing goal that each student completes a career-connected experience, combined with their talented student body, they are the type of innovative institution of higher education that we seek. This initiative represents a critical investment in the region’s talent pipeline. By fostering deep employer partnerships and engaging alumni, we are creating a sustainable model that not only benefits students but also strengthens the local economy, bridging economic opportunity gaps in the region.”
Nationwide, Braven is showing promising results. Braven Fellows have outpaced the national average for strong job attainment before and amid the pandemic. Within six months of graduation, 61% of Braven’s 2024 graduates secured quality full-time jobs worthy of their bachelor’s degree, and or enrolled in graduate school (18 percentage points higher than their peers nationally). In addition, Braven Fellows have achieved a 93% on-time graduation rate. By comparison, about 8 in 10 of their peers nationally graduate from college on time.
