On Oct. 7 the University of Massachusetts Boston celebrated its 50 years of existence at the Boston Common, where the university was originally located.
The celebration started early in the morning at the State House, where the dream of the university started. Later on people made their way to the Boston Common for “tent talks,” academic showcases, and musical entertainment.
Chancellor J. Keith Motley, in his address, mentioned that coming back to the Boston Common for a celebration is something that is both symbolic and exciting.
“To come to the first public park in the country, the Boston Common, taking the common wealth capital research university as the only public university in the great city of Boston home for a day was something really intriguing for us,”  said Motley. “ The notion of how we were born as an institution and then we can show off all that we are.”
The university has so much to celebrate in its 50 years existance. Since the opening of its doors, the university enrollment has increased, and educational programs have significantly improved. Over the years, UMass Boston has acquired greater students, staff, and faculty to become part of the university family.
Things are really looking up for UMass Boston. State support is rising and there are three new buildings that will be up and open within a year’s time. Associate Dean of Students, Mark Jannoni, who is not only faculty but also a former Beacon, says that the school has extreme differences from when he was a student to now.
“I think the support system for students has dramatically increased. I think the customer service that the students experience now is far superior than what we had,” said Jannoni. “As well as the campus, the Campus Center wasn’t there when I was a student nor were these new buildings. It’s really exciting for these new students.”
We also had a special guest, Dr. Victoria Kennedy, who spoke; she gave encouraging words to the audience as well as spoke about the significant historical events that have happened at the Boston Common.
“It is very meaningful that we are celebrating today on the Boston Common. The town square of the nations revolutionary city, the place where Martin Luther King spoke 50 years ago on the need for racial justice. The place where Boston area students gathered in the rain just a few nights ago to show solidarity with pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong,” said Kennedy. “Across the centuries and across the oceans there is a universal truth that ties these events together; concerted consistent action has the power to change the course of history.”
Throughout the afternoon there were “tent talks,” where faculty spoke briefly about different topics, such as injustice in America, mostly targeting the most current event that happened this summer, the Ferguson case; teenage obesity; cultivating peace in African countries; and many more topics.
There were lunch and cupcakes provided for all guests as well as a live musical concert by the East Coast Soul. The University is celebrating 50 years of greatness starting from the first Chancellor John W. Ryan to our first and current African-American Chancellor J. Keith Motley.

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The Campus on the Common event drew large crowds