In honor of the University’s 50th anniversary The Mass Media is contacting 50 former student leaders and profiling them throughout the year. This is the first in a series.
In 1983, Carole Hughes graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston and began an expansive career. She graduated with a B.S. from the College of Management and has dedicated many of her professional accomplishments to the University. Currently, Carole Hughes holds a Ph.D and is serving as the Senior Associate Dean of Students at Boston College.
At UMass Boston, Hughes was involved with several extracurriculars on campus, including holding the title of Undergraduate Student Body President at one point in time.
Hughes has attributed some of her fondest memories at UMass Boston to when she worked Student Government; helping host social events, provide funding for cultural and recognized student groups, and making the campus even greater during her time here. According to Hughes, “Back then, Student Government was in charge of some of the priorities that SAEC is now responsible for. Undergraduate Student Government was where I made lifelong friends and really developed my interest in serving others and truly honed my leadership abilities.”
“I highly encourage everyone who wants to make the most out of their college experience to get involved with at least one activity on campus whether that’s a student organization, club, sport, or cultural center. This will make the university feel more like home to you and you will make great contacts.” Hughes added.
Upon speaking with Hughes, she mentioned that one of her favorite professors at UMass Boston was her freshman writing professor, Mark Schlesinger. She mentions that she still keeps in contact with him through email and occasional meetings. Hughes urges students to, “Really get to know your professors! They are there to help guide you both academically and career wise.”
According to Hughes, “I’ve now been a part of many different institutions in the Boston area, both as a student and staff member, and I will say that while each had its strengths, UMass was really what ignited my career and passions.”
According to Hughes, “You need to do what you can to have a job lined up before you graduate. Whether that is through an internship or filling out plenty of job applications. You should not be searching for a job when you graduate. You need to do your best to secure one before you do.”
When Hughes graduated, she had already secured a job at a bank and she began working there full time only two weeks after her graduation date. “It was great because I had a steady income and I felt secure in knowing that I could support myself. However, I ultimately realized that the job was not for me and I actually wanted to go into student affairs and education. So I chose to have a temp agency help me and I landed a job at Boston University as a staff member.”
According to Hughes, having a job when she graduated afforded her the ability to financially support herself before embarking on a journey to realize what she really wanted to do with her life.
“Don’t get trapped into thinking that your major will always directly correlate with what you decide to pursue as a career,” Hughes expressed.
“Explore your interests and don’t lock yourself into a box. If you keep your mind open and remain involved and work hard you will end up where you want to be.”
Carole Hughes is just one of many successful alumni that UMass Boston has helped reach their dreams.