Downtown Lowell has more to Offer to Students than Bars

This collage features a few downtown Lowell's small businesses: The Flower Mill, Humanity, Little Delights Bakery, Sweet Lydia's, Old Court Irish Pub, Tutto Benne, Pure Froyo and Runner's Outlet. 

What do an art gallery, a sweets shop, an army supply store and a clothing store have in common? They are all located in downtown Lowell, and they are willing to offer discounts to UMass Lowell students.

Robert Campbell, UMass Lowell student and intern at the Merrimack Valley Small Business Center, believes there is a gap between small businesses in downtown Lowell and the university. He is currently collaborating with UMass Lowell's Office of Community Relations Executive Director Paul Marion to help bridge the gap and to create a better relationship between the university and the community.

Campbell wants students to better understand the opportunities downtown Lowell has to offer, as well as the impact they can have on the community. “There is a large amount of local resources downtown, and students don't understand what they have for local resources throughout the day, whether its food, materials, or even hobbies, they have an entire downtown that wants to get them down there, and they can make an economic impact, bringing local stimulation to the area,” he said.

The Office of Community Relations supports Campbell's efforts, said Marion. “In the Community Relations Office, we're trying to better understand the views of the students so that we can be as helpful as possible in making the connections, and encouraging partnerships between organizations or businesses and the university,” he said.

Marion emphasized that downtown Lowell businesses are eager to have more interaction with the university community. According to “The Inn & Conference Center and Beyond: The Lowell Plan, Inc.-UMass Lowell Downtown Initiative Report Executive Summary,” written in 2010, “Of the 33 downtown business owners interviewed in 2009 and 2010, 85 percent expressed interest in UMass Lowell expanding further downtown and 27 percent host unique events of interest to students.”

Marion attributes the poor connection between students and businesses to a “deficit of information.”

Campbell agrees with Marion, and thinks that students need to broaden their downtown Lowell experiences. “Students know about the bars, but they really don't understand what else downtown provides them, and that they have free transportation there,” he said. “Until I ran my campaign, I didn't even fully know what downtown Lowell offered with all these different businesses.”

Melanie Doucet, a junior psychology major, was not aware of the discounts available downtown. She, however, likes to go to downtown restaurants like Life Alive because of “the relaxed environment and the healthy food options,” she said.

Both Marion and Campbell want students to be more aware of what is available downtown, but they also think that the businesses need to take responsibility for reaching out. “We used to always get feedback that there is not enough experiential things to do {in downtown Lowell}...There are certain activities that we have heard students are interested in, but this is where the private sector needs to respond,” said Marion.

Examples of businesses that offer discounts to students are the Time Out Cafe and the Army Navy Store, which received the Most Unique Business in Downtown Lowell award. Mill No. 5, a refurbished mill located on Jackson St., offers retail experience, a Black Box Theater, yoga studio and more.

Marion said that Mill No. 5 is just what the city needs. “It fits that strategy of sort of experiential retail. It's not a cookie-cutter type of experience. It's something different,” he said.

It is important to have something as unique as Mill No. 5 because “The experts in retail will tell you now that cities like Lowell that are trying to compete in the retail market, really have to be looking to compete in what they call experiential retail. The malls aren't going to go away, there are strip shopping malls... so there has got to be a different strategy for the small, kind of older cities. It's very possible, it just takes a different way of thinking about the retail experience,” said Marion.

Places like Mill No. 5 offer not only a unique retail experience, but a cultural experience that can add value to your college experience, said Campbell.

The relationship between UMass Lowell students and downtown Lowell can be symbiotic, said Campbell. “If they {students} are shopping downtown, they are stimulating the local economy,” he said. “They can make the occasional hire if they are more supported,” he said.

Marion supported Campbell's statement, and stated that small businesses owners have approached him about hiring UMass Lowell students. They would be interested in hiring college students over high school students, he said.

Campbell believes that the university and the downtown Lowell community would benefit from a stronger connection. “Right now I look at UMass Lowell, and I think that UMass Lowell is 100 percent growing in the right direction, and I think the local community has an opportunity to grow with it, and by educating students on what downtown offers, it can grow.”

Portfolio

Social media is on the rise, and, with that, knowing how to utilize social media is becoming increasingly important.

I have always wanted to start blogs, but never knew what to write. I did a poll for my political blog to see what people thought I should write about. The options were narrowed down, and exploring politics came out as the top choice. Doing research was very interesting, but writing about politics proved to be difficult. There were times, even after I had done over an hour of research, that I still wasn't sure what I was writing about. It was difficult to sound well-educated rather than ill-informed in my writing. One aspect I liked blog writing was that I was able to incorporate other blogs or YouTube videos to back up my points or to help me better explain something. I honestly think that was one of my strong points in my blog writing - my ability to create a conversation that wasn't completely one-sided. 

Although I have been a journalism student for three years now, I have never had to incorporate different aspects of media in my stories. Having to incorporate various media sources in my stories made it slightly difficult. Photography was one of my strong suits in my stories. I am still shaky on my video editing skills, but now I know how to make a Youtube video whereas I did not before. I also know how to record and use audio now. For example, in my story about the train that runs in front of the Riverview Suites, I took a recording of the train as it passed by and utilized it in the story.

I would like to utilize more social media aspects in my writing in the future, especially for the Connector. I feel as though I have gained a solid foundation, but I still have much to work on. 

Three best blog posts: 

A Breakdown of the Shutdown 

Constitution Conundrum 

Obamacare? What is that?

Journalism stories: 

Story 1

Story 2

Story 3

Story 4 

The Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church

A soft afternoon light flows through the stained glass windows, casting a golden shadow across the pews and reflecting off of the ornate mosaic-covered walls. Children fidget, playing with dolls and toys their parents brought to keep them entertained during the Divine Liturgy. When they are scolded by their mothers, the children turn to their grandmothers, who welcome them with open arms.

Altar boys dressed in silken robes stand patiently while the priest reads from the Gospel. The priest's voice resonates through the church, joined by the choir. Old and young voices combine with his to create a sweet melody. One of the youngest altar boys grows restless waiting during the seemingly endless service, and begins to sway back and forth.

Families that have attended the church a very long time sit in the same pews every Sunday. The Yiayias lean on their canes, their white-gray hair set in perfect curls. The Papous stand by their side, wearing their best suit and tie. Their weak eyes peer over their gold-rimmed glasses as they read worn Bibles and sing along with the choir in their soft, old voices.

When it ends, everyone gathers in the basement for the coffee hour. A line forms for the special Sunday doughnut and coffee, or orange juice, and chatter fills the room. Cacophony fills the room when the youngest Sunday School children are let out of class. They run to the piano on-stage and pound away at the keys with their fists, laughing as they try to create a melody.

The Church 

The Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church has been home to the Greek Orthodox of the Lowell Acre since 1952. The priests have changed throughout the years, but the families that have attended the church have been the same. Some families have been members of the Transfiguration parish since it first opened its doors. The church not only represented a place of worship, but also an opportunity for Greeks from all different villages to come together under one roof, in a new country. They built the church up together, creating a place they could call home, and their future children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren could also call home.

Sophia Exarhopulos, 15, a parishioner of the church, has been attending the Transfiguration her whole life and her family has been attending the church for over 50 years. She enjoys attending church because it makes her feel connected to her culture, she said.

Other parishioners share a similar sentiment. Cassandra Floor has a very strong connection to the church. "I was baptized as an infant in 1982 at the Transfiguration...my family raised us there, and in 2005, I was married to my husband there," she said. Now she volunteers as a Sunday school teacher and is involved in the philanthropic woman's group at the church, and her husband is also on the parish council, she said.

The church has not only developed structurally over time, but internally as well, said Floor. "From adding the youth director position... 'Family Night ministries,' the addition of 'Mommy and Me' ministry and the addition of the Family and Life Center for the parish, the emphasis has definitely been on what can we offer to the next generation" said Floor.

The Mosaics: 

The mosaics were installed by iconographer Robert J. Andrews, who according to the church's book, "Mosaic Icons: Transfiguration of Our Savior Church,"  is a "master of Byzantine art and mosaic iconography." Altogether, the project cost around $500,000 to complete. Every square inch of the inside of the church is covered with the ornate decorations. Each mosaic is representative of a different icon. Some of the icons represent saints or Jesus, others are depictions of scenes from the Bible.

A parishioner's take on the mosaics: "My favorite feature of the church would have to be the mosaics. As a child, I would be mesmerized staring at the walls and ceiling and now I still do but instead, it's with my children. The icons tell the stories of Christ's life and His Saints so well. It's hard not to feel humble standing in the church as the Saints all look down from above! " - Cassandra Floor 

(All photos taken by Madeline Koufogazos).

500 Units- Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church

A soft afternoon light flows through the stained glass windows, casting a golden shadow across the pews and reflecting off of the ornate mosaic-covered walls. Children fidget, playing with dolls and toys their parents brought to keep them entertained during the Divine Liturgy. When they are scolded by their mothers, the children turn to their grandmothers, who welcome them with open arms. Altar boys dressed in silken robes stand patiently while the priest reads from the Gospel. The priest's voice wavers through the church, joined by the choir. Old and young voices combine with his to create a sweet melody. One of the youngest altar boys grows restless waiting during the seemingly endless service, and begins to sway back and forth.

When it ends, everyone gathers in the basement for the coffee hour. A line forms for the special Sunday donut and coffee, or orange juice, and chatter fills the room. Cacophony fills the room when the youngest Sunday School children are let out of class. They run to the piano on-stage and pound away at the keys with their fists, laughing as they try to create a melody.

The Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church has been home to the Greek Orthodox of the Lowell Acre since 1956. The priests have changed throughout the years, but the families that have attended the church have been the same. Some families have been members of the Transfiguration parish since it first opened its doors. The church not only represented a place of worship, but also an opportunity for Greeks from all different villages to come together under one roof, in a new country. They built the church up together, creating a place they could call home, and their future children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren could also call home.

Families that have attended the church a very long time sit in the same pews every Sunday. The Yiayias lean on their canes, their white-gray hair set in perfect curls. The Papous stand by their side, wearing their best suit and tie. Their weak eyes peer over their gold-rimmed glasses as they read worn Bibles and sing along with the choir in their soft, old voices.

Writer's Memo for Story 3

It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to write about for Story 3. I debated writing an Onion-type piece, but it's a lot more difficult to write a satire than I originally thought.

I have always been a big list-writer, so I thought I would utilize that for my story. I also have a friend who has introduced me to a lot of really good, obscure movies, so I thought I would use that to my advantage.

I have never really written movie reviews before, so that is a new style of writing I need to get better at. I also need to get better at synthesizing a movie plot into a few sentences without being bland. It's hard to write about the movie without giving the plot away.

Uploading my video was also very easy. For the next story I need to work on editing my video. I received some recommendations to do a video clip that includes all the movies in one video, and that I should add voice-overs and introductions for each movie.

Overall, I like this piece because I really like sharing my favorite movies. This piece allowed me to combine my love of lists with my love of movies.

Top 5 Movies

I have spent more time than I should watching movies with my friends on school nights. That essay that is due tomorrow at noon? Not important. If I want to consider myself well-educated, it is imperative that I watch all of Pootie Tang. What's that about Brit Lit reading homework? Naw, I'll just wake up early and get that done. As if.

For my fellow procrastinators who are also interested in watching good movies, I give you my top five movies that are worth procrastinating for: 

1. Big Fish 

We've all heard those stories that begin with, "When I was your age, I walked ten miles uphill without shoes in a blizzard..." Will Bloom's father is the king of tall tales, which aggravates Will as he becomes an adult. Why can't his father ever tell him a true story? Why do his stories have to be so farfetched? When Will's father has a heart attack, Will is determined to find out the real details of his father's life. I never got bored with this movie; it weaves fantasy with reality in a masterful way that keeps you entranced. Big Fish makes you appreciate the far fetched stories you were told as a child. Starring Ewan McGregor, Jessica Lange, Danny Devito.

2. Wristcutters: A Love Story 

Don't be fooled by the title. This movie is not nearly as dark as you may think. Patrick Fugit's character Zia kills himself after he and his girlfriend break up. He ends up in a second world, only populated by people who have killed themselves. When Zia discovers that his ex-girlfriend has also killed herself, he goes on a mission with the help of his friends to find her, but he discovers there may be more to the afterlife than he thought.I love this movie because it gives a whole new perspective on the fragility of life and what awaits us when it's over. Starring Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossaman, Shea Whigham, and Tom Waits.

3. Seven Psychopaths: 
When a struggling writer's best friend steals the Shih Tzu of a well-known criminal in Los Angeles, he is unwillingly drawn into a world of violence, and is forced to face a psychopath who will stop at nothing to get his precious dog back.The premise of this movie is ridiculous, but it is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time and it has an original plot. I love this movie because it doesn't treat itself seriously, even though it features big name actors such as Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson, Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell.

4. Saved 
Mary, the main character, grows up in the Bible Belt of America and attends and extremely Christian high school. When she discovers that her boyfriend Dean is gay, she has a vision that Jesus tells her to make him straight. Having sex with Dean is Mary's only hope. When his parents discover that he is gay, however, they immediately send him away to a rehab so he can "recover." Mary finds out she is pregnant, and decides to keep the baby a secret, but only succeeds for so long before the adults in her life discover her secret. This movie is great at making you question your beliefs and relationships. Starring Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin, Patrick Fugit and Jena Malone.

5. Heathers 

Winona Ryder is the only Veronica in a group of girls all named Heather.The top-Heather wears a red scrunchy in her hair, asserting her dominance, and uses her position to put everyone else down. Basically, she is the Regina George of the 1980's. Veronica teams up with J.D., the new rebel on campus, and the take down the top-Heather, killing her with Draino in a coffee cup. The next Heather assumes the top role. Veronica needs to decide whether she will keep killing off her friends with J.D., or whether she will put a stop to his killing streak. A brilliant satire, this movie touches on the subject of high school drama queens, staying in the closet, suicide and murder, and relationships. I love Heathers because it is still relatable for teenagers. Featuring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty.

My Top Pick:

Story 4 Ideas

I have a few different ideas for story four. 

1. A feature on the Connector staff. I don't really feel as though the school knows the Connector well enough, or our staff.

2. A feature on a student who leads an interesting lifestyle. Not sure who I would choose yet. 

3. A video or feature story on the history of a certain location in Lowell. Not sure if I would choose a church or a bar, maybe even a business. 

4. A day in the life of a college student. That would probably be a video project. 

I'm not really sure which one I would like best. What do you guys think? Any suggestions?