Thursday, May 1, 2014

GREAT UMass INFORMS Student Chapter Party with Surprise Attendance by Isenberg Alums

Today we had our end of the semester (academic year, actually) UMass Amherst INFORMS Student Chapter party. It was held in the Isenberg School of Management.

As many said who came (and the attendance was fabulous with faculty from the Isenberg School, the College of Engineering, some staff members, several administrators, and both graduate and several undergraduate students coming),  this party has become a tradition and not to be missed!


It was extra special for me because two of my former students came, with Jan Sudra driving up from United Technologies in Hartford and Bill Bebrin from the Boston area. Both were Operations Management majors and I had to hug them. The former one even brought pierogies that he had made! What a wonderful surprise it was to see them.

Seeing former students who are doing so well, makes me so happy and so proud!

The UMass Amherst INFORMS Student Chapter officers and members outdid themselves and being experts in operations research, management science, and, of course, logistics, the food arrived in a timely manner with the hot food hot and the cold food cold.

The food was delicious with a predominance of European and Asian cuisines. And, as is my tradition, I also brought pierogies (two types) and kielbasy.

The desserts came from several local stores with the chocolate and mousse cakes coming from Whole Foods.
 Best of all was seeing so many very wonderful people who make our academic community so special.

A special shoutout to our PhD Director, Dr. George Milne, and to our former Dean, Dr. Tom O'Brien, for coming! The students very much appreciate when administrators support them and so do I!
Thanks to Bill Bebrin for taking the group photo above - wish we had captured everyone but it was getting late.

Thanks also to this year's Chapter Officers for their extraordinary work! It is a pleasure to work with them as their Faculty Advisor.