students to take the Braven Accelerator in Spring 2026
Fellows to take the Braven Accelerator by Spring 2030
UMass Lowell is the first site in New England to offer Braven
Extending from the heart of Boston to the Merrimack Valley, the Greater Boston area boasts a rich history of artistic innovation, significant literary contributions, technology, health, business, and advancements through higher education. Yet too many talented students face barriers to accessing the region’s most promising career paths. Braven’s partnership with the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell)—a Carnegie Research 1 (R1) university and anchor institution for workforce development—aims to change that. Together, we’re equipping high-potential students with the skills, networks, confidence, and experience to launch into strong first jobs or graduate school and lead in the region’s competitive economy.
Braven has officially launched our Greater Boston region in 2025, and we are proud to join forces with local philanthropic partners, employers, and UMass Lowell to support rising leaders.
Braven and UMass Lowell will launch the first Accelerator class on campus in Spring 2026. Located in the heart of Lowell—a city known for its rich industrial history and spirit of innovation—UMass Lowell is a powerhouse for talent and upward mobility. This vibrant community is a wonderful backdrop for students preparing to launch purpose-driven careers and make an impact on the world.
UMass Lowell is committed to delivering on its promise of a Career Connected Experience, ensuring every student is equipped with real-world learning opportunities that prepare them for life after college. In partnership with Braven, we will offer the Braven Accelerator as a for-credit course to an inaugural cohort of 75 students, with plans to grow and serve approximately 450 sophomores and transfer juniors annually by Spring 2030. Together, we’re working to ensure more UMass Lowell students graduate with the skills, networks, confidence, experience needed to secure strong jobs or pursue graduate study within six months of earning their degree.
Eligibility
Sophomores and transfer juniors in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, but the course is open to all full-time undergraduate students in all majors who are:
Course Description
This course prepares students for the increasingly competitive, globalized job marketplace. Through online and peer learning, students will define their own leadership by leveraging and highlighting their values, strengths, talents and experiences via multiple formats of communication, networking, project-managing, and teamwork activities. This course will require your commitment. Nothing good comes easy, but this course will be equally rewarding as it is challenging.
Course Section
The Braven Accelerator is a 3-credit elective course that meets Thursdays from 3:30pm to 5:30pm ET. The course is listed as FAHS.2800 Career Accelerator with Braven:
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Location
There will be one section of the course. The two (2) in-person Learning Labs will be hosted at the O’Leary Mezzanine – on South campus.
UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
Rutgers University – Newark
EMPLOYER PARTNERS
LEAD
($250K+ and programmatic support)
Apollo Opportunity Foundation
Barclays
Deloitte
Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women
LinkedIn
NBA Foundation
Prudential Financial
ANCHOR
($100K+ and programmatic support)
JPMorgan Chase
ServiceNow
KEYSTONE
($25K+ and programmatic support)
ADP
AEA Investors
Amazon
Audible
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance
Blackbaud
Lazard Asset Management
Panasonic
UBS
INNOVATION
($5K+ & programmatic support)
Fortune Media
GLG
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Indeed
IPG Health Network
IQVIA
McKinsey & Company
RSM
IMPACT
(<$5K and/or programmatic support)
RWJBarnabas
Wipfli
Anonymous
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation
Deloitte Foundation
John & Wendy Cozzi
Lisa & Joseph Amato
New Profit, Inc.
Susan & Thomas Dunn
Victoria Foundation
